Kinsale Yacht Club in County Cork is welcoming 62 International Dragon Teams, representing 14 countries and four continents from across the globe, to compete in the 80th Dragon Gold Cup, which gets Cork underway with a practice race on Saturday, September 7. 

As Afloat reported previously, it will be the largest gathering of the Dragon fleet since the Covid pandemic.

Championship racing will run from Sunday, 8 to Friday, 13 September, with six races scheduled.

All the top international teams will be competing including reigning Dragon Gold Cup Champion and British Olympian Lawrie Smith, who will be racing for Glandore Yacht Club, Dragon International Ranking leader and reigning World and European Champion Wolf Waschkuhn from Switzerland, Australian Match Racing legend Peter Gilmour with his Japanese Yanmar team, France’s offshore maestro Gery Trentesaux, Portugal’s 2019 Gold Cup winner Pedro Rebelo de Andrade, and three times Dragon World Champion and British Olympian Andy Beadsworth, helming the Turkish entry Provezza.

Dragon Gold Cup competitors arrive in Kinsale Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

Kinsale Yacht Club is on standby for the arrival of 62 International Dragon Teams, representing 14 countries and four continents from across the globe, to compete in the 80th Dragon Gold Cup, which gets underway with a practice race on Saturday, September 7 and is sponsored by Astra Construction Services Ltd.

This will be the largest gathering of the Dragon fleet since the Covid pandemic, and it’s clear that the combination of an outstanding venue, exceptional Irish hospitality, and the opportunity to celebrate the 80th edition of the Dragon Gold Cup have combined to create a standout event.

Championship racing will run from Sunday, 8 to Friday, 13 September, with six races scheduled.

All the top international teams will be competing including reigning Dragon Gold Cup Champion and British Olympian Lawrie Smith, who will be racing for Glandore Yacht Club, Dragon International Ranking leader and reigning World and European Champion Wolf Waschkuhn from Switzerland, Australian Match Racing legend Peter Gilmour with his Japanese Yanmar team, France’s offshore maestro Gery Trentesaux, Portugal’s 2019 Gold Cup winner Pedro Rebelo de Andrade, and three times Dragon World Champion and British Olympian Andy Beadsworth, helming the Turkish entry Provezza.

Portugal’s 2019 Gold Cup winner Pedro Rebelo de Andrade Photo: Afloat

Smith has been enjoying a Dragon renaissance in the last two seasons, having taken a couple of years out from the class. He returned all guns blazing to win the Edinburgh Cup and Gold Cup in 2023 and has already successfully defended his Edinburgh Cup title this year. Last weekend, many of the teams raced in the Dragon Irish Championship, incorporating European Grand Prix Event 1, and once again, Smith was the cream of the crop.

France’s offshore maestro Gery Trentesaux competing at the Irish Dragon Championships on Dublin Bay in August Photo: Afloat

Waschkuhn was runner-up at last year’s Gold Cup in Torquay, so he hopes to get the better of the fleet this time and add the Gold Cup to his Dragon World and European titles.

The Gold Cup was originally created to foster international competition in a spirit of goodwill and friendly camaraderie. The format for the event calls for one single long windward leeward race per day and there are no discards in the series. This makes it not only an exceptionally challenging regatta to win, but also allows plenty of time for après sailing hospitality. As a result, the Gold Cup always attracts a broad range of competitors, and with the beautiful Kinsale, Ireland’s gourmet capital, as the venue combined with Kinsale Yacht Club’s legendary hospitality, it’s no surprise that this event has attracted the largest Dragon fleet since 2019.

Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, one of the International Dragon fleet’s top female helms, is a regular visitor to Kinsale and summed up the feelings of the returning fleet saying; “I’m thrilled to be sailing at the Gold Cup in Kinsale – there’s no better place for Dragons, on and off the water! The Kinsale Yacht Club and Kinsale itself have well deserved reputations for great hospitality, great race management, great restaurants – and great craic! We’re very much looking forward to returning for this auspicious Gold Cup in Kinsale – a superb venue.

For Belgium’s Xavier Vaneste and his team this will be a first visit to Kinsale; “We are very much looking forward to racing in Kinsale for the first time with our Dragon. We heard about the beautiful nature of this venue, excellent sailing conditions and winds, and the good life in Ireland. Hopefully we will have some sunshine in September. We are excited to meet the Irish sailors and catch up with the strong fleet of Dragon sailors that is going to be present. And of course, to taste the Irish beers and Cork Dry Gin as well!”

Past Edinburgh Cup winner Martin Byrne of the Royal St. George Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Alongside the international visitors, Ireland will field an exceptionally strong team of 23 boats. The home fleet will include past Edinburgh Cup winners Martin Byrne, Brian Goggin, Neil Hegarty and Cameron Good, all of whom can make the podium. Travelling furthest to compete will be the Australian teams of Ian Malley, and Emma Shand with helm Grant Alderson. With Denmark, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Sweden also represented, it will be a truly international affair, and a full entry list can be found at the event website.

Kinsale Dragon ace Cameron Good Photo: Afloat

The all-amateur Corinthian teams will race with the open fleet, vying for the Corinthian Gold Cup, with 2023 winner David Tabb from the UK hoping to defend his title. There will also be a competition for the top performing three-boat national team, which will race for the Nations Cup, and for the Silver Cup, which is presented to the boat that finishes exactly halfway in the overall results.

Dublin Bay's Neil Hegarty from the Royal St. George Yacht Club. Photo: Afloat

Alongside the racing there will be a superb social programme with daily après sailing parties sponsored by Yanmar, an Opening Ceremony sponsored by Cork Council, a Taste of Ireland supper, a Reception at the historic Charles Fort and a Gala Dinner at Acton’s Hotel, all sponsored by Astra Construction, plus the Prize Giving and Closing Ceremony hosted by Kinsale Yacht Club.

The strong westerly winds that provided such testing championship conditions since last Thursday in Dublin proved a little too much on Sunday (August 25th), bringing the curtain down a day early on four national championships, a key offshore cross-channel race and a weekend regatta in County Wicklow.

While there seemed to be little doubt that no one could catch Lawrie Smith for the Irish Dragon title, no seventh race chance was possible at the Royal St. George on Sunday, and one of Britain's best-loved skippers – who led overall since last Thursday – walked away with the Irish title by a margin of nine points.

Irish Dragon Champions 2024 - Lawrie Smith, Ruairidh Scott, Martin Wrigley, James Taylor at the Royal S.t George Yacht Club

Both of Howth's weekend championships were reduced to one-day affairs, and the inaugural Melges15 championships went to Howth's Darragh O'Connor and Teddy Byrne (pictured top) after four races sailed on their home waters after four races sailed on Saturday. 

Paul and Laura McMahon's Shiggi Shiggi  is the Puppeteer 22 National Champion in the 40th anniversary of the class Photo: Afloat

Likewise, the Puppeteer national trophy has been lifted again by Paul and Laura McMahon's 1978-vintage prototype Puppeteer 22 Shiggi Shiggi  after Saturday's four races and one discard applied.

Irish ILCA titles were decided after six races at Dun Laoghaire 

And at the combined ILCA National Championships at the National Yacht Club, the three national titles on offer in the ILCA 4, 6 and 7 rigs were decided after six races sailed. In the 33-boat ILCA 4 division, Tralee Bay Sailing Club's Riona McMorrow Moriarty was a clear winner. Andrew Kingston from Royal Cork YC topped an impressive 48-boat ILCA 6 fleet. Sienna Wright won the Ladies division. Ballyholme's Dan McGaughey won a 32-boat ILCA 7 division. 

There is no news yet on the rescheduled date for ISORA's James Eadie Race from Pwllheli to Dun Laoghaire, which was cancelled on Sunday due to 'potentially dangerous' conditions in Bardsy Sound.

With one final race to be sailed on Sunday, multiple champion Lawrie Smith holds a nine-point lead at the Irish Dragon National Championships on Dublin Bay. 

The Olympian and America's Cup skipper – who took a 1, 2 on Saturday – had a slip in race three's windward-leeward course on Friday when he counted a ten in the 28-boat fleet but has been otherwise showing most consistent form with five results in the top two.

Sailing with Ruairidh Scott, Martin Wrigley and James Taylor of Glandore Harbour Yacht Club, Smith has a nine-point lead over the Japanese entry of Peter Gilmour, Yasuhiro Yaji and Sam Gilmour, who are on 17 points. Lying third is Britain's YeahNah, which Peter Cooke sails with Torvar Mirsky, Peter Nicholas, and Cork Harbour's Harry Durcan on 24.

As Afloat reported previously, the Irish event is part of the international class's European Grand Prix Circuit.

Royal St. George's Phantom sailed by Neil Hegarty, Peter Bowring and David Williams lie 15th having retired from Saturday's race six of the Irish Dragon National Championships on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

A restored vintage Irish wooden Dragon, Titan sailed by British professional Andy Beadsworth with Ben Cooke and Justin Heap of the host club, tops the 13-boat Irish cohort in ninth place.

Pedro Rebelo de Andrade of Portugal considers his options on Saturn with Miguel Leitmann, Martin Westerdahl of Capable Planet Sailing Club at the  Irish Dragon National Championships on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Smith, the current Edinburgh Cup and Gold Cup champion, is among some big international names on the Bay this weekend before the fleet competes at September's Gold Cup in Kinsale. Only one amateur crew make it into the top ten: Britain's Simon Barter, Donald Wilks, and Alistair Barter, who are in tenth place.

Racing concludes with a final race on Sunday where more strong and blustery south-west winds off the south Dublin shoreline are forecast.

Britain's Lawrie Smith continues to lead the Irish Dragon National Championships after four races sailed in strong westerly winds on Dublin Bay. 

The Olympian and America's Cup skipper – who took two seconds on the opening day – had a slip in race three's windward-leeward course when he counted a ten in the 28-boat fleet but regained his consistent form by finishing with a race four win on Friday evening.

Britain's Lawrie Smith continues to lead the Irish Dragon National Championships after four races sailed on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

In a fleet studded with world champions, only one amateur team makes it into the top ten: the defending Irish Champion Cameron Good in Little Fella from Kinsale.

As the Royal St. George Yacht Club hosted a seven-race series past its halfway point, the Dublin race track offered a second day of testing championship conditions with winds gusting to 20 knots.

The Japanese entry of Peter Gilmour, Yasuhiro Yaji and Sam Gilmour lies second at the Irish Dragon Nationals on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

A restored vintage Irish wooden Dragon, Titan, (pictured top) sailed by British professional Andy Beadsworth with Ben Cooke and Justin Heap of the host club, tops the 13-boat Irish cohort in ninth.

Peter Cooke's YeahNah with Torvar Mirsky, Peter Nicholas, and Cork Harbour's Harry Durcan on board lies third overall at the Irish Dragon Nationals Photo: Afloat

Sailing with Ruairidh Scott, Martin Wrigley and James Taylor of Glandore Harbour Yacht Club, the British ace has a two-point lead over the Japanese entry of Peter Gilmour, Yasuhiro Yaji and Sam Gilmour, who are on 17 points. Lying third is Britain's YeahNah, which Peter Cooke sails with Torvar Mirsky, Peter Nicholas, and Cork Harbour's Harry Durcan.

As Afloat reported previously, the Irish event is part of the international class's European Grand Prix Circuit.

Smith, the current Edinburgh Cup and Gold Cup champion, is among some big international names on the Bay this weekend before the fleet competes at September's Gold Cup in Kinsale.

Racing continues on Saturday, and two more races are scheduled in forecasted strong and blustery south-west winds off the south Dublin shoreline.

A consistent Lawrie Smith leads the Irish Dragon National Championships after two races sailed on Thursday (August 22) in medium to strong westerlies on Dublin Bay. 

The multi-world champion opened his account in the Royal St. George Yacht Club hosted seven-race series with two second place results in a fleet of 28 competing boats.

In a fleet studded with world champions and Olympic medalists, two amateur teams make it into the top ten, with one of them being from the host country. 

28 boats from seven nations (inlcuding Ireland leading in race one above, thanks to number 211 'Little Fella' sailed by Cameron Good, Henry Kingston and Sam Hunt Kinsale of Yacht Club) are competing in the 2024 Dragon National Championships and European Grand Prix at the Royal St. George Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Sailing with Ruairidh Scott, Martin Wrigley and James Taylor of Glandore Harbour Yacht Club, the British ace has a four-point lead over the Japanese entry of Peter Gilmour, Yasuhiro Yaji and Sam Gilmour, who are on eight points. Lying third is Britain's Simon Barter Donald Wilks, Alistair Barter on 11 points.

The Japanese entry of Peter Gilmour, Yasuhiro Yaji and Sam Gilmour are lying second overall Photo: Afloat

As Afloat reported previously, the Irish event is part of the international class's European Grand Prix Circuit.

Smith, the current Edinburgh Cup and Gold Cup champion, is among some big international names on the Bay this weekend before the fleet competes at September's Gold Cup in Kinsale.

The top Irish competitors after Thursday's races are national champion Cameron Good, Henry Kingston, and Sam Hunt from Kinsale, who are in eighth place with 14 points.

Little Fella sailed by Cameron Good, Henry Kingston and Sam Hunt Kinsale of Yacht Club the top Irish, after two races sailed at the Irish Dragon National Championships on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Racing continues on Friday, and two more races are scheduled in strong and blustery south-west winds off the south Dublin shoreline.

The Grand Prix/Irish Dragon Championship is a Grade One event and run by Irish International Race Officer Con Murphy with a full international jury in attendance. Seven races (one discard) are scheduled over four days from August 22-25 (Thursday to Sunday) Photo: Afloat

Britain's Lawrie Smith will add international spice to next week's Irish Dragon National Championships at Dun Laoghaire's Royal St George Yacht Club.

Smith, the current Edinburgh Cup and Gold Cup champion, is among some big international names coming to Dublin Bay before September's Gold Cup in Kinsale.

The country's leading Dragon keelboat club will host the National Championships from August 22 to 25 as part of the class's European Grand Prix Circuit.

Alongside Irish championship-winning sailors such as Cameron Good, Neil Hegarty, Don O’Donoghue, and Martin Byrne, the lineup includes top-ranking international sailors like Smith, Peter Gilmour, Pedro Andrade, and Grant Gordon.

Race Officer Con Murphy. who will also run the Gold Cup, expects 30 plus Dragons for the Dublin Bay four-day championships.

Some international entries have already arrived at the Royal St. Geroge forecourt, having travelled directly from the class European Championships in Estonia.

Going into the final day of racing at the Irish South Coast Dragon Championship at Glandore Harbour Yacht Club in West Cork, only one point separates the top two overall in a 17-boat fleet.

Royal St. George's Jaguar sailing team, skippered by Martin Byrne from Dublin Bay, is on six points, and Cameron Good's Little Fella from Kinsale is on seven, which means a final-day showdown on Sunday.

Third place is held by Whisper (D. Murphy) on 14.

Three races were held in perfect conditions on Saturday.

See full results below.

Lawrie Smith, sailing under the burgee of Glandore Harbour Yacht Club in West Cork, has claimed his fourth Dragon Edinburgh Cup win at Abersoch, surpassing Graham Bailey's three titles and placing him within the prestigious group of most wins along with Tony O'Gorman, Poul-Richard Høj-Jensen and Rory Bowman.

Ireland's Cameron Good, Henry Kingston and Shaun Kingston from Kinsale were Corinthian champions, with Dubin Bay's Jaguar Sailing of Martin Byrne, Adam Winkleman and John Simms second.

Edinburgh Cup 2024 Overall Corinthian winners at Abersoch were Little Fella IRL 211 Cameron Good (right) with Henry Kingston and Shaun Kingston and the Commodore of the host club, South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club in North Wales

The final day of the 76th Edinburgh Cup was a celebration of the annual British Dragon National Championship but sadly delivered no racing. Race six was unable to take place due to insufficient wind, so on count back, Lawrie claimed the win over Grant Gordon GBR 833 on equal points.

76th Edinburgh Cup winners

1. Alfie GBR 815 Lawrie Smith, Goncalo Ribeiro, Rualridh Scott, Martin Wrigley
2. Louise GBR 833 Grant Gordon, Luke Patience, Elliot Hanson, Faye Chatterton
3. Saturn POR 89 Pedro Reiberio de Andrade, Miguel Leitmann, Martin Westerdahl

Corinthian Champions

1. Little Fella IRL 211 Cameron Good, Henry Kingston, Shaun Kingston
2. Jaguar Sailing Team IRL 201 Martin Byrne, Adam Winkleman, John Simms
3. Fit Chick GBR 753 Jono Brown, Chris Grosscurth, Andrew Norden

• Jordan Bell Trophy - Jaguar Sailing Team
• Seagull Trophy, Best lady foredeck crew - Faye Chatterton
• Classic Trophy - Fit Chick
• BDA Vintage Trophy - Ran

Full results can be viewed here

International Dragon class attention now turns to Kinsale, which stages the prestigious Dragon Gold Cup in September.

Wet and wild conditions swept Lawrie Smith into the overall lead on day three of the 76th Dragon Edinburgh Cup in Abersoch.

A short postponement in racing allowed for the Northerly wind to arrive in Cardigan Bay, which brought with it more rain and bigger swell.

As the Dragons lined up for the start of race four a big left shift meant that a number of boats were unable to clear the pin-end. Within the rack of boats Lawrie Smith GBR 815, Simon Barter GBR 763 and Owen Pay GBR 777 were among several boats that dipped the melee to make the line.

However Graham Bailey GBR 192 had a good start and headed left into the shore.

As the Dragons approached the windward mark near Pwllheli they were met with increasing wind with gusts exceeding 20 knots.

GBR 815, didn't have the best start but it was Lawrie Smith who was in a leading group of three Dragons along with GBR 192 and Grant Gordon's GBR 833.

Abersoch sailors James Budd GBR 808 and Mike Cope GBR 809 used their advantage of local knowledge sailing strongly in the top ten along with Pedro Andrade POR 89, and Denis Bergin IRL 161.

RACE FOUR

1. Alfie GBR 815 Lawrie Smith, Goncalo Ribeiro, Ruairidh Scott, Martin Wrigley
2. Louise GBR 833 Grant Gordon, Luke Patience, Elliot Hanson, Faye Chatterton
3. Bluebottle GBR 192 Graham Bailey, Julia Bailey, Will Bedford, Killian Boag

Corinthian - The Knucker GBR 808 James Budd, Geoff Edwards, Christopher Thorn
Skipper James Budd commented; "We're enjoying it. It was one of our better mornings. It was quite tricky for the race officer and the committee to set the course because of where the Llanbedrog headland sits. Being local, we knew that it was going to flick left. So that's what we did. We came off the startline and did what we said we were going to do."

RACE FIVE

The unrelenting rain didn't make for great visibility across the bay but by the middle of race five the waves became surfable downwind.

It was not a great start for GBR 192 as they were called over the line (OCS), while GBR 815 laid down a mark to lead from the outset.

Three upwind legs of 1.3 nautical miles delivered some match-race style sailing as every Dragon team were keen to increase their leaderboard positions.

Controlling the race from the front GBR 815 led the fleet with Jerboa GBR 813 and Louise GBR 833 trading places to make up the top three. Closely followed by Saturn POR 89, Little Fella IRL 211, Fit Chick GBR 753 and Bluebottle GBR 192.

"We had a good day today. I'm pleased about that, because we had a tricky second race, yesterday, which sort of left us a bit flat after the day, but we're pleased with today." said Gavia Wilkinson-Cox GBR 813 after the final race of the day.

"We were particularly pleased with our second race, although we lost a place on the last leg, the last beat went to Grant. But we weren't really strong enough to get into a tacking duel with him. We decided to let him go, and keep an eye on everybody else. But it was so changeable, one moment, Pedro was ahead of us then one tack later, he was miles away from us again, so it was really was tricky."

Overall

1. Alfie GBR 815 Lawrie Smith, Goncalo Ribeiro, Ruairidh Scott, Martin Wrigley
2. Louise GBR 833 Grant Gordon, Luke Patience, Elliot Hanson, Faye Chatterton
3. Jerboa GBR 831 Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, Mark Hart, Jake Hardman, Ffion Wood

Corinthian - Little Fella IRL 211 Cameron Good, Henry Kingston, Shaun Kingston

The final race of the 76th Edinburgh Cup is scheduled to start at 11:00 am (Friday 12th July).