The Portuguese team VILMA of the Clube Naval de Cascais took the win. Second place went to TERGESTE of our club, and third place went to VENILIA of the Yacht Club Imperia.
Four days of sailing, five races, and a fiercely contested battle to the finish. The 2026 Wooden Dragon World Cup concluded in Sanremo, bringing Italian and international crews to the Gulf from September 8th to 12th aboard the fascinating Wooden Dragon , true protagonists of sailing history.
The title went to VILMA – POR 91 , of the Clube Naval de Cascais, skippered by Miguel Leitmann, with Pedro Costa and Charles Nankin, after a close battle with TERGESTE – ITA 4 , owned by our President Beppe Zaoli, with Michele Casano, Paolo Bozzano and Cesare Guglielmati, who finished second. Third place went to VENILIA – ITA 80 , owned by Mario Quaranta, of the Yacht Club Imperia, with Andrea Quaranta and Davide Bortoletto.
The event kicked off in challenging weather conditions. On the first day, cloudy skies, waves around one meter high, and winds exceeding 20 knots led to the cancellation of the race. In the following days, our waters instead offered more typically Mediterranean conditions, with sunshine and light winds, allowing the crews to complete the scheduled program.
The Wooden Dragon World Cup was also an important opportunity for gatherings and socializing. Yacht Club Sanremo welcomed owners and crews with a Welcome Cocktail at our headquarters on Tuesday evening. On Thursday, the event continued on the terrace and garden of the Royal Hotel Sanremo , while on Friday evening, the crews gathered for the Gala Dinner at our Club’s restaurant .
The awards ceremony concluded the event on Saturday afternoon , celebrating this year’s protagonists and the timeless allure of wooden dragons. Prizes were also awarded to fourth and fifth place, respectively, to the Italians GALATEA II – ITA 12, owned by Giuseppe La Scala, crewed by Duccio Colombi and Simone Dondelli, and JAVELIN – ITA 49 , owned by Davide Mangione, crewed by Davide Marella and Andrea Zaoli, and to sixth place to MAJ-BRITT – GER 494 , owned by Jurgen Grohmann, crewed by Christian Hotzen and Philipp Grohmann. Special prizes were also awarded by category: “Original” to JAPETUS – ITA 16 , owned by Guido Garrone, crewed by Davide Ortelli, Camilla Michelini, and Leonardo Bonelli, CNAM Alassio; “Vintage” to TERGESTE; and “Classic” to VILMA.
For our Club, the Dragon Class is already looking ahead to the coming months. The fleet will return to the waters of Sanremo with the 2026/2027 Dragon Winter Series, starting at the end of November, with three days of racing each month until the end of January. Then, in March, it will be the turn of the Grand Prix d’Italia – Dragon Cup, Grade 1 , one of the key events on the Dragon Class’s international calendar.
The Dragon season in Sanremo continues!
