Please select your home edition
Edition
Sea Sure 2025

TF35 Malcesine Cup at Fraglia Vela Malcesine - Day 1

by TF35 Trophy 8 Sep 2022 18:09 PDT 8 - 11 September

It was a moody start to the TF35 Malcesine Cup as the bright, brisk, flat water conditions for which Lake Garda is famous were interrupted by the tail-end of a storm that rumbled over the Italian lake.

"This morning there were thunderstorms, it was quite special, and we didn't know what the day would be like," explained Spindrift's tactician Yann Jauvin. "We had to be open-minded and stay focused because the day promised to be long."

With the crews held ashore until 13:00CET due to lack of wind, the cloud cover finally broke late-afternoon, allowing for one practice race and one point-scoring race to be sailed in a moderate southerly 'Ora' wind before the breeze faded off to nothing.

In the single race sailed, the conditions were challenging for the tacticians and helms alike as the patchy fading breeze was almost impossible to read on the water. Off the start line, Alinghi Red Bull Racing won the pin and led the fleet into the shore on the left of the course but fell into no breeze and off her foils whilst Team Sailfever, who had tacked off early after a poor start, found more pressure in the middle of the course.

Spindrift had edged ahead of the relatively even fleet at the first windward gate after a clean start and first beat. "The most important thing was not to fall into the wind holes, to tack or gybe just before drifting into the soft areas. There were still corridors, but it was hard to stay in them," Jauvin added.

The Spindrift crew, with Yann Guichard at the helm, extended their lead downwind and held on as the wind faded to nothing on the second beat. It was a welcome relief then when the call came through on the radio that the course would be shorted to finish at the second windward gate, salvaging the race and confirming their win. "It was quite complicated on the second lap. It was necessary to both control the fleet while staying on its side to continue to follow the wind. We therefore protected the left which was a little stronger and we win this first round."

Local crew Vitamina Sailing Team saw a much-needed boost in performance coming home in a comfortable second place, their best result to date. "Second is a nice result. But it's the first day, and there is still a lot of racing, but it's good to start this way," explained tactician Adam Minoprio. "We are focusing on making the boat more reliable. In the way the team is sailing the boat we can match the speed and manoeuvres of the other teams, we just need to make sure we don't have any issues with the boat that slow us down".

As the last boat crossed the line just before 17:00 the AP over A flags were raised and the boats returned to the Fraglia Vela Malcesine for the welcome cocktail.

Racing continues tomorrow with the first start scheduled for 13.00CET. To find out more visit www.TF35.org.

TF35 Malcesine Cup (after one race)

1. Spindrift - 1pt
2. Vitamina Sailing - 2pts
3. Realteam for Léman hope - 3pts
4. Team SAILFEVER - 4pts
5. Alinghi Red Bull Racing - 5pts
6. ZEN Too - 6pts
7. Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier - 7pts

TF35 2022 Overall Ranking (after four events)

1. Alinghi Red Bull Racing - 2 1 1 - 4pts
2. Realteam for Léman hope - 1 2 3 - 6pts
3. Team SAILFEVER - 4 6 2 - 12pts
4. Spindrift - 3 4 5 - 12pts
5. ZEN Too - 5 5 4 - 14pts
6. Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier - 7 3 6 - 16pts
7. Vitamina Sailing - 6 7 7 - 20pts

Related Articles

Sails of Change 8 second in Bol d'Or du Leman
The crew of the TF35 won the TF35 Trophy race After fifteen and a half hours of racing featuring multiple lead changes, Yann Guichard and the crew of the TF35 Sails of Change 8 won the TF35 Trophy race and took a very narrow second place in the Bol d'Or du Leman. Posted on 15 Jun
Sails of Change 8 2nd in the Bol D'or du Léman
404 sailboats launched into the 86th edition of the race On Saturday, June 14 at 1000, 404 sailboats launched into the 86th edition of the Bol d'Or du Léman. Despite an unexpected breeze during the first hour of the race, patience was required throughout the course to make the most of the very light winds. Posted on 15 Jun
TF35 Mies Grand Prix overall
Sails of Change 8 victorious Sails of Change 8, skippered by Yann Guichard, delivered an impressive performance on the final day of the TF35 Mies Grand Prix, winning three out of four races and solidifying their dominance throughout the event. Posted on 9 Jun
Thrilling competition at Genève-Rolle-Genève Race
185 boats taking to the waters of Lake Geneva The 61st edition of the Genève-Rolle-Genève race delivered an exciting day of competition, with over 185 boats taking to the waters of Lake Geneva. On the morning of race day, the weather forecast was as unpredictable as ever. Posted on 7 Jun
TF35 Mies Grand Prix Day 1
Sails for Change 8 dominates the opening day Day one of the TF35 Mies Grand Prix on Lake Geneva saw six-cutting edge foiling catamarans transition from becalmed to racing in a steady 11-knot breeze, completing two fast-paced races. Posted on 7 Jun
TF35 Nyon Grand Prix overall
First Regatta Victory for Ylliam 17 Julien Firmenich's Ylliam 17 claimed victory this weekend at the opening event of the 2025 TF35 season in Nyon, marking their first-ever regatta win since joining the fleet in 2023. Posted on 25 May
TF35 Nyon Grand Prix Day 2
Sails of Change 10 makes it count in light air Despite spending most of the day on the water patiently waiting for wind, the Race Committee eventually managed to squeeze in a single race in the faintest 5-6 knot Séchard breeze, the only scoring opportunity on day two of the TF35 Nyon Grand Prix. Posted on 24 May
New sporting goals & ambitions for Sails of Change
The positive family legacy continues With the TF35 season set to open this coming weekend with the Nyon Grand Prix, ambitions are high among the Sails of Change Team as the two crews led respectively by Yann Guichard and Duncan Späth seek to realise their respective targets. Posted on 24 May
TF35 Nyon Grand Prix Day 1
Beginner's luck? X-Wing second after opening day The opening day of the 2025 TF35 season on Lake Geneva saw the six cutting-edge foiling catamarans ghost their way around the racecourse in a delicate 5-knot breeze, completing two races. Posted on 23 May
X-Wing joins the TF35 Trophy fleet
Franco-Italian entrepreneur and former alpine ski racer becomes the latest to join From racing down the slopes to flying above the water, Marco Favale's path to the TF35 Trophy is one of a sports enthusiast looking for the next thrill. Posted on 21 May
Palm Beach Motor YachtsDoyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast