IDA Officers
The International Dragon Class Management team consists of one Chairman, three Vice Chairmen, Treasurer and Secretary.
Technical matters are handled by a specialist Technical Committee which has its own Chairman.
The Chairman and Vice Chairmen are elected every two years, the Treasurer every four. The Secretary is appointed by the Officers and the position is permanent.
The Officials of the IDA all have a common goal. To run the Class in the interests of Dragon sailors everywhere.
President
Poul Richard Høj JensenVice-Presidents
HM King Frederik X of DenmarkChristopher Dicker
Bram van Olphen
An avid fan of the Dragon, and former Fleet Captain of the Hong Kong fleet, Bram brings huge enthusiasm to his role as Chairman of the IDA. In addition to his racing passion he has considerable experience in race management both locally and internationally. The RHKYC prides itself on excellence in race management, and the involvement and training of its members, especially youth. Bram has also guided RHKYC programmes to better connect the club with families with children.
As the CEO of an international project logistics company, he has travelled extensively and has been involved in various international yachting events (Musto Skiff Worlds, Volvo Ocean Race etc.) working with a multitude of cultures. He has direct experience in sponsoring at several events and in working with sponsors requests on shaping sponsor packages.
Being self-employed allows him the flexibility to combine his work with attending international events of the IDA and meeting the various fleets, something he hopes to be able to do in the coming years.
Christian Zinkler
Christian was born in Duesseldorf and now lives in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia. He has spent his career in the international steel and oil & gas industries, both as a metallurgical engineer and as an HR professional. He is fluent in German, French and English. He is a member of the Yachtclub Ruhrland in Essen, and has sailed in many classes including 420, Kielzugvogel, Flying Dutchman, Yngling and Finn Dinghy.
Since 2007 he has owned a Dragon (GER 975) and races actively in national and international events. He has held various offices in the German Dragon Association (DDG) including 10 years as fleet captain Rheinland, of which 6 years has been as a board member of DDG, northern region. In 2025 he was elected Treasurer of the DDG.
He is committed to ensuring that the Dragon remains one of the most attractive one-designs in the world, allowing high competitive international racing as well as shared enjoyment on national club level.
Nick Bilcliffe
Despite growing up close to the Solent sailing and rowing both took a backseat to rugby in my youth, although I participated in all three. I sailed occasionally during my world travels, but really embraced the sport in the early 1990s after arriving in Hong Kong, initially on both cruisers and Dragons, but it was the Dragon and its big sisters in the Metre family I fell in love with. Close competitive sailing in highly technical boats with elegant lines that harked back to the glamour of the early America’s Cup and the classic yachts of the early 1900s.
The eclectic mix of sailors in Hong Kong and the drive to bridge the distances between Asia-Pacific fleets has led to firm friendships across the region that continue to this day. Similarly, the effort to compete in Europe has reinforced bonds and brokered new relationships often initiated by Hong Kong’s multinational community that remarkably is very representative of the global fleet.
Perhaps the most important thing I hope to bring to the IDA is a resolute belief that the fantastic boat we all share is an important link that binds us together despite personal, national or political agendas and that we are custodians for its future.
Martin Lutz
Martin Lutz has been co-opted onto the Board of the IDA as a Vice Chairman to fill the vacancy created by the recent resignation of Justus Kniffka. Martin was formerly President of the Austrian National Yngling Association and helped organise their World Championship on Lake Garda in 2018. He has since been active on the international Dragon circuit as crew for his own boat and has been very successful with his 100% Corinthian team. He is a board member of the Austrian Dragon Association where he is responsible for international affairs, training and regatta planning. Recently retired from international business he now has the time and energy to bring his vast experience in dealing with different nationalities stakeholders to the affairs of the IDA.
Martin Pälsson
Martin Pålsson has been elected to the Board of the IDA as Treasurer, replacing Anne Vanneste. Martin has been sailing Dragons at a high international level since 1993, currently leading one of the world’s top Corinthian teams. Martin has a long history of non-profit involvement in different sailing contexts such as the Swedish Dragon Association and GKSS – the club where the Dragon was originally born. He was a major contributor to the success of the Dragon Gold Cup in Marstrand 2021 with his long experience of international Dragon sailing, sponsorship and championship organisation. Martin has recently retired from his business in preventive medical health care where he acted as CEO and Doctor of Naprapathy.