#DRAGON – Dublin's Martin Byrne is taking on a double Olympic gold medal winner and former world champion to defend his Dragon Edinburgh Cup title in the first week of July. Byrne, the Commodore of the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, leads a strong international field of sailors travelling to Belfast to take part in what is set to be one of the largest Dragon Class yachting events of its kind. Sponsored by Belfast Harbour, Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club is hosting the 2012 Edinburgh Cup, the UK Dragon Championships, which will take place on Belfast Lough from 4th July-7th July.

Forty-six boats from 10 different countries, including Australia, Japan and Monaco, will compete in what is the largest field in 25 years as the international race returns to Northern Ireland for the first time since 2000. The event will see Denmark's Poul Ricard Hoj Jensen, who struck sailing gold in the Soling class at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics, pit his wits against Byrne and a strong Irish fleet including current Miss Northern Ireland Tiffany Brien, an experienced sailor who was ranked number one in Ireland in the single handed Laser Radial Class last year. Tiffany is crewing for Julian Sowry, one of the top UK competitors.

A former Edinburgh Cup winner, in addition to his world and Olympic successes, Jensen is excited about returning to a race course he rates very highly, saying:

"I am very much looking forward to taking part in the Edinburgh Cup in Belfast, I have sailed there numerous times before and the sailing area and race course are outstanding – in fact, it would be difficult to find a better race track anywhere in the UK.

"I have not yet seen the new marina constructed by Belfast Harbour and look forward to seeing the facility. I am also very well acquainted with the hospitality of the Royal North of Ireland Yacht club and I am excited about meeting up with 'old friends' and enjoying the social activities during the event."

The Edinburgh Cup will be preceded by the British Northern Area Championships from 1st July-3rd July, also hosted by Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club. A parade of sail involving over 30 competing Dragon class yachts will take place from Belfast Harbour's new marina facility at Abercorn Basin to the finish line at Royal North on Saturday evening (6pm) to launch both sailing competitions.

Simon Brien, of Royal North of Ireland and father of Tiffany Brien, commented:

"The calibre of entries for the Edinburgh Cup is truly exceptional and, given that we will have up to 10 different nationalities represented, I don't think there has ever been a sailing event in Northern Ireland with such a high quality international fleet. Challenging Poul Ricard Hoj Jensen for the title is a real who's who from the international yachting elite, with current world champion, Lawrie Smith, and Edinburgh Cup holder, Martin Byrne, also coming to take part.

"It's a real coup for Royal North to have such a stellar line-up and we would like to thank principal sponsor Belfast Harbour, whose support has been invaluable in ensuring we are able to host an event befitting the high calibre of participants. As ever, there is a varied programme of entertaining social events to accompany the competitive action and I would encourage people to come along and watch some world-class international Dragon class yacht racing."

In 2010, Royal North hosted the Irish Dragon Championships, also sponsored by Belfast Harbour, which attracted boats from throughout the UK and Europe. Looking forward to the Edinburgh Cup and British Northern Area Championships, Roy Adair, CEO of Belfast Harbour, commented:

"Belfast Harbour has strong historical links with the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club and, following the great success of the Irish Dragon Boat Championships both on and off the water in 2010, we are delighted to once again form a partnership in hosting one of the most prestigious Dragon yacht racing events in the world.

"Just last month over 60 yachts from across Ireland enjoyed the new marina facilities at Belfast Harbour during our Lough to Lagan Floatilla and we are looking forward to welcoming international competitors and their families to Belfast once again. Tourism has been a major driver of the Northern Ireland economy – sailing, and the Edinburgh Cup in particular, adds another layer to Northern Ireland's tourism offering."

#DRAGON – A London Olympic Games Race Officer, a weather forecast showing winds up to 20 knots and a pumped up Irish Dragon class all sounds like a recipe for a successful one design weekend which makes it all the more harder to fathom how the East Coast Cup failed to be presented at the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire yesterday afternoon.

After losing Friday's race entirely due to lack of wind the fleet were summoned to a four race day on Saturday, unheard of in dragon circles, to put the event back on schedule.

It was just as well OOD Jack Roy insisted on the early start because two races were all that the crack NYC race management team could get as Dublin bay's local flukey winds and choppy seas won out over what appeared a perfect forecast of 20 knots from the east.

Frustratingly the Dragon fleet had to look on becalmed in the bay as the ICRA fleet racing in Howth powered along five miles to the East and in plenty of breeze.

Worse followed, the fleet stayed ashore on Sunday before racing was scrubbed (local SB20 racing was also cancelled) at lunchtime reducing the six race affair to just two races, an insufficient number for the class title to be awarded.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Cameron Good and crew Henry Kingston and Simon Furney made the best of the situation tho recording a 1,2 to win overall in the 17-boat fleet from Dublin Bay's Neil Hegarty, Peter Bowring and David Williams.

Third was Belfast lough visitor Simon Brien crewed by Kenny McCullough and Oliver Lougheed. It was Brien's second weekend on the bay he raced an RS Elite last weekend at the RAYC Baily Bowl.

Results are available to download below as a PDF.

There is little over a month now to the Edinburgh Cup in Cultra on Belfast lough, the first Irish Dragon Grand Slam event.

#KINSALE – Kinsale Yacht Club announced details of two major events for KYC this year at its clubhouse this week. The Davy Optimist National Championships (31st July – 4th August) and The Brewin Dolphin Dragon Gold Cup (8th-14th September) are due to attract huge number of sailors to Kinsale and, in turn, are expected to benefit the local economy.

Guests at the reception included Cllr Fred Treacy, Mayor of Kinsale, members of Kinsale Chamber of Tourism, the Kinsale Good Food Circle, local dignatories and members of Kinsale Yacht Club who will be involved in both events.

The Davy Optimist Nationals expect over 200 entries to Kinsale from all over Ireland. As participants are aged under 14, they will bring a family entourage and atmosphere to Kinsale as well as requiring accommodation and availing of all the amenities Kinsale has to offer as a premier tourist destination.

The Brewin Dolphin Dragon Gold Cup is considered the World Cup of Dragon Sailing and several world champions and ex-olympians have already entered from 15 countries as over 200 dragon sailors are expected to sail off Kinsale over six days in September. These include current world champion, Lawrie Smith, Marcus Wieser, Tommy Muller and Vincent Hoesch – all well known international sailors with many world-class titles between them.

"We are delighted to host these prestigious events at Kinsale Yacht Club this season and look forward to welcoming the best Optimist sailors in Ireland to Kinsale in July, as well as the International Dragon Fleet in September," said Cameron Good, Commodore, Kinsale Yacht Club. "We are grateful for the title sponsorship of Davy Stockborkers for the Optimist Nationals and that of private investment managers, Brewin Dolphin, official product partner Dubarry and the support of the Irish Sailing Association, Failte Ireland for the Dragon Gold Cup," he added.

A presentation was also made by Bobby Nash of Kinsale Yacht Club, outlining the benefit of Kinsale Marina to the local economy and how it may be developed in these challenging times.

#DRAGON – Irish sailors will be vying for the prestigious Dragon Gold Cup from 8th-15th September 2012 when it is contested on Irish waters by Kinsale Yacht Club.

Leading the Irish challenge will be Dun Laoghaire sailor Martin Byrne who won the Dragon Edinburgh Cup last July.

Kinsale last held a major Dragon event in 2003 for the European Championships. Many of the famous sailors who attended that event will be expected to return for the Gold Cup in 2012, including current world champion Lawrie Smith, ex world champions Poul Ricard Hoj-Jensen and Tomas Muller and a number of former world champions and Olympians from other classes who now compete in the Dragon class internationally as well as the strong Irish Dragon fleet.

The Dragon Gold Cup was last held in Ireland in 1997 when the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire hosted the event.

The 2012 Cup will attract approximately 80 boats and participants will be coming from all over the world, including Australia, Scandinavia, Russia, Ukraine, Ireland, UK and other European Countries.

Kinsale Yacht Club is well positioned to host this major Dragon event as it is has a good reputation for great racing, top class facilities on and off the water as well as great accommodation and restaurants that bring sailors back to Kinsale.

The Dragon attracts competitors from all over Europe, along with Royal participation, ex Olympian Pol Ricard Hoj-Jensen, many current professionals, world champion, Lawrie Smith and very accomplished Corinthians. The Gold Cup is a very Special event as participants aren't required to qualify, unlike the Worlds and Europeans therefore it attracts a superb atmosphere with a mix of serious sailors and those interested in the sailing and social programme.

The notice of race has just been finalised and may be viewed on the event website.

The Dragon Nationals held in Kinsale in August 2011

#VOLVO OCEAN RACE – Plans for the future of Ireland's Round the World racer Green Dragon are still up in the air since the €2million high tech sloop failed to sell after the last race two years ago.

Support is needed, say Galway organisers to put the 70-footer into a youth development role. Her real value is in doing this, says Galway's Enda O'Coineen and such use is of 'much greater than her market value'.

The boat, under British skipper Ian Walker, failed to meet expectations in the 2008-9 race when it was discovered that the boat's keel bulb was too light. It did however get a rapturous welcome into Galway for the port stopover in May 2009.

In the longer term Galway owners are still trying to figure out what to do with the vessel but some youth development role is touted as a favourable option.

Just how this might come about or how inexperienced hands could master such a high tech vessel has yet to be revealed, however.

The Chinese built boat came out of storage this summer and VOR organisers have been putting it to good promotional purposes on the Continent.

Green Dragon is now in Spain and will represent Galway in this month's VOR 'Legends Regatta' in Alicante. It is sailing with a young Irish crew.

The regatta is another marketing opportunity for the boat that might yet throw up a buyer.

Ireland's Green Dragon and Telefónica Black, two Volvo Open 70s from the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race will join the Volvo Ocean Race Legends Regatta fleet over 1-5 November, lining up with boats that took part in the first 10 round the world races.

Ireland's Volvo 70 will race its first race in almost two years after she had finished fifth out of seven entries in the 2009 Race.

Attempts to sell it for two million euros in 2009 did not materialise. Since then, the round the world yacht has been in dry dock in Galway, rendered obsolete because her hull was heavier and keel lighter than her rivals. She recently sailed to Rotterdam to be part of an exhibition.

The two state of the art racers will showcase 38 years of development in round the world racing since the first Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973-74, when they take their place next to the Legends fleet which spans ten races.

Both boats will compete in the regatta run over two days, creating a challenge for race director Jack Lloyd and his race management team, who will be setting inshore courses that work for maxi ketches such as the race-winning Steinlager 2 and her opponent from 1989-90 Fisher & Paykel, as well as for yachts such as the Italian Tauranga which took part in 1973, and, more recently the Whitbread/Volvo Open 60 Assa Abloy/2001-02.

"The real challenge for us is to try to make all the yachts competitive with each other," Lloyd explains. "The step-up in design and technology since 1973 has been massive and we would like all the boats to be sailing together.

"We are looking at a 'pursuit ' style of racing where the boats start the race in a staggered fashion according to their size, which we feel has the best chance of creating a dramatic and competitive finish for the fleet on each of the two days of race," he adds.

Green Dragon has been entered in the Legends Regatta by Enda O'Coineen and John Killeen. O'Coineen has had a long association with the race, having been the driving force behind the NCB Ireland entry in 1989-90 and most recently Green Dragon in 2008-09, together with the very successful Galway stopover in the previous race.

The Green Dragon crew will include Killian Bushe who sailed on and built NCB Ireland and was builder of the winning entries in the last three races. The team plans to include a broad cross-section of Irish sailors who have participated in the Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race and will also include Angela Farrell who sailed on Maiden and Deidre O'Callaghan on With Integrity during 1989-90.

Entering in the spirit of the regatta, the team will also travel with its own Irish band, the Green Dragon 'Upstarts'.

Both Green Dragon and Telefónica Black were constructed especially for the last Volvo Ocean Race. Green Dragon, from the board of Reichel Pugh, finished in fifth position, one place above the Spanish boat, from Farr Yacht Design, which was part of a two-boat campaign for Team Telefónica 2008-09. Sistership Telefónica Blue, with a new rig, a new paint job and a new name, Sanya, will race in this year's Volvo under the leadership of race-winning skipper Mike Sanderson.

Telefonica Black's best moment was when she won the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 from Stockholm to St Petersburg. Her navigator, Roger Nilson, was competing in his seventh Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race and will be reunited with the boat during the Legends regatta.

GREEN DRAGON 2008-09
Rig: sloop
Designer: Reichel Pugh
LOA 64' (19.5m)
Crew: 11
Finished: 5
Elapsed time: 135.05
Skipper: Ian Walker/GBR

TELEFONICA BLACK 2008-09
Rig: sloop
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
LOA 64' (19.5m)
Crew: 11
Finished: 6
Elapsed time: 87.1 (DNF leg 4, DNS leg 5)
Skipper: Fernando Echávarri/ESP

Entries in the Volvo Ocean Race Legends Regatta and Reunion

- Tauranga (1973-74)
- Adventure (1973-74 1977-78)
- Great Britain II (first five races)
- King's Legend (1977-78)
- Berge Viking (1981-82
- Gauloises III (1981-82)
- L'Esprit d'Equipe (1985-86)
- Rothmans (1989-90)
- Charles Jourdan (1989-90)
- Steinlager 2 (1989-90)
- Fisher & Paykel (1989-90)
- Assa Abloy (2001-02)
- Telefónica Black (2008-09)
- Green Dragon (2008-09)

Regatta Ambassadors

- Lady Pippa Blake
- Tracy Edwards MBE
- Sir Chay Blyth CBE, BEM
- Magnus Olsson
- Skip Novak
- Pierre Fehlmann
- Alain Gabbay

The wind was not on the Dragon crews' side this Friday for the last and decisive rendez-vous. A light and flimsly air, not enough to have the boats moving, forced the Committee to calli it a day and send the 58 strong fleet back ashore. The final ranking has then been decided taking into consideration the six races sailed since Tuesday. Italian Giuseppe Duca on Cloud wins his first title at the Régates Royales leaving Dublin's Martin Byrne fourth overall.

Good breeze on the first two days, light air on the third and not enough wind on the fourth: the 58 Dragons participating to the Régates Royales – Trophée Panerai profited from excellent conditions for the event opening, and namely the Irish crew skippered Martin Byrne on Jaguar-Bear who scored two wins whils race favourite and 2010 champion Anatoly Loginov from Russia on Annapurna, did not show the same consistency and strength he's known for.

Still, it's on the second day that the ranking becomes more definite as the Danish class master Poul-Richard Hoj-Jensen on Danish Blue bounced back as did Italian Giuseppe Duca on Cloud, despite a a black flag disqualification on race 3.  And, Thursday, when just one race could be sailed due to the extremely light wind, the skipper from Venice together with French sailors Jean-Sébastien Ponce and Guillaume Bérenger scored a win that proved to be crucial to obtain is first ever title at the Régates Royales. Danish Blue's skipper and multiple Olympic medallist Poul-Richard Hoj-Jensen with Theis Palm and Mick Jensen  jumps on the second step of the podium, whilst Russians Anatoly Loginov, Andrey Kirilyuk and Alexander Shalagin on Annapurna are distanced by a single point and finish third.

Dubliner Martin Byrne, with Brian Mathews and Pedro Andrade on Jaguar-Bear who started the series brilliantly, had a bad second day and slipped back in fourth. Interestingly enough on a total of six races, victory went to five different crews:  Martin Byrne, British Ivan Bradbury on Blue Haze, French Joseph Varoqui on Rusalka, Danish Peter Warrer on Lil and Giuseppe Duca. And in the top ten spots of the overall ranking no less than eight countries are represented: Italy, the UK, Russia, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, France and Finland.

The penultimate days racing at Regates Royales yesterday saw Irish Dargon Jaguar skppered by Martin Byrne battle it out with their nearest competitors at the top of the 59 boat Dragon fleet. A 6th for Jaguar, the one time regatta leader, in race 6 leaves them in fourth overall with just two points separating the top four boats with one race to sail.

A superb win by the Italian team in very light conditions in the Bay of Cannes jumps them into the top spot tied on points with Poul Rickard Ho Jenson.

A tenth for the Russian team drops them to third just one point ahead of Jaguar. The second race of the day was abandoned at the half way point due to a disappearing breeze. Jaguar were lying in sixth position at this time well ahead of all three of their rivals and a finish under these circumstances would have left them comfortably in the lead overall.

It is all to play for in today's final race where the four leading contenders will be keeping a very close eye on each other with a winner takes all scenario.

The Russians have bounced back at the Regatta Royales in Cannes today, knocking Dublin Skipper Martin Byrne off the top spot in the 58-boat Dragon fleet.  The Royal St. George Commodore sailing Jaguar had a disappointing second day but still lies third overall with it all to play for tomorrow.

A postponement kept the fleet ashore until 1pm waiting for the light to moderate breeze to fill in from the south. The Irish champions suffered the rath of an on the water Jury decision when they were deemed to have committed a foul after what seemed like a perfect start at the committe boat end of the line. The subsequent penalty turns were very costly and a 29th finish was disappointing.

Another good start in the second race of the day saw Jaguar lead the fleet for much of the first beat only to be undone by a 30 degree wind shift as they approached the the top mark. A 16th on that Race 5 sees them slip to third overall on 22 points narrowly behind the last years winner Russian Anotoly Loginov and Olympic and Dragon legend Poul Ricard Ho Jenson.

Day 2 marked the comeback of Longinov on Annapurna. With a twelfth and a second, the Russian skipper managed to keep his competitors at bay and jump on top of the provisional ranking with 36 points.

Ever consistent Hoj Jensen on Danish Blue, scoring a third and a 15th is now second on the overall scoreboard distanced by only one point.

Italian Giuseppe Duca on Cloud, with a second and a sixth, and having discarded a black flag disqualification he got yesterday, is now fourth and still close to the top trio. HRH Prince Heinrik of Denmark on White Lady is now fifth in the overall standing at 26 points and British Ivan Bradbury on Blue Haze sixth a 33 points.

The points are tight with three races remaining.

Dragon Edinburgh Cup winner Martin Byrne's impressive international form continues this week at the helm of Jaguar. The Dublin sailor leads HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark for overall honours at the Régates Royales in Cannes, on the south of France. Byrne, the Commodore of Dun Laoghaire's Royal St. George Yacht Club is counting a 1, 1 and 3 in the 58-boat fleet. 'We're off to a good start' Byrne, the Irish Dragon national champion, told Afloat.ie this morning. July's Edinburgh Cup winner is sailing with Brian Mathews and Portuguese sail maker Andrade Pedro.

Martin Byrne leads the 58-boat fleet

After the fleet could not go out on the water on Monday because of the strong, gusty typical Mistral breeze, the 58 boat strong Dragon fleet had three windward/leeward races on Tuesday starting in a 12 knots south-westerly, that progressively increased during the afternoon hours, topping 20 knots. Competition was strong as usual for the top positions and the class' champions imposed their supremacy. The first two races went both to Dublin's Byrne on Jaguar Bear who managed to get the better of reigning champion and class master Anatoly Longinov on Annapurna and on multiple class winner Danish Poul Richard on Antigua's flagged Danish Blue on the first one. A nearly clean score for the Irish skipper who was third in the last race of the day won by Ian Bradbury on Blue Haze. HRH Prince Heinrik of Denmark's had a very positive first day with a sixth, a second and a fourth. With five points, the Irish team is then securely on top of the provisional podium, in front of HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark (13 points) and the Russian crew skippered by Anatoly Loginov (16 points).