The Dragon spread very rapidly and widely from its beginnings in Scandinavia. Club fleets were established in several European countries, Australia, North America and Asia.  More recently Russian helmsmen have become a force in the class. Among the names that have been prominent are such as Poul-Richard Hoj-Jensen, Ole Berntsen, Aage Birch and Borge Borresen from Denmark, Thor Thorvaldsen from Norway, Markus Wieser, Vincent Hoesch and Tommy Muller from Germany, Fred Imhoff from the Netherlands and Lowell North, Bob Mosbacher and Buddy Friedrichs from the US. In addition more than a dozen Olympic medallists from other classes have subsequently enjoyed much success in the Dragon, a testimony to its wide appeal.

Below the elite level, dominated by ex-Olympic and professional sailors, there is a vast range of opportunity offered by the class. A glance at the IDA’s list of fixtures shows regattas at varying levels throughout the year and the world. These range from local club events or weekly points races through to national and regional championships. The typical competitors are amateurs with strong sailing backgrounds, with perhaps a bit of help sometimes from a professional friend. The range of venues is great, from peaceful central European lakes to the more arduous locations of coastal northern Europe and Australia. Wherever it is, there is the certainty of meeting many very friendly, slightly obsessive sailors.