The Edinburgh Cup & South Coast Championship – Cowes – 8-15 July 2017

Dear Dragon Friends

It’s full steam ahead here in the Edinburgh Cup Office with just eight weeks to go until the regatta, and we have several exciting news items for you in this Competitor update.

Stoneham Construction and Oliver Morgan Architects join us as Sponsors

We are delighted to announce Stoneham Construction and Oliver Morgan Architects as official sponsors of the Edinburgh Cup 2017.

Stoneham Construction Ltd is one of the Isle of Wight’s leading construction companies. They specialise in the construction of private homes to the very highest standards and have built a reputation on building relationships with their clients to achieve a clear understanding of their needs. Find out more at www.stonehamconstruction.co.uk.

Oliver Morgan Architects offers a full architectural and design service extending beyond the general architecture to include the design of joinery, plaster mouldings and soft furnishings.  Their continuous involvement ensures that, as well as meeting expectations of time and cost, the build quality and the vision of the finished product are upheld all the way to completion. Find out more at www.omarchitects.co.uk

Edinburgh Cup 2017 Clothing Range

We are excited to be partnering with World Leisure to supply a range of Edinburgh Cup Cowes 2017 clothing and accessories which can be personalised to include your sail number and boat name.  With a range that includes polo and rugby shirts, gilets and jackets, hoodies and sweatshirts, caps, key fobs, belts, wallets and tote bags there’s something for everyone. Orders can be placed online via www.worldleisurewear.net.

Northwood House Parking

I’m delighted to confirm that we have been able to secure a limited number of parking permits for use in the Northwood House Car Park from 7 to 15 July. You will be able to book these permits at registration.

Oscar Cup

2017 will see us present a new perpetual trophy entitled The Oscar Cup to the winner of the Corinthian Division of the Dragon South Coast Championship. The trophy was originally donated to the British Dragon Association by Pascall Atkey & Son Yacht Chandlery in 1999, the year in which the company celebrated its bicentenary.  We are honoured that the company has agreed to present the trophy annually to the top amateur team in the South Coast Championship.

Entries Still Coming In

Entry remains open and our latest addition to the fleet is Rob Grey who makes a welcome return to the Dragon this season. The latest entry list and links to the race documents and online entry system are all available at www.edinburghcup.org

See you in Cowes!

Solent Guide, Arrival Instructions and Entry Update

Dear Dragon Friends

With just over eight weeks still to go until the start of the South Coast Championship and Edinburgh Cup I am delighted to announce that we already have 25 confirmed entries from across England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and as far afield as Russia, Switzerland, Germany and Turkey, so we are well on track for a record entry.  To make your entry and find out more about the event please click here.

With so many visiting teams joining us this year we have prepared a special Solent Venue Guide with a host of useful information about the race area, weather and tidal information and how to access further details.

We’ve also got a plan for Shepards Wharf Marina showing you where everything will be located.

Our final item for this Competitor Update is the all important instructions for the Dragons at Shepards Whaf including info for your arrival, car parking, rigging and craning, berthing and departure. Click here for full details.

Hurry up and get those entries in and book your accommodations and ferry travel everyone and if you have any queries or need further help please don’t hesitate to contact me.

See you in Cowes!

GAVIA WILKINSON-COX
Chairman, Organising Committee
Edinburgh Cup 2017 Cowes
M: +44 (0)7973 165 888
T: +44 (0)1983 299961
www.edinburghcup.org

Action Time on Entry, Ferries, Accommodation and Fun! 

NOTICE OF PARTY

And last but by no means least…

Get organising people and as always, if you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me.

GAVIA WILKINSON-COX

Chairman, Organising Committee

Edinburgh Cup 2017 Cowes

M: +44 (0)7973 165 888

T: +44 (0)1983 299961

http://www.edinburghcup.org

• We are pleased to announce Brittany Ferries offer, a discount of some 10%.
• A Discount Activation Code can be sent on request when Edinburgh Cup/South Coast entry is made (and by request for Cowes Week Dragon entrants).

• Take Brittany Ferries from Santander or Bilbao direct to Portsmouth, UK

• Take Brittany Ferries (Caen, Le Havre, St Malo, Cherbourg) direct to Portsmouth, UK

• Take Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to French ferry ports
• Plenty of time after Cowes Week to travel to Lake Thun

• If arriving via Portsmouth – its a short drive to Southampton and in reverse for departure!

• A full and fun packed schedule of social events is organised!
• Daily postrace food and drink with Prizegiving and Raffle, all at the Island Sailing Club.
• The Cowes Dragon Fleet’s ‘Home Entertainment’ evening for all competitors and their accompanying guests – you are invited to dinner in our homes!
• South Coast Prizegiving/Edinburgh Cup Welcome BBQ and party
• And, the grand finale of the week, the Edinburgh Cup Celebration – Prizegiving, Dinner, Dancing and Entertainment on Friday 14 July.A formal evening with formal dress to which not only Dragon sailors but members of Cowes yacht clubs and day boat classes are also invited.  A true celebration – with a lot of fun to be enjoyed by all!

• Each competing Dragon receives 3 free tickets to all ticketed events.
• Extra tickets can be purchased – see booking form on the web site.
• The Edinburgh Cup Celebration – 14 July:  special instructions for booking tickets to this event will be available shortly.  We anticipate keen demand for tickets – we urge you to book your tickets early to avoid the disappointment of missing out! 

Designed in 1929, the International Dragon combines classic elegance with grand prix performance, the world’s greatest sailing venues and some of the best sailors on the planet.  One of the Dragon fleet’s most prestigious trophies is the Edinburgh Cup, which was presented to the class in 1949 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and is awarded annually to the winner of the International Dragon British Open Championship. That first Edinburgh Cup in 1949 was raced on the Solent and hosted by the Island Sailing Club, with the inaugural winners being Frank Woodroffe and Clare Lallow.

In 2017 the Edinburgh Cup will return to the Island Sailing Club once more, the fifth time the club has hosted the event and its twelfth visit to Cowes. More than 40 teams from at least 13 nations will compete from 8 to 14 July in a twin regatta event, opening with the Dragon South Coast Championship from 8 to 10 July, and culminating in the Edinburgh Cup from 11 to 14 July.

“The Island Sailing Club is extremely proud of its long association with the International Dragon Class and in particular with the Edinburgh Cup.  The members of the Club presented The Duke of Edinburgh and the then Princess Elizabeth with a Dragon on the occasion of their wedding in 1948, so can truly claim to have been instrumental in the Duke’s close association with the class.  We are very pleased to continue that close relationship through the Edinburgh Cup’s return to the Island Sailing Club this year.” Said Chris Thomas, Sailing Secretary of the Island Sailing Club.

The Dragon fleet is well known for its ability to combine serious competition with a full après sailing programme and the event’s parties will hark back to the glamorous joie de vivre of the 1940s.  The Edinburgh Cup Prize Giving Celebration Dinner Dance will be a black-tie evening and there will be social events throughout the week.

The entry list is expected to include not only the UK’s top crews, but teams from Antigua, Italy, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and as far afield as Finland, France, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Ireland, Turkey, Denmark, Germany, Japan and Australia.  Among those racing will be British Olympic bronze medallist Lawrie Smith, who claimed the trophy in 2013 and will no doubt be hoping to make it a hat-trick.

In 1949 Clare Aisher took second place in the opening race of the regatta and lady helms have put in good results on many occasions since.  However, it wasn’t until 2015 that the Edinburgh Cup was finally won by a woman, when Julia Bailey claimed the winner’s laurels in Largs.  Julia is also returning to the fray this year in the hope of a second victory, although having crewed husband Graham to victory in Lymington in 2014, it would actually be her third time on the winning boat in four years.

Regatta Chairman Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, who will herself be competing, commented: “I am thrilled that the Edinburgh Cup is once again returning to the Isle of Wight and to Cowes. The Island Sailing Club’s reputation for regatta management is second to none, and we are expecting a strong fleet from across Europe, Asia, Australasia and the Caribbean.  Our own UK fleet will also be out in force and we look forward to welcoming our visitors and offering them not only great racing but also a vibrant social programme in the great tradition of the Dragon Fleet.  We have outstanding support from our sponsor partners Visit Isle of Wight, Destination Cowes, Red Funnel and Shepards Wharf Marina whose generosity will help to ensure this is an exceptional event.”

Speaking on behalf of Visit Isle of Wight and Destination Cowes Mark McNeill, Chairman of Destination Cowes, added “Yachting plays a huge role in the day to day life of the Isle of Wight and we are extremely proud that the International Dragon Class has chosen Cowes and the Island Sailing Club for this year’s Edinburgh Cup”. David Thornton of Visit Isle of Wight confirmed: “We are working in close partnership with Gavia and her team to create a truly unique event and look forward to welcoming the visitors in July and making their stay in Cowes a memorable one.”

Red Funnel has created a special ferry travel offer to transport the boats and teams to and from the Island, details of which will be available from the event website atwww.edinburghcup.org

Shepards Wharf Marina will provide berthing, launching and recovery for visiting Dragons at a special rate and the Island Sailing Club will provide a launch service from the club to the moorings and marinas. Extended versions of the packages from Red Funnel and Shepards Wharf  are also available to any Dragons wishing to remain on the Island to participate in Cowes Week.

The Notices of Race  and Online Entry for the British Dragon South Coast Championship and Edinburgh Cup  are now available at www.edinburghcup.org.

For further information about this event please contact Regatta Chairman Gavia Wilkinson-Cox on 07973 165888 or gavia@wilkinson-cox.co.uk

The Notices of Race for the South Coast Championship and the Edinburgh Cup, together with the related entry, social, crew and sail registrations forms are now available online in the Competitor Information area.