Royal Vancouver Hosts Pacific Dragon Interport in September
The Pacific Dragon Interport is one of two invitational Team Racing events in the Dragon Class and has been held every one to two years since 1981. Participating Yacht Clubs are the Kansai Yacht Club, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, and the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. The host club provides the Dragons and competitors fly in to take part in three days of round robin racing. The only thing competitors have to bring is a spinnaker (and racing smarts). The Dragon Class Rules ensure that the boats are close to equal in terms of weight, hull shape, rigging and sails, and the Vancouver Fleet is doing extra checks to make sure there is a level playing field for all competitors (teams will also rotate through the boats over the course of the regatta).
The event kicks off with Registration and an Opening Reception on September 10th, followed by three days of racing in English Bay. True to Dragon tradition, good racing will be followed by good social events, so the Vancouver Fleet has planned a number of after-race events. Visitors to Vancouver can expect mild sunny days with good sea breezes.
The International Dragon is a technically demanding yacht combining classic lines with 21st century technology. A strong Class Association ensures competitive one-design racing for all ages of boat. Spars and sails have a wide range of adjustment during racing, allowing a skillful crew to optimize the boat for any conditions. Crew weight limits, and restrictions on hiking out allow the Dragon to be raced successfully by a range of ages and genders. The Dragon Class is active in 30 countries in 5 Continents and has 1420 registered boats.
