Irish Dragon sailors will be among a strong international fleet contesting the 2026 Dragon Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix in Cowes this August. Around 40 teams from 10 nations have already confirmed entries for the championship, with six weeks still remaining before the initial entry deadline.
The regatta, which incorporates the British Open Dragon Championship and the third leg of the International Dragon Association European Grand Prix Series, will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes from 16-21 August.
Ireland's challenge will be led by former Edinburgh Cup winner Martin Byrne. Irish sailor Nicola Halloran is also among a record number of female helms already entered for the Seagull Trophy. The fleet will include competitors from Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the USA, Ireland and the UK.
Irish Presence - Dragon fleet racing is set for Cowes in August, with Irish sailors among 40 teams from 10 nations already confirmed for the Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix. Photo: British Dragon Association
Event Director Gavia Wilkinson-Cox said the championship returns to a venue closely linked to the trophy's history. "The history of the Edinburgh Cup is deeply rooted in Cowes, as it was here that the trophy began and was first raced for nearly 80 years ago," she said.
Wilkinson-Cox said organisers were working to deliver "the very best Edinburgh Cup/UK Grand Prix" and looked forward to welcoming both British and international Dragon sailors.
Championship racing will take place on windward-leeward courses in the central Solent from 18 to 21 August. Four races are required to constitute a series, with one discard permitted after five races. Race management will be led by experienced Dragon sailor and former Edinburgh Cup winner Rob Brown. "The Royal Yacht Squadron is once more honoured and delighted to be hosting this prestigious event," Brown said.
Colour Run — Colourful spinnakers fill the Solent during Dragon racing in Cowes, where Irish crews will join a 40-boat international fleet for the 2026 Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix. Photo: British Dragon Association
The race committee will use the Vakaros RaceSense system, which provides live start-line detection and race tracking for competitors, officials and spectators.
Among the international entries are Swiss sailor Jan Eckert, Germany's Christoph Toepfer, Belgium's Xavier Vanneste, Sweden's Jan Secher and defending Corinthian Edinburgh Cup champion William Swigart of the USA. The British challenge will be headed by four-time Dragon World Champion Andy Beadsworth, alongside recent Dragon Gold Cup winner Grant Gordon and the Louise Racing Team.
The event also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the British Dragon Association. Celebrations will include a special anniversary race on 17 August ahead of the main championship. Racing concludes on 21 August with the Edinburgh Cup and UK Dragon Grand Prix prize-giving at the Royal Yacht Squadron.
