Maria Stanley, from Stanton St. John, and Tetsworth's Claire Lasko are on the crest of a wave after they won at the Volvo Musto Optimist National Championships in Largs, Scotland.

Maria, 13, who won the top girl's spot in the senior fleet, competing against more than 110 other sailors said: "I finished 45th overall in the junior fleet last year, and came sixth overall and first girl this year so that's a huge improvement."

Meanwhile, fellow Bowmoor member Claire, 11, who won the Junior fleet of more than 90 sailors, added: "I didn't have a very good start to the week, so am very pleased that I have managed to work my way up the fleet and finish fourth overall and first girl."

The optimist class launched the careers of British Olympic gold medallists Ben Ainslie in the Laser class, Iain Percy in the Finn and Ellen MacArthur, who sailed single-handed around the world.