Going into the first day of the TF35 Geneva Grand Prix, the final event of the 2026 season, the race committee made it clear to the seven competing teams that they would do whatever was necessary to chase the breeze and get racing in.
The fleet headed out to the race course as quickly as possible after the skippers’ briefing, with the promise of abise– the northerly breeze that can sweep down Lake Geneva – for the opening race.
However, it was not to last. Two abandoned races followed before Race 1 finally got away in six knots of north-easterly breeze on a course set halfway up the Petite Lac, towards Founex.
At the start, the fleet fought hard for the pin end, with only Realteam Spirit starting alone at the race committee end. As the boats hit the laylines and converged on the windward gate within metres of each other, it was Loïc Forestier at the helm of Zen Too who led the way around.
Zen Too found clear air down the right-hand side of the run and extended its advantage. But on the second beat Jérôme Clerc on Realteam Spirit and Julien Firmenich’s Ylliam 17 began to close the gap.
Covered on the second run, Zen Too gybed away in search of clean air, but that opened the door for Realteam Spirit and Ylliam 17 to sail directly towards the finish. Clerc took the first bullet of the day, with Ylliam 17 second, while Zen Too had to settle for third after one final hitch to make the line.
The breeze held at around seven knots for Race 2 and the fleet remained tightly matched up the first beat. Downwind, however, Clerc and Realteam Spirit found another gear and accelerated away from the pack.
Ylliam 17 and Sails of Change 8 chased hard in second and third but could not reel in the leader, giving Realteam Spirit its second win of the day.
“Everyone is pushing really hard on the starts, so there isn't much room, and above all, every position counts: they are very hard-fought out on the water,” explained Arnaud Psarofaghis, mainsail trimmer on Ylliam 17. “So we're happy with two second-place finishes.”
For Race 3, Sails of Change 8 and X-Wing were evenly matched through the opening lap. But at the second windward gate, Sails of Change 8 was forced into an extra tack, handing the lead to X-Wing.
The fleet then headed back towards Geneva for a fourth and final race, but with the breeze once again proving difficult to work with, another start was abandoned. With the clock running out, the race committee called time on the day and the fleet headed ashore to the Société Nautique de Genève.
“These are the kind of days when you have to perform well tactically and technically, while also knowing how to make the boat move. We feel a little tired after today. I don't think any team comes out of a day like this without having used up a fair bit of energy,” said Sails of Change 8 mainsail trimmer Billy Besson.
“Everyone is trying to make small adjustments to get the boat moving faster. It's a bit like Formula 1: every circuit is different and every team is looking to make small adjustments according to their setup and their team. It's the same for us: we're trying to find those little details that will allow us to be even better going forward”, he added.
With conditions forecast to be difficult for the weekend, the race committee will once again be watching the lake closely. The hope is that enough breeze will arrive to give the fleet several more opportunities to race before the final event of the season comes to a close.
