Name: 27. Berlin Dragonboat City Cup 2026 2026
Start: 2026-07-04T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-07-05T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Olympische Regattastrecke Berlin-Grünau

Dragonboat City Cup

About Dragonboat City Cup

With over 70 teams from all over Germany, the Berlin Dragonboat City Cup transforms the Olympic Regatta Course in Grünau into a colorful watersports festival on the first weekend of July. Up to nine dragon boats, each with 20 paddlers, start simultaneously over distances from 100 to 1,000 meters. A dragon ceremony, music, and a supporting program turn the Köpenick water landscape on the Langen See into a stage.

Dates 04 Jul — 05 Jul 2026

Venue Berlin (11000)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Dragonboat City Cup — edition 2026

Tickets →

27th edition of the Berlin Dragonboat City Cup on the Olympic Regatta Course in Grünau. Over 70 teams from all over Germany will compete over distances of 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 meters. Spectating is free.

Two days of competition, dragon ceremony, food stalls, and live music on the shore of the Langen See. Team registration is via the official organizer's website; individual paddlers can sometimes join existing teams with remaining spots.

Highlights Dragonboat City Cup 2026

9 dragon boats starting simultaneously, dragon ceremony for the opening, sprint finals on the Olympic Regatta Course.

Programme Dragonboat City Cup 2026

Saturday, July 4, 2026

Morning: Dragon ceremony and festive opening
Heats and main races: 200 m and 500 m
Supporting program on the shore: food trucks, DJ sets, introductory watersports activities

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Semi-finals and finals: 200 m, 500 m, and 1,000 m
Special race: 100 m sprint with a reduced crew
Award ceremony in the late afternoon

Distances: 100 m, 200 m, 500 m, and 1,000 m. Up to 9 boats with 20 paddlers start per heat. Announcement and participation conditions at berlin-citycup.de/ausschreibung2026.

Prices Dragonboat City Cup 2026

Spectators: free admission. Participant registration via berlin-citycup.de/anmeldung2026 – conditions vary by category.

Practical information

Practical information — Dragonboat City Cup

Getting There

S-Bahn: S8 or S46 to Grünau, then approx. 10 minutes walk to the regatta course. Tram 68 to Wassersportallee. Limited parking – public transport recommended.

Admission

Spectators: free. Participant registration via berlin-citycup.de.

Weather Dependency

In case of severe weather, individual races may be postponed. Current information on the website.

Dragon Boats on the Olympic Course

When nine colorfully decorated dragons, each with 20 paddlers on board, race across the Olympic Regatta Course on the first weekend of July, it's a spectacle that Berlin offers only once a year. The Berlin Dragonboat City Cup will celebrate its 27th edition in 2026 and is considered one of the largest dragon boat races in Germany. More than 70 teams from all over Germany and neighboring countries will compete – from amateur clubs to international racing crews.

Tradition with Chinese Roots

The dragon boat race dates back to a Chinese custom over 2,000 years old: in honor of the poet Qu Yuan, long, narrow boats decorated with dragon heads are paddled. In Berlin, the Berlin Dragon Boat Company has been organizing the event since 1999, anchoring the tradition with a festive dragon ceremony to open the event.

Olympic Regatta Course Grünau

The course is located in the Grünau district on the Langen See in the Treptow-Köpenick borough and has Olympic history: the rowing and canoe competitions of the Olympic Games took place here in 1936. The 2,000-meter long, fully marked course is now one of the few regatta courses in Germany with wave reflection systems, making fair conditions possible even in windy weather.

Atmosphere by the Water

While the teams compete in their heats and semi-finals, there are food trucks, live music, and a relaxed festival atmosphere on the shore. Located in the Treptow-Köpenick borough, Grünau is one of Berlin's most scenic districts – oak forests, Wilhelminian-era villas, swimming spots on the Müggelsee. Those who don't paddle themselves come to watch, for a picnic, or simply for a summer day by the water.