Realteam sets new Blue Ribbon Lake Geneva record of 3h 43m 27s
by TF35 Trophy 28 Mar 2023 20:54 NZDT
Realteam sets new Blue Ribbon Lake Geneva record © Loris Von Siebenthal
Esteban Garcia's TF35 Realteam for Léman hope on Monday broke the Blue Ribbon Lake Geneva record, which has been held since 2014, by an impressive 46 minutes and 48 seconds.
The prestigious speed record covering the length of Lake Geneva between Port-Noir (GE) and Le Bouveret (VS) had been held by Hydros.ch since 2014, but on Monday at 15.27, flying over the virtual finish line near Port Noir, the Lausanne team of Esteban Garcia and Jerome Clerc has set a new record of 3 hours, 43 minutes and 27 seconds as certified by the Cercle de la Voile of the Société Nautique de Genève (CVSNG), in the sailing category (Leman Sailing Speed Records).
"Breaking the blue ribbon record on Realteam's 10th anniversary is a strong message. I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished today and would like to dedicate this feat to the Léman hope project," said Esteban Garcia, founder of Realteam Sailing, in a passionate interview on the dock.
"I am thrilled to have broken the Blue Ribbon record, especially on its opening day! This victory is above all a team effort. We are united as a team to overcome the unexpected," exults Jérôme Clerc.
On their TF35 high-performance one-design foiling catamaran, Realteam for Léman hope started just before noon in 22 knots and reached a maximum speed of 34 knots on the approach to Lausanne. Despite a patch of light breeze near the halfway turning buoy in Bouveret, the sailors regained their momentum, flight, and speed to the finish line.
For Realteam for Léman hope this is just the start of their 2023 season. The team will now take on six other TF35s racing on the seven-stop TF35 Trophy tour starting in May with the Geneva Cup and finishing in Malcesine on Lake Garda, Italy, in late September.
To find out more about the TF35 visit tf35.org.