The 2008 Heron National Championships for crewed craft was held at Priory SC, Bedford, on Saturday 6 September. It was a day of fresh winds with some very gusty periods – the third event in recent weeks to have been held in windy conditions. However these did not deter 7 visitors from joining 7 craft from the home club for this important concluding event to the Heron Open / Championship events season.

Four of the visitors sailed consistently in close fought battles but finished each of the three races in the same order, this thus being that of their overall placings for the event. Last year’s champion, Paul Pelling, repeated his performance of recent years and was followed in each race by Andy Dale, Dave Butler and Matthew Pickett. In spite of the conditions each of these helms brought and sailed with young crews and skilfully pulled out commanding leads over many of the fleet, especially on the half mile reaches connecting the two beats of the figure of eight course. In the latter two races Peter Moulton came in fifth, thus earning that place overall but the result meant that he had surrendered the Travellers Trophy to Matthew Pickett, these two having been close contenders for this award in both 2007 and 2008.

Sixth place overall was gained by Tony Ogborn who consequently won one of the two Veterans’ Trophies and led the home Priory SC team to the Fenn & Wood Club Trophy. Four of the craft from the home club were helmed by young female sailors, each sailing borrowed craft. They all had high hopes of gaining the trophies for the leading Lady Helm and for the leading Junior Helm and Crew. However they were just pipped, for the Lady Helm trophy, by one of their ‘instructors of the club’s ‘Buccaneers’ group, Sue Baker, who also won the other Veterans’ trophy with 8th place overall.

It was with 10th place overall that Zoe Waring and Ellie Harbinson secured the much prized Junior Helm and Crew trophy – to riotous cheers from all their supporters in the Priory SC Buccaneer group.

The award for “Middle of the Fleet” went to the 7th placed boat, that of Alexander Johnson and Ashley Soucy who, in spite of capsizing four times, kept going to secure this overall creditable result. The award for the “Result of Note” was however given to the second placed Priory SC juniors, Shevaun Davis and Carla Barberio.