August 2026 will see the crème de la crème of the International Dragon fleet assemble off Cowes, UK for the 2026 Edinburgh Cup and International Dragon Association UK Grand Prix. The Edinburgh Cup is presented annually to the winner of the Dragon British Open Championship, whilst the Dragon UK Grand Prix is one of the four European Grand Prix Series Regattas being held in 2026. The two events will run concurrently from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August.
Under the leadership of British Dragon Association (BDA) Chairman Chris Grosscurth and Event Director Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, the event will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS), with racing taking place on windward-leeward courses in the central Solent.
2026 sees the BDA celebrate its 70th Anniversary, and alongside a world class racing programme, competitors will also enjoy a special celebratory social programme, which will include a welcome reception on the RYS’s famous lawn, and a Prize Giving Gala Dinner in the RYS Pavillion.
The fleet will be based at Cowes Yacht Haven, where launching and recovery will also take place. Registration will commence on Sunday 16 August and continue until Monday 17 August when there will also be a special BDA 70th Anniversary Celebration Race and Practice Race. The championship series will run from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August.
For overseas competitors travelling to Cowes there is a bumper summer of sailing on offer. From 1 to 7 August Cowes Week will celebrate its 200th Anniversary with a strong Dragon fleet participating. The Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix will be immediately followed by the Marblehead Trophy, the International Dragon’s premier inter-club competition. Organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron and hosted by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, with the Bluebottle crew, Dragon teams are welcomed to Cowes to challenge for the Marblehead Trophy, one of the sport’s most historic prizes. Any recognised club can challenge the holder in a series of races designated by the current holder in his or her country.
BDA Chairman, and Dragon Solent Fleet Captain, Chris Grosscurth highlights the prestige of the combined event; “The Edinburgh Cup returning to Cowes as an International Dragon Association Grade 1 regatta is something we are extremely proud of. It is a privilege for the UK Dragon community to host one of the class’s premier events once again.
“We are seeing a genuine swell of enthusiasm for Dragon sailing, not only across our regional fleets in the UK, but internationally as well. There has already been strong interest from British sailors, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming teams travelling from further afield to race on the Solent. The Edinburgh Cup has always held a special place in the Dragon calendar, and 2026 promises to be a particularly memorable edition.”
Further information about the regatta, including the Notice of Race and online entry can be found at britishdragons.org. A discounted early entry fee is available to those who enter by 31 March, after which standard entry remains open until 31 July, with entries then being accepted until 7 August with a late entry fee.
Further information about the Edinburgh Cup can be found at britishdragons.org
About The International Dragon
The Dragon was designed by Johan Anker in 1929 as an entry for a competition run by the Royal Yacht Club of Gothenburg, to find a small keel-boat that could be used for simple weekend cruising among the islands and fjords of the Scandinavian seaboard. The original design had two berths and was ideally suited for cruising in his home waters of Norway. The boat quickly attracted owners and within ten years it had spread all over Europe.
The Dragon’s long keel and elegant metre-boat lines remain unchanged, but today Dragons are constructed using the latest technology to make the boat durable and easy to maintain. GRP is the most popular material, but both new and old wooden boats regularly win major competitions while looking as beautiful as any craft afloat. Exotic materials are banned throughout the boat, and strict rules are applied to all areas of construction to avoid sacrificing value for a fractional increase in speed.
The key to the Dragon’s enduring appeal lies in the careful development of its rig. Its well balanced sail plan makes boat handling easy for lightweights, while a controlled process of development has produced one of the most flexible and controllable rigs of any racing boat.
The British Dragon Association celebrates its 70th Anniversary in 2026. The Edinburgh Cup was presented to the class by the last Duke of Edinburgh and was first raced for in 1949 in Cowes. It is awarded annually to the winner of the British Open Dragon Championship.
For further information about the International Dragon visit www.intdragon.net
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