Just how glamorous can RS Elite sailing get?

Miss Northern Ireland, Tiffany Brien, is set to compete at the Wight Vodka RS Elite Nationals © Tiffany Brien

Whatever you thought the answer to that question may be, you're probably wrong.

News has spread through the fleet that not only will the Wight Vodka RS Elite National Championships, which start on Thursday at the uber prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, be the biggest and most competitive yet; not only will all the boats be moored in the RYS's own harbour in front of the Castle, and not only will posh dresses be the code at every social event from the Briefing onwards... but just to add even more glamour one of the skippers will be Tiffany Brien, the current Miss Northern Ireland, from the Royal North YC on Belfast Lough. And she's not slow.

Yes, in two days time some of us will be fighting it out around the track in beautifully mannered keelboats, then sipping Wight Vodka cocktails on the Royal Yacht Squadron lawn with Miss Northern Ireland as the sun goes down. Oh, and Gold medallist blonde-in-a-boat, Pippa Wilson, will be there too.

Tough job but someone has to do it.