TF35 Geneva Grand Prix at Société Nautique de Genève - Day 1
by TF35 Class 10 Oct 2025 20:26 UTC
10-12 October 2025
The TF35 Geneva Grand Prix, the final event of the 2025 season, got under way today with five spectacular races sailed in 8-18 knots, perfectly showcasing this impressive fleet on Lake Geneva in front of the Société Nautique de Genève.
However, the weekend of racing began with drama even before the first start gun. During practice racing, a collision between the series leader Sails of Change 8 and newcomers X-Wing left both boats holed and unable to compete.
With the championship front-runner sidelined, anticipation rippled across the start line for race one. Realteam Spirit, returning to the fleet for this event, looked sharp off the line but slipped into the mid-fleet as the race unfolded. Sails of Change 10 headed furthest left and caught a lift that brought her into the windward gate two boat lengths ahead of the fleet. Despite late pressure from Julien Firmenich and Guillaume Rol on Ylliam 17 on the final downwind, helm Duncan Späth and tactician Julien D'Ortoli held their nerve and claimed the opening win.
Race two delivered more close action as the compact fleet stayed within striking distance of each other until the final downwind leg. Once again, it came down to Sails of Change 10 and Ylliam 17 who broke away for a photo finish, with Späth's crew edging ahead to take the win.
"It's fantastic to start the day with two wins. Over the past few weeks, we've really made progress — the crew is feeling great, and it's a real pleasure to see it paying off. We're giving it everything, and every day we tell ourselves, 'We're going sailing, we're here to win,' and we'll count the points at the end," said Sails of Change 10's Pieter Tack
As the breeze built for race three, Esteban Garcia's Realteam Spirit found her form. After ducking Ylliam 17 at the first cross, she rounded the top mark alongside Guy de Picciotto's Zen Too. Holding her line on the right paid, Realteam hit the starboard lay line perfectly and converted the move into her first victory of the regatta.
By the fourth race, the wind was up to 15 knots, sending the high-speed catamarans charging up the course. With speeds topping 33 knots downwind, the race committee called an early finish at the second windward gate, sealing a fast and furious 1-2-3 for Realteam Spirit, Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier, and Zen Too.
"The goal today was really to keep things as simple as possible on the water. The first races weren't great — we struggled to hold our positions after the starts, and it wasn't easy. You really had to stay in the middle of the course, where the wind was strongest," explained Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier's Maxime Bachelin. "But we bounced back well in the last two races with slightly stronger breeze. We managed to link together good, simple manoeuvres, and whenever there's more wind and we stay focused on the basics, we usually find ourselves playing at the front."
The day concluded with a reefed final race in brisk conditions. Bertrand Demole at the helm of Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier matched Realteam Spirit around the race track and edged ahead by just half a boat length to take the win. This final result for Demole moves Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier into third on the overnight ranking behind first-place Realteam Spirit, followed by Sails of Change 10 in second, and ties her on points with Ylliam 17. Zen Too sits in fifth, but with only four points separating second from fifth, the regatta remains wide open.
Racing resumes tomorrow at 11:30 local time.