In 1949 The Edinburgh Cup was gifted to the British Dragon Association (BDA) by the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip) after the members of the Island Sailing Club presented the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip with a Dragon named Bluebottle on the occasion of their marriage in 1948. This impressive silver trophy has been awarded annually to the winner of the British Open Dragon Championship ever since.
The first staging of the Edinburgh Cup was in Cowes in 1949 and it was won by Franklin Ratsey Woodroffe in Blue Skies (K214). Prince Philip was a keen Dragon sailor and his intention in presenting the trophy was to use it to popularise the Dragon class around the country with the deed of gift stating that the venue should vary each year. As a result, the regatta has been hosted by clubs from all four nations of the British Isles. 2023 marks 75 years of Edinburgh Cup history when the competition will return once again to Cowes, where the BDA and the Royal Yacht Squadron are planning a spectacular celebration regatta from 14 to 19 August.
Further adding to the prestige of the event, the International Dragon Association (IDA) has announced that the Edinburgh Cup will be one of only four International Grand Prix regattas in 2023 – the IDA’s premier international series. With Britain also hosting the Dragon Gold Cup from 9 to 15 September in Torquay, and the option to participate in Cowes Week from 29 July to 7 August, the UK will be a hotspot for Dragon sailing during summer 2023. To encourage maximum international participation special ferry deals, logistical support, and arrangements for boat storage between events are being put in place.
More information Edinburgh Cup
