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Dragon Asia Pacific Championship contenders: who can win, and why

by Hong Kong Dragon Worlds 12 Nov 15:50 PST 17-20 November 2026
Dragon World Championship © Panda Man-Hong Kong Dragon Association

The inaugural Dragon Asia Pacific Championship opens in less than a week, on 17 November. The World Championship follows from 21 to 29 November.

With 95 entries, the 2027 Hong Kong Dragon World Championship will be the largest Dragon World Championship to date. The championship takes place in Hong Kong, China, from 21 to 29 November 2026, marking the first Dragon Worlds in Asia.

Twenty of the world's top 32 Dragon helms are competing, and 19 will skipper their boats. The line-up includes the reigning World, European and Gold Cup champions, as well as the current world number one.

The contender briefing explores six storylines, including Andy Beadsworth's title defence, Grant Gordon's Gold Cup victory, Graham Bailey's ranking lead and the strength of Hong Kong's home fleet.

Read the contender briefing here...

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