St.Petersburg will host the Russian Open and European Championships «Dragon» from 11th to 22nd of July.
Competitions will be held in the waters of the Neva Bay on July 15-22.
To participation in the Open Championship of Russia 25 crews from six countries are declared. The Russian fleet in the water area of the upcoming European Championships will be joined by guests from Britain, Switzerland, Germany and Finland. Especially at the beginning of European Championships in the Dragon class the number of participants will double - 45 crews from 14 countries.
Three times Olympic champion Johann Schumann and four times European champion in class Dragon Markus Wieser who also is twice holder of the Gold Cup of this class will compete in St.Petersburg. Danish fleet is headed by twice European Champion Jens Christensen. The crew of the famous British yachtsman and entrepreneur Klaus Diederiks will compete together with the participant of the America's Cup «» , world and European champion in match race, ten-time world champion in boer class DN Karol Jablonski. The titled Transbunker team featuring Olympic champion Evgeny Braslavets and Athens Olympic champion Georgy Leonchuk will compete under the UAE flag at the Russian Open and European Championships.
The Russian crews will enter serious competition for medals of the European Championship. Here the most titled is multiple Russian champion Anatoly Loginov, whose RUS27 team «Annapurna» was first at the Gold Cup in 2010 and third in 2009 and 2011. The reigning Russian champion Dmitry Samokhin of St. Petersburg Yacht Club with his crew RUS76 Strange little girl was second at the 2015 World Championship and Gold Cup Dragon class. Medals of European Championship among Russians were also won by Igor Goikhberg, Alexey Bushuyev and Dmitry Berezkin, who will take part in the current championship as well. The Russian Olympic history will be presented by Georgi Shaiduko, the prize-winner of the Atlanta Olympics in «Soling» class.
As you know, sailing is one of the few sports where athletes of all ages can compete on the same course. This fact is once again confirmed by the participation of a veteran of Russian sails, Boris Khabarov, a representative of the USSR team at the 1972 Games in Germany in the class of «Dragon».
«The right to host the European Championships in Dragons was won by Russia and St.Petersburg Yacht Club in fierce competition with the major sailing capitals of the continent, - says president of Russian and International Dragon Association, prize-winner of Vintage Olympic Games Vasily Senatorov - it is an honor for the country and a big step in development of Russian sailing».
According to the competition program, Russian Open Championship will be held July 11-14. European Championship in the class «Dragon» will be held July 15-22.
