A day after enduring a long, windless endurance test on Lake Geneva, the TF35 Mies Grand Prix concluded dramatically as a dry northwesterly Joran wind swept down from the Jura mountains, abruptly ending the regatta. Only one race was feasible before the wind increased beyond 20 knots.
For Sails of Change 8, a fourth place in the single race was sufficient to secure overall victory. Their impressive performance on Friday, achieving five race wins from five starts, had already set a strong foundation for their success. This allowed them to discard a sixth-place finish in Saturday’s long-distance Genève-Rolle-Genève race, leaving them comfortably ahead of their closest rivals, Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier, by nine points.
“It’s quite exceptional,” commented skipper Yann Guichard. “I don’t think it happens very often. I’m not even sure it has ever happened to me before in my sailing career to win all five races in a single day.”
Reflecting on the challenging conditions on the final day, Guichard explained, “With the Joran wind, there are more opportunities to come back. The wind shifts in both strength and direction, sometimes very violently, so it’s difficult to keep the boat stable in flight. It’s interesting because there are many more tactical questions.”
Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier’s owner, Bertrand Demole, noted that their second-place finish at the Mies Grand Prix highlighted the consistency his new team is developing this season and underscored their growing potential across the championship. “I’m very happy with the Grand Prix,” said Demole. “We’re back on the podium. We also have a new team, which was a challenge in itself.”
For third-placed Zen Too, consistency remains elusive. Despite a strong start, they faced challenges, including retiring from the Genève-Rolle race after leading at the turning mark. Helm Loic Forestier expressed satisfaction with their performance in the final race, stating, “Today, we did everything we could to recover the points we had lost on Friday.”
Despite finishing fourth overall in Mies, Sails of Change 10 retains the lead in the season standings, now tied on points with Zen Too.
Realteam Spirit’s photo-finish second place in Saturday’s long-distance race lifted them to fifth overall, while Ylliam 17’s victory in the long-distance event was a standout achievement, securing them sixth place overall in the Mies Grand Prix. X-Wing completed the standings in seventh, with their best result being a second place in race three.
Next weekend, the TF35 fleet will participate in the Bol d’Or du Léman, the world’s largest inland lake regatta, alongside over 400 boats racing the 123-kilometre (66.5 nautical miles) course from Geneva to Le Bouveret and back. This event is a major highlight on Lake Geneva’s calendar, attracting thousands of spectators to witness the race start, marked by a cannon firing at 10 am.
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