Puerto Portals will host the opening event of the 10th Dragon Winter Series from 6 to 8 November. The first regatta is expected to bring together nearly 20 boats and more than 50 sailors from eight countries, racing in Palma Bay and off Calvià. The programme includes up to six windward-leeward races.
The opening event marks the start of a four-event series running through February 2027, followed by the X Mediterranean Cup, scheduled for 11–14 March. Puerto Portals further strengthens its position on the international Dragon calendar after hosting the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup in March 2026, which attracted 65 boats from 17 countries.
Puerto Portals, 5 November 2026. The Dragon class returns to Mallorca this weekend for the opening event of the “X Puerto Portals Dragon Winter Series”. Organised by Club de Regatas Puerto Portals in collaboration with the Spanish National Dragon Class Association and the Balearic Sailing Federation, and in conjunction with the International Dragon Association, the first event of the 2026/27 series is expected to bring together nearly 20 boats and more than 50 sailors.
Sailors representing Germany, Australia, Austria, Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Hungary and Portugal will compete from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November. Racing will take place in Palma Bay and off Calvià, while ashore the Club de Regatas Puerto Portals will bring crew services and the Race Office together in a dedicated hospitality area, creating a central meeting point for competitors throughout the event.
The first warning signal is scheduled for 1200 on Friday, following the skippers’ briefing at 1000. Racing is due to start at 1100 on Saturday and Sunday. Up to six races are planned over the three days, with the fleet sailing windward to a mark before returning downwind. No more than two races will normally be sailed each day, although the Race Committee may schedule a third if required by the progress of the event.
The Puerto Portals Dragon Winter Series comprises four weekend events, all running from Friday to Sunday: the first, from 6 to 8 November 2026; the second, from 11 to 13 December; the third, from 15 to 17 January 2027; and the fourth, from 12 to 14 February. Puerto Portals will then host the 10th Mediterranean Cup, a separate four-day event scheduled for 11 to 14 March 2027.
Last March, Puerto Portals hosted the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup, which attracted 65 boats from 17 countries. The Winter Series once again brings Mallorca into the international Dragon calendar for the winter season.
The entry for this opening event has been affected by the presence of part of the fleet in Hong Kong, which will host two major international competitions in late November: the Asian-Pacific Championship, from 17 to 21 November, and the World Championship, from 21 to 29 November. The scale of the latter reflects the strength of the Dragon class worldwide, with 95 boats and 297 sailors from 21 countries registered as of 5 November. The event is titled the 2027 World Championship because it opens the class’s 2027 season. Many boats and crews are expected to return to Mallorca in early 2027 after the Asian events and continue racing from the island.
Designed by Johan Anker in 1929, the Dragon remains popular nearly a century after its creation. This one-design keelboat is 8.90 metres long and has a minimum weight of 1,700 kilograms. It is usually sailed by a crew of three, although class rules allow up to four. Modern GRP boats and classic wooden Dragons compete together in the same fleet.
 |
 |
 |
About The Author
