News Release

YANMAR Racing (hereafter, YR) participated in the Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix that was held from 15 to 18 August in Cowes, UK. They kept up their good form, having won first and second place in previous seasons.

Five races were held during the four-day event. With the overall ranking determined by the best of four races and with YR winning 1st place in two races and 2nd place in two races, YR won 2nd place overall through consistent form in sailing, making this their third appearance on the podium this season!

The Royal Yacht Squadron, which served as the venue, is a prestigious yacht club established in 1815 with the patronage of the British royal family. In commemoration of the first International Exposition held in London in 1851, the club organized a race around the Isle of Wight. This race is considered to be the forerunner to The America's Cup, the world's premier yacht race. It has become a symbolic site for sailors and for everyone involved in sailing. Being able to stand at the podium in a race held at the Royal Yacht Squadron is a great honour.

In addition, YR also won the newly established Britannia Trophy! This prize made its debut at this regatta and honors the team with the highest overall points from all races. This format of determining the winner based on the overall number of points from all races was originally used when the Duke of Edinburgh first awarded the Edinburgh Cup. YR has etched its name in the history of this trophy as the inaugural winner.

Comments by Yasuhiro Yaji, Team Director:

The Royal Yacht Squadron is the headquarters for members of all Royal Yacht Clubs around the world. It is a magnificent yacht club where one can feel the rich history and tradition. So far this season, we have secured a place on the podium several times in a row, and we currently rank 2nd out of 140 teams in the world. The Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix was a significant event in terms of our team’s annual results and world ranking.

The result was disappointing, but we'll take this experience to heart. We are preparing for this year's main event, the “YANMAR Dragon Gold Cup,” which will be held from September 9 to 15. We are committed to delivering an even better performance there!

Since 2018, Yanmar has been participating in the “International Dragon Class” sailing race with its own team, YR. In addition to contributing to the development of marine culture, one of our business areas, we are expanding our network of sailing enthusiasts around the world through racing.

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What is the “International Dragon Class?

With a history of 90 years, this sailing sport has a long tradition, having been adopted as an Olympic sport from 1948 to 1972. Dragon class associations have been established in more than 30 countries around the world, making it a competitive class with many enthusiasts worldwide. The International One-Design Class is 8.90 meters long and has the same standards for sail area, mast length, and maximum gross weight of the crew. Sailing skills and experience, rather than the performance of the race boat or the physical strength of the sailors, will determine the winner. Participants compete in races held around the world, and their annual ranking shows the champion by the points they earn throughout the year. Many big-name sailors have competed in the Olympics and the America's Cup, and the Dragon class is longed for by sailors.