Sponsor support grows for 2026 Dragon Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix
by British Dragon Association 14 Jul 05:45 PDT
16-21 August 2026
Dragon Edinburgh Cup © British Dragon Association
45 entries from 11 nations have already signed up to participate in the British Dragon Association's 2026 Edinburgh Cup and the International Dragon Association's UK Grand Prix, the joint highest entry for the event in 20 years.
The regattas are to be hosted concurrently by the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, from 16 to 21 August. Online entry remains open until 31 July however; a maximum of 50 entries can be accepted so competitors are advised to book early to avoid disappointment.
Teams from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, the United States and across the UK have confirmed their entries for the four-day regatta, which will be raced on windward leeward courses in the central Solent.
Alongside great competitor participation, the event is also attracting outstanding sponsor support, ensuring that it will live up to the always high expectations of the International Dragon fleet.
The social programme kicks off with a special Opening Ceremony on Monday 17 August which will include the prize-giving for the British Dragon Association 70th Anniversary race taking place that day. It culminates in a Gala Prize Giving Dinner, which will be held in the Royal Yacht Squadron's elegant waterside Pavilion. The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust is most generously supporting this glittering gala prize-giving dinner, which will open with a Laurent Perrier champagne reception.
Supporting the social programme are Hendricks Gin as the Official Gin Supplier, who will be sponsoring the après sailing Happy Hours at the Royal Yacht Squadron Pavilion on Tuesday and Thursday, whilst on Wednesday Happy Hour will be sponsored by Dragon maintenance specialist Katie Cole.
Official event Clothing Supplier is exclusive Italian sailing clothing brand TOIO, who will be offering a range of event clothing that can be purchased online or from their Cowes store. "TOIO was created to build sailing gear that lasts, performs in the toughest conditions, and reflects the best of Italian craftsmanship. This is our first partnership with the British Dragon Class and we are delighted to be supporting the 2026 Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix." - Andrea Laura, Founder of TOIO
The regatta is also being generously supported by a number of individual Patrons including Christoph Toepfer, Glynn Williams and James Mansell of Clear Solutions.
North Sails will be providing an overnight sail repair service, enabling competitors to drop off any damaged sails after racing each day and collect them again the following morning prior to racing.
Red Funnel, the cross Solent ferry provider, is continuing its generous support of the British Dragon Association by extending its existing special discounted travel rate to the international competitors.
Legendary Solent based photographers Rick and James Tomlinson will be covering the regatta alongside the BDA and Edinburgh Press Officers Emma York and Fiona Brown, who will bring you all the latest news updates via the IDA and BDA websites and social media pages. Live race tracking will also be available thanks to the support of Vakaros Racesense, which will be used to manage the start line and provide live positioning from the course.
Dragon and Solent racing legend Graham Bailey, who will be at the helm of the historic Royal Dragon Bluebottle for the regatta, has created a Solent Venue Guide, in which he shares his exceptional knowledge and insight on the unique challenges of racing in the Solent with the competitors
The Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix Organising Committee, the International and British Dragon Associations, are indebted to the sponsors, supporters, suppliers and patrons for their most generous support of this regatta.
For further information about the 2026 Dragon Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix please visit the event website.