Despite waiting on the water for much of the day in the hope of racing, the breeze once again failed to appear on the final day of the TF35 Geneva Grand Prix, handing the regatta victory to Jérôme Clerc and the crew of Realteam Spirit.

With only three races sailed at the final Grand Prix, there was little opportunity for the incredibly tight championship leaderboard to be shaken up, and Yann Guichard’s Sails of Change 8 retained the TF35 Trophy title for the third consecutive year.

“It has been a very close season, right up until the last race. No team really dominated this year, so it was difficult for everyone, but we are so happy to win the championship for a third year in a row. It’s a great achievement,” said Guichard.

“I would like to say thank you to the whole team. I’m very proud of them; we worked hard all season. Each race was a challenge because the wind was very unstable. Even from the very beginning of the season, the first Grand Prix was very difficult for us and we finished last. After that we won the second one and that put us back in the game.

“I think this is the first time we’ve had a season where the competitors are so close. The top four teams could have won the championship in one race, which is crazy. So I’m very happy and looking forward to next season and trying to win again.”

For Realteam Spirit, two bullets on the opening day in Geneva secured the Grand Prix victory and lifted them to second in the overall standings. But it was a bittersweet result, with helm Jérôme Clerc left wishing for the opportunity to race on the final day.

“We are really happy to win this event, but our goal was to sail today and try to win the season, so it’s a shame to miss this,” he said.

“Anyway, the team did a great job this season. We started with some difficulties and finished strong, so we are really happy with the team spirit. This season has had four different event winners. It’s like the D35 ten years ago, where every boat can win. Next year we will need to be pretty sharp.”

The final place on the 2026 TF35 Trophy podium went to Zen Too, who pushed hard throughout the season to build consistency. They recorded top-four finishes at every event, avoiding the costly deep results that can quickly prove decisive when the racing is this tight.

“Unfortunately, it was a slow and a bit of a disappointing end to such a beautiful season, but we are still happy with the podium. The team was very consistent this year and we are super happy overall,” said mainsail traveller Louis Chambet.

Ylliam 17 was another team within striking distance of the overall title and one that would have welcomed more racing in Geneva. They finished the Grand Prix in third place and the season in fourth, just two points behind Zen Too.

“Overall, I think it was a very nice season with our new crew. There is always a bit of fine-tuning to get everything in the right place, but what I’m very happy about is that we were able to win one Grand Prix and have some good results in the long-distance races. So overall, the year has been a success,” said owner and helm Julien Firmenich.

Further down the fleet, Marco Favale’s X-Wing steadily improved as the season progressed, with the highlight of their year coming at the Bol d’Or in June. They ended the 2026 season fifth overall, tied on 21 points with Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier in sixth.

For Bertrand Demole, at the helm of Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier, the highlights of the season were second-place finishes at both the Mies Grand Prix and the Versoix Grand Prix.

In seventh, Sails of Change 10 won the opening Grand Prix of the 2026 season in Nyon and remained part of the chasing pack throughout the year, but a lack of consistency ultimately held them back in an exceptionally competitive fleet.

With the championship decided without a final-day showdown, the 2026 TF35 Trophy nevertheless underlined just how little separates the leading teams. Four different boats won Grand Prix events during the season, while the championship remained in play until the final scheduled racing in Geneva. The prospect of another closely fought season in 2027 looks even stronger.