Lawrie Smith, Ruaridh Scott, Goncalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow are Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup Champions 2023
The fleet went into race five with GBR815, Lawrie Smith’s team Alfie on 12 points, a full 15 points clear of second place Wolf Waschkuhn’s SUI318. Three points further behind and on equal points with each other were Bo Johansen’s DEN423 and Peter Gilmour’s JPN56.
The original plan to hold two races on the final day was put on hold as AP was displayed before the morning skippers’ briefing.
A spectacular fifth race in warm sunshine and a light east-south-easterly concluded the 2023 Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup in Torquay.
The pin end was favoured by many and on the third start the fleet was away under black flag with CAY9 and GBR820 black flagged. JPN56, GBR192, GBR815, GER1221 and TUR12 were among the top pack with Ron James’ GBR633 right with them as the race was shortened for a downwind finish.
Going into the final day British Olympian, America’s Cup and Whitbread Race veteran Lawrie Smith and his crew of Ruaridh Scott, Goncalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow already had victory within their grasp. Smith knew what he had to do, and he executed it perfectly, starting near the favoured pin end he sailed smart, kept out of trouble and cruised home in fifth place to secure his second Gold Cup win.
David Tabb, Laerke Norgard and Graham Latham win the Yanmar Dragon Corinthian Gold Cup
In the Corinthian Division it all came down to the last race between Britain’s David Tabb sailing with Laerke Norgard and Graham Latham, and Austria’s Christoph Skolaut, sailing with George Skolaut and Martin Lutz, who went into the day on equal points. Tabb got the upper hand on the first beat and although Skolaut did his best to catch up it wasn’t to be. On the line Tabb finished in eighth place and claimed the Dragon Gold Cup Corinthian Trophy. Skolaut took twelfth in the race and the silver medal, and third overall in the Corinthian Division went to Ireland’s Neil Hegarty, Peter Bowring and David Williams.
Owen Pay, John Mortimer and Chris Brittain win the Silver Cup
The Silver Cup, which is awarded to the boat that finishing exactly halfway up the final overall results went to GBR777. A special cheer went up as Britain’s Owen Pay, John Mortimer and Chris Brittain came up to receive the trophy.
Nations Cup team competition is won by the British team
The Nations Cup was awarded, which goes to the top performing three boat national team in the competition. The three boat teams are made up of each country’s top performing boats from the first race. This year the Nations Cup was won by the British team of Lawrie Smith’s Alfie, Grant Gordon’s Louise Racing and David Tabb’s True Story.
Kinsale, Ireland looks forward to welcoming the 2024 Dragon Gold Cup from 5 to 13 September.
RESULTS
For individual and overall results please click here.
The combined effort by the British Dragons sees the UK win the Nations Cup. See the results table here.
IMAGES
Image credit: Sportography