In 1949 The Edinburgh Cup was gifted to the British Dragon Association (BDA) by the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip) after the members of the Island Sailing Club presented the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip with a Dragon named Bluebottle on the occasion of their marriage in 1948. This impressive silver trophy has been awarded annually to the winner of the British Open Dragon Championship ever since.
The first staging of the Edinburgh Cup was in Cowes in 1949 and it was won by Franklin Ratsey Woodroffe in Blue Skies (K214). Prince Philip was a keen Dragon sailor and his intention in presenting the trophy was to use it to popularise the Dragon class around the country with the deed of gift stating that the venue should vary each year. As a result, the regatta has been hosted by clubs from all four nations of the British Isles. 2023 marks 75 years of Edinburgh Cup history when the competition will return once again to Cowes, where the BDA and the Royal Yacht Squadron are planning a spectacular celebration regatta from 14 to 19 August.
Bruce Huber, Rear Commodore Yachting of the Royal Yacht Squadron noted "The Royal Yacht Squadron is delighted to be hosting the International Dragon Class in 2023 as they celebrate 75 years of competition for the Edinburgh Cup, a trophy gifted by our late Admiral, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Squadron continues to invest in our infrastructure to be a top venue of choice for leading international and national yacht racing regattas in the Solent, arguably a historical centre of virtually every stage of the history of yachting. Accordingly, we remain committed to the highest standards for race management, underpinned by an outstanding venue for spectators and onshore hospitality."
No comments:
Post a Comment