Sails of Change 10 claimed their first TF35 Grand Prix victory in Nyon after a weekend in which the fleet spent as much time chasing breeze as each other.
With little wind forecast across the regatta, the seven-boat fleet nevertheless managed to complete four good races in difficult and often unpredictable conditions before Sunday’s finale was abandoned at 15:15 when the lake finally fell still.
For Duncan Späth and his Sails of Change 10 crew, after a year of near misses in 2025 they had done enough. Späth, alongside tactician Julien D'Ortoli, headsail trimmer Jules Bidegaray, mainsail trimmer Yann Jauvin, bowman Pieter Tack and grinder Thibault Julien, celebrated by diving into the cold waters of Lake Geneva.
“Thank you to my guys, because they really made me dream it was possible,” said Späth at the prize-giving. “This victory feels fantastic. We’re going to build on it and enjoy the success. It gives the team great energy, and we’ll do everything we can to keep this momentum going. We’re already looking forward to the next Grand Prix.”
The result marked a significant moment for a team that has largely grown together since 2021. Racing under the Sails of Change 10 banner since 2024, when Späth took over helming duties from Yann Guichard, they spent much of last season hovering on the edge of a breakthrough, collecting podium finishes at four of six events without ever managing to convert. This time they did.
“Of course, the whole fleet wanted to sail more, but this is what happens on the lake,” Späth said. “We are very happy with the opportunities that we were able to take advantage of, considering how shifty the racecourse was and how close the fleet is this season. You have to be very sharp to catch the opportunities, and this time it was our turn.”
The closeness of the racing was reflected throughout the standings. Each of the four races produced a different winner - X-Wing, Zen Too, Ylliam 17 and Sails of Change 10– and ties across the overall leaderboard.
Guy de Picciotto’s Zen Too finished second overall, tied on six points with the winners after producing one of the most consistent scorecards of the weekend, with three podium finishes from four races and their deepest score a fifth.
“It was a real tactician’s weekend and a genuine team effort, because everyone had to work together to perform,” said helm Loïc Forestier. “The fleet is incredibly competitive, so the aim is to minimise mistakes. You have to stay focused on what matters, remain calm and relaxed. We were all in that mindset on board, focused on the present moment, and it was a real pleasure.”
Third and fourth places were shared on 10 points by Ylliam 17 and X-Wing, with countback handing Julien Firmenich’s team the final podium position after a fourth place in the last race of the regatta.
“We stayed calm after a difficult day and managed to bounce back thanks to all the hard work and talent within the team,” Firmenich said. “It’s a positive result, but we’re still hungry for racing and the season has only just begun.”
Marco Favale’s X-Wing began the regatta strongly with a win and a fourth on the opening day, results that ultimately secured fourth overall.
Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier showed flashes of pace with Maxime Bachelin stepping in on short notice and delivering two second-place finishes, though inconsistency left the team fifth overall on 11 points, tied with Realteam Spirit, who continue to settle back into the fleet after missing last season.
Further down the standings, Sails of Change 8 endured an unusually quiet weekend while adapting to a revised crew line-up featuring Billy Besson and Matthieu Ravussin on trimming duties. Few in the fleet, however, expect them to stay there for long ahead of the TF35 Mies Grand Prix in ten days’ time.
