Eleven years ago, in 1997, Mike Probert won the Squib Nationals sailing 128 Pani Munta. In 1999, he won every race in the Squib series at Cowes Week and with this the White Fleet overall. Having apparently conquered all known worlds like Alexander the Great, he returned home, sold his Squib and sought new challenges.

This year he came back. He repurchased Pani Munta and with James Bryer won the Squib series at Cowes Week again – not, however, with the same ease. This time, Mike finished on the same number of points as 2006 Cowes winners (and 2007 National Champions) Mike and Penny Fenwick in 758 Ghost Rider from Weymouth, just winning on count back. Pani Munta had 4 first places while Ghost Rider had three. Close behind these two was 844 Saskia V, with Mark Bugler and Rima Bascombe also from Weymouth who won the remaining race.

Squibs may be the shortest boats at Cowes but they are tough – and they needed to be. With the exception of one race when the wind died leaving the fleet for a while in a Sargasso Sea, force 5 and very often above was the order of the day. On the last day, a gust of 42 mph was recorded while the fleet was racing - gale force 8. No days off this year either, unlike previous Cowes Weeks when too much or too little wind has usually caused a lay day or two.

Amazingly, Aquabat 13, carrying perhaps 16 stone with Steve Warren-Smith and his 12 year old son Freddie, was fourth just ahead of three other local boats 42 Eastwind, 2007 winner 640 Firecracker Too and 15 Lee Deck.

Felixstowe Ferry team Ted Reilly and Tom Crean excelled themselves with 8th place overall in 120 Squiblissitude – despite refusing to race on the Saturday. “Cowes is a regatta and not a championship,” Ted says. While their ages cannot be mentioned, the combined total is more than ten times Freddie’s age.

Great support to the fleet was given by the Royal Victoria YC where the fleet dinner and prizegiving events were held and where visitors craned in and out. All in all, a superb if exhausting week. The screaming spinnaker runs alone were worth the entrance fee. Goodness knows what speeds the Squibs reached surfing on the waves for up to 400 yards at a time.

40 Squibs at Cowes in the 40th Anniversary year, third biggest fleet after the heavily sponsored SB3s and the XODs whose national championships occurs at Cowes Week – not bad eh?