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Dragon 75th Edinburgh Cup Video Premiers at British Dragon Association Annual Dinner

Friday 19 January 2024 saw members of the British Dragon Association (BDA) and their guests come together at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge, London, for the BDA’s Annual General Meeting and Dinner.

The evening kicked off with the AGM, where outgoing Chairman Simon Barter was delighted to report that participation in UK-based Dragon racing has seen a strong resurgence, with numbers regularly racing in club and regional events at the highest levels for some years. The meeting then elected its new Class Chairman Andy Moss, of the Burnham on Crouch Dragon fleet. Andy, owner of Hands Off GBR 760 has been racing Dragons for 20 years and has been a regular traveller to the regional and national events, Oostende and France.

“The Dragon is one of the most exciting boats I have sailed, this is a refrain you will hear from the many professional and amateur sailors who race or have raced in the class. 

“I hear many sailors at the various yacht clubs I visit, comment; ‘They would love the opportunity to sail a Dragon’. I hope my tenure as Chairman of the BDA will see more sailors fulfil that desire and join those whose passion and pleasure is racing Dragons.”  

Also confirmed at the meeting were the dates and venues for the 2024 British Championship events, which are:

1-2 June South Coast Championship – Cowes, IOW
22-23 June Classic/Vintage Championship – Aldeburgh
9-12 July Edinburgh Cup (Open British Championship) – Abersoch, Gwynedd
21-23 September East Coast Championship – Medway, Kent
28-29 September Scottish Championship – Edinburgh, Scotland

After the AGM pre-dinner drinks were served in the bar, and then guests were called through to the Royal Thames’ delightful dining room, which overlooks Hyde Park. With some 50 Dragon sailors and guests in attendance, including visitors from the Irish Dragon fleet, the highlights of the evening were a delicious three-course meal followed by the presentation of the prestigious Citron Trophy and the premier of an exciting new video.

The Citron Trophy is awarded to the Dragon which has achieved the best cumulative results in the combined British championship events during the past season. The winner for the 2023 season was Gavia Wilkinson-Cox of the Cowes fleet and her team racing GBR831 Jerboa. A member of the British fleet for almost 50 years, this is the second time that Gavia has engraved her name on this prestigious award.

After the trophy presentation, Gavia then switched hats from award-winning sailor to Chair of the organising committee for the 75th Dragon Edinburgh Cup and British Grand Prix, which was run by the Royal Yacht Squadron in August 2023. This special celebration regatta attracted an exceptional entry and brought together sailors from across the 75-year history of the British Open Dragon Championship. As one of only four International Dragon Grand Prix events in 2023, it also attracted some of the best sailors from around the world to compete, and Gavia and her media team took the opportunity to create a very special video to mark the occasion.

In introducing the premier of the video Gavia explained, “A key part to promoting the British Dragon Class, in perpetuity, has been the production of a film of the regatta. Whilst of course being a record of the 75th Edinburgh Cup – the aim has been to highlight and profile the diversity of the class: young, not so young, male, female! I am grateful to Rick and James Tomlinson for the production of this film. I hope the BDA and our fleets can make constructive use of this film – which will live for posterity on YouTube and other social media sites. Tonight marks the premier of the film. Not quite the BAFTA’s, but important nonetheless! Enjoy!”

Watch all British Dragon Association videos on the dedicated YouTube channel, click here.

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Peter George Colby

Born Feb 13th 1942, Peter sadly passed away at 5.15 am on the 14th January 2024 with his beloved Wife Margaret and two of his children by his side. At the fighting age of 81, the International Dragon Class lost a most cherished “Family” member and I, like many, lost a dear friend. Peter was larger than life in so many ways, not just in stature, but also in his Lowestoft Community and the Dragon
Class which he held close to his passionate heart.

As the son of George Colby, a Herring Fisherman, Peter was born with the Sea in his DNA and soon after leaving the Alderman Woodrow School in Lowestoft at the age of 14 he went to HMS St Vincent Naval Training College in Portsmouth. However, not being fond of rules and regulations he soon returned to Suffolk and went on to become a huge entrepreneur in haulage firms, vehicle hire, truck & trailer rentals before moving into property and other profitable businesses. A man on a mission with fantastic personal skills and a deep love for his family and home town.

I first met Peter back in 1992 at my first Dragon East Coast Championship in Lowestoft hosted by the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club. Although over
30 years ago those memories of Peter and the whole Yacht Club staff and volunteers epitomised the whole ethics and superb standards of why I race
Dragons today. Fun, camaraderie, excellence, passion, integrity and above all sportsmanship. Peter was all of the above and much, much more.
During his term as Commodore at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club between 1999 & 2002 he would be found at the club every Saturday with his
circle of friends. So many quiet evenings turned into legendary sessions as “Russell” behind the bar and Peter orchestrating proceedings made all of us feel
so at home.

The party atmosphere did not just stay in Lowestoft, as Peter also based himself in the beautiful Brittany town of Douarnenez where so many Dragon sailors enjoyed fantastic sailing over the years thanks to the great Louis Urvois. On arriving in Douarnenez each year the first question on everyone’s mind was “Peter, what night is the Party at your house?” A huge smile would spread across his lips as he replied “My dear Martin, every night is a party”. With copious amounts of Red Wine and the fantastic voice of Peter’s Wife Margaret singing such beautiful songs, a great time would be had by all.

Peter gave his Dragon GBR 630 “TAI FUN” to his good friends at the Society des Regates de Douarnenez where he was dearly loved. His Dragon will continue to bring new sailors into the class in the Douarnenez Bay, as this was his wish. I remember well in the early 2000’s the Douarnenez sponsor would give us tins of high-quality Tuna. Each day a boat number was drawn out of a hat and a member of that Dragon Crew would win their weight in Tuna. On one occasion Peter decided that he and I should sit on the scales to see who was the heavier! I believe the organisers had to put at least 2 slabs of Tuna on Peter’s lap before my feet eventually left the ground.

Peter will be missed by so many but never forgotten…. He brought a ray of sunshine with him wherever he went. I guess the image I will always fondly remember is this giant of a man stood up in a speeding RIB holding onto just the bowline as it passed the Dragons sailing back in towards the crane at the RNSYC after the final day of racing. It was Peter’s job to operate the crane and get us all out of the water without delay. He looked like Kirk Douglas standing at the front of his Longboat in the 1958 Vikings movie. A God amongst us mere mortals…… RIP my friend.

Stavros