Rain did little to cramp the outstanding style of young helmswoman Sarah Everett as she won her second victory in the 44-strong National Squib class yesterday. Sarah, 22, who also won Sunday’s race, sailsFirestreakwith her brother Robert, 24, winner of last week’s south coast championship.

Sarah and Robert are living proof of the success of Royal Victoria Yacht Club’s cadetship scheme. Growing up on the island, they were introduced to the water aged six and have never looked back. Sarah entered her first Skandia Cowes Week in 1997, but the two have only managed to bury their sibling rivalries and sail as a team for the last three years. The results have been impressive – over the past three days, they have won the last two races and were leading on Saturday until a collision ahead forced avoiding action. Squib sailor Hubert Smyth has been sailing in Cowes Week since 1976 and described Sarah as “an exceptionally talented helmsperson”. He also confided that Sarah had won the Round the Island class race this year, having stepped onto SquibFat Chanceonly that morning!

RVYC’s Cowes Week Secretary Steve Warren-Smith is delighted with this year’s National Squib entry. The 44 participating boats make the class the second biggest this year, outstripped only by the X One-Designs. Nearly half (20) of the entries are local sailors from the club, giving rise to an inevitable ‘locals-foreigners’ derby.White Magic, helmed by David Wines from Plymouth, was highlighted by Sarah as stiff competition, as well as Andrew Porteous’ local boatFirecracker Too. Clubs like the RVYC, who will host the national championship in 2006, are fast destroying the ‘old man’ image of the Squib, making it an increasingly exciting class to sail with.