Ireland’s Nicola Halloran secured 10th place aboard IRL233 Zinzan as a 49-boat international Dragon fleet opened a major week of racing in Cowes with a special 70th Anniversary Race for the British Dragon Association.
Crews from 12 nations have gathered for the 2026 Edinburgh Cup and UK Dragon Grand Prix, with four days of championship racing beginning on Tuesday, August 18.
Monday’s one-off anniversary race took competitors around a traditional Solent course before finishing off the Royal Yacht Squadron, where the famous cannons saluted the first three boats home.
Sweden’s Jan Secher, sailing SWE800 Miss Behaviour, mastered the Solent’s strong and complex tides to claim a convincing victory.
Switzerland’s Jan Eckert took second aboard SUI355 Ginkgo Racing, with Britain’s Martin Payne third on GBR818 True Story. Reigning Dragon World Champion Andy Beadsworth was fourth aboard TUR12 Provezza Dragon, while Graham Bailey brought the historic GBR192 Bluebottle, built in 1948, home in fifth.
British Dragon Association chairman Chris Grosscurth said the strength of the fleet reflected the Dragon class's enduring international appeal as the association celebrates its 70th anniversary. “It is a pleasure to see such a strong fleet gathered here as we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the British Dragon Association,” Grosscurth said.
Racing for the Edinburgh Cup and UK Dragon Grand Prix begins on Tuesday, August 18 and continues through Friday, August 21, with windward-leeward racing scheduled in the central Solent.
For Ireland, attention will now turn to whether Halloran and Zinzan can carry their top-10 anniversary-race form into the championship proper.
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