Visiting boats came from as far afield as Norway, Wales and Yorkshire – plus a contingent from Chipstead.
Amanda Conrad – whose BSA boat came third – said one of the visiting crews had commented that the regatta always provided ‘extremes of weather’.
“And this year was no exception,” she commented in her race report.
“By the first start, the wind had dropped somewhat so competitors had quite a sedate three-lap race. In the light airs, Matt Pickett [from Up River Yacht Club] sailing single-handed took advantage of his large genoa to come second.
“Dave Butler and Emily Clixby [from Welton Sailing Club], with their red spinnaker led the fleet from start to finish, and the other boats with this extra sail confirmed its benefits,” added Amanda.
However, with the wind dying at the start of the second race, before picking up again slightly, a spinnaker was of no use to Amanda and her skipper Jo Mayes.
“It took over 40 minutes to sail a single lap, so the race officer [Colin Nutt] shortened course to avoid further frustration,” said Amanda.
The wind changed again for the final race, prompting race officers to change the course, but this ‘confused some competitors’, she said.
And she admitted: “The visitors were not the only sailors to lasso the weather station near the new windward mark!”
The winning crew, from Welton Sailing Club, was helmed by Dave Butler and crewed by Emily Clixby. Matt Pickett of Up River Yacht Club came second. The home crew of Jo Mayes with Amanda Conrad, from Bewl Sailing Association, came third.
Prizes were presented by Commodore Mark Munday.
The Heron Open Meeting was held on May 7 at Bewl Water, run by Elite Leisure Collection, owner of One Media which publishes the Times.
