2025 South Coast Dragon Championship at the Royal Thames Yacht Club 250th Anniversary Regatta
by British Dragon Association 17 Jun 2025 10:44 BST
11-15 June 2025
Bluebottle wins the Dragon South Coast Championship during the Royal Thames Yacht Club 250th Anniversary Regatta © Paul Wyeth /
www.pwpictures.com
The Dragon South Coast Championship 2025 was a spectacular sailing showcase, hosted in Cowes as part of the Royal Thames Yacht Club's prestigious 250th anniversary regatta. Over three exciting days, the Royal Thames team delivered a superbly organised event, both on and off the water, reaffirming their reputation for top-tier race management.
Set against the dramatic and ever-challenging Solent, seven windward-leeward races tested crews in a wide range of conditions—from warm, light airs to lively Solent chop, stiff south-westerlies, and glorious champagne sailing.
The fleet featured an impressive turnout of both Classic and newer Dragons, racing together in a celebration of tradition and competition. The camaraderie onshore was matched by fierce rivalries on the water, with every race keenly contested.
Day one saw Owen Pay's Furious GBR777 set the tone with a commanding win in the opening race, taking full advantage of the lighter breeze to make a strong early statement. Bluebottle, Sanka, Jerboa and Fit Chick made use of the shore and tide benefits to finish in the top five.
Off the water, the fleet enjoyed a Dragon get-together, daily prize-giving and BBQ hosted by the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club.
On day two, a strengthening south-westerly breeze brought fun but testing racing conditions. The legendary royal Dragon, Bluebottle GBR192, helmed by Graham Bailey, secured its second win of the regatta. But it was Fit Chick GBR753 who stole the show, claiming back-to-back victories in races four and five to finish the day just one point behind Bluebottle in the standings.
With the stage set for a thrilling finale, Sunday delivered perfect champagne sailing conditions. Classic Dragons Polly GBR11 and La-Ju K74 came out to play in the sunshine, enjoying more favourable racing conditions.
Rising to the challenge, Graham, Julia, Will, and Killian aboard Bluebottle found another gear, delivering a flawless performance to win both of the day's races and seal overall victory.
Reflecting on the regatta, Graham Bailey remarked: "It was a good battle with Fit Chick." The close competition added a real sense of drama and excitement that made for a memorable weekend.
Solent Dragon fleet captain Chris Grosscurth praised the event: "It was an excellently run regatta both on the water and ashore. I was thrilled to see so many boats on the water racing; this was a good warmup for Cowes Week. A big thank you to the Royal Thames team for their organisation."
As the sun set over Cowes, the Dragon class once again proved its timeless appeal—blending history, performance, and sportsmanship in a regatta to remember.
Trophy Winners:
Brigadier Henson Trophy, 1st overall - GBR192 Bluebottle
The Ratsey and Lapthorn Trophy, 2nd overall - GBR753 Fit Chick
Clare Lallow Trophy, 1st Solent Boat - GBR192 Bluebottle
Oscar Cup, 1st Corinthian - GBR753 Fit Chick
Silver Dragon Trophy, 1st Classic - GBR192 Bluebottle
Overall Results:
| Pos | Boat Name | Sail No | Club | Helm | Owner | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | Bluebottle | GBR192 | RYS | Graham Bailey | The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust (custodians) | ‑2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | Fit Chick | GBR753 | CCYC | Jono Brown | Chris Grosscurth | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | (UFD) | 2 | 13 |
| 3 | Furious | GBR777 | | Owen Pay | Owen Pay | 1 | 2 | ‑5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 |
| 4 | Bertie | GBR763 | | Simon Barter | Simon Barter | 5 | 6 | 4 | (UFD) | 5 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| 5 | Jerboa | GBR831 | | Gavia Wilkinson‑Cox | Gavia Wilkinson‑Cox | 7 | 4 | 3 | (UFD) | DNC | 2 | 3 | 31 |
| 6 | Sanka | GBR748 | | Dave Ross | Dave Ross | 3 | 5 | (DNC) | 4 | RET | 5 | 6 | 35 |
| 7 | Dreki | GBR816 | Royal Yacht Squadron | Glynn Williams | Glynn Williams | ‑8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 36 |
| 8 | Glaurung | GBR768 | | Andrew Millband | Andrew Millband | 9 | 8 | 7 | (UFD) | DNC | 7 | 7 | 50 |
| 9 | Ithaca | GBR734 | Royal Thames Yacht Club
Royal London ya | Michael Cover | Michael Cover | 6 | 9 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 8 | DNC | 59 |
| 10 | Polly | GBR11 | | Felix Bowers | Tim Street | 10 | 10 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 68 |
| 11 | La‑Ju | K74 | RYS | Rupert Street | Rupert Street | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 72 |
Re-live the action, on the British Dragon Facebook Page there are several race start and finish videos.