Please select your home edition
Edition
PredictWind - Routing 728x90 TOP

Sails of Change 8 finish first in TF35 Trophy second overall in Bol d'Or du Leman

by Sails of Change 15 Jun 14:13 PDT 14 June 2025
Sails of Change 8 finish first in TF35 Trophy second overall in Bol d'Or du Leman © Polaryse - Sails of Change

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 annual classic long distance race on Lake Geneva, the Bol d'Or du Leman.

After leading for a big part of the race Sails of Change 8 finished just over four minutes behind overall winner Realteam, a matter of only a few hundred metres in the very light conditions during the small hours of Sunday morning. Guichard and crew showed remarkable skill and focus during long, long hours of glassy, calm conditions over what proved to be a slow race.

Winner of the prestigious marathon last year with the same team on the same boat, Guichard observed, "I think it is always the same when you finish second, you are a bit disappointed especially as we were ahead for a big part of the race and after that we were really head-to-head with Realteam and ZEN Too. Winning the Bol d'Or is always one of the objectives. But that's also the beauty of the Bol d'Or du Leman: it's a race in which nothing is ever certain, where everything can change at any moment. Congratulations to Realteam for their victory and to ZEN Too we had a great race with them."

He recalls, "The start was a great sight with 404 boats on the water, it is always so impressive, a beautiful image. After that there was some great moments, finishing at night with the team is always special."

Sails of Change 8 lead most parts of the race

Yann Guichard took an excellent start with a good breeze which allowed the TF35s to escape out of the Petit-Lac in an hour. After just under seven hours of racing Sails of Change 8 rounded the half-way mark on second position at Le Bouveret at the very top of the lake, followed by ZEN Too a minute behind. Sails of Change 8 and ZEN Too worked the French coast. The wind then died for the leaders and came in from astern which allowed the chasing boats to make a sizeable comeback. At Versoix, Sails of Change 8 had lost the lead in the very last stretch of the race to Realteam, crossing four minutes after the leader and eight minutes ahead of Zen Too.

Sails of Change 10 third in Foiler 1 Division

It was a more frustrating race in the end for Yvan Ravussin and the crew of Sails of Change 10. They made a good start and were well placed in the middle of the race, but fell foul of the big calms and changes of wind direction. They finished third in the Foiler 1 division, 15th in the Bol d'Or du Leman and sixth in the TF35 Trophy, the crew showed great determination and stamina until the finish line which they crossed after 17hrs and 23 minutes of racing.

Ravussin said "We did our best and never gave up and that's why we are a bit frustrated because we we were really focused but of course you make small mistakes. I had a great time with the team and it was great and they were all very helpful which is what I will remember. Quite honestly I had a lot of fun even if it's a little frustrating when it comes to the results but it's all relative; it is only a race, it's only a game. But it is a pleasure to take the helm and have the confidence of Duncan who gave me the helm."

www.sailsofchange.com

Related Articles

High stakes and High Seas
18 IMOCA boats battle at the start of the Transat Café l'OR The final IMOCA race of the 2025 season gets under way from Le Havre for Martinique in the Caribbean on Sunday, and it looks set to be a thriller featuring some of the top boats and sailors in the Class ready to push hard for victory. Posted on 24 Oct
2025 Bermuda Gold Cup Day 3
Egnot-Johnson surges, Östling shines Defending champion Johnie Berntsson, from Sweden, is the first skipper to book his spot in the semi-finals of the 2025 Bermuda Gold Cup, finishing unbeaten for the second day running. Posted on 24 Oct
Elite fleet for Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
A massive fleet of 142 yachts have entered the iconic Australian race Entries have closed for the 80th running of the 'Great Race South', the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with an elite fleet set to face the starter's cannon on Boxing Day. Posted on 24 Oct
Watching the growing sailing scene in China
A fun weekend at the 2025 Lake Fuxian Regatta I've become fascinated with the growing sailing scene in China. I had so many preconceptions ahead of my first visit to the country in 2024, which were blown out of the water on that trip, and this was reaffirmed at the Lake Fuxian Regatta. Posted on 24 Oct
Port Jackson Championship Handicap Race
A special win for Amy Mulkearns and her team If we ever needed reminding mums are super-human, Amy Mulkearns delivered living proof with a special win in last Saturday's Port Jackson Championships. Posted on 24 Oct
Wild Oats XI reborn as Palm Beach XI
Palm Beach Motor Yachts Takes the Helm of the Iconic Yacht It's a great honour to announce that Palm Beach Motor Yachts has taken ownership of the legendary ocean-racing yacht Wild Oats XI, to be reborn as Palm Beach XI. Posted on 24 Oct
110th Lipton Cup Regatta Kicks Off Friday
One of the most highly anticipated regattas of the San Diego Yacht Club season Named after legendary yachtsman and tea baron Sir Thomas Lipton, the Lipton Cup is one of the most highly anticipated regattas of the season and one of the most highly coveted trophies in Southern California. Posted on 23 Oct
2025 Wingfoil Racing Youth & Masters Worlds day 2
AP displayed. Dolphins on the course! Even the ever-calm race officer, Michal Jodlowski, couldn't keep the crackle of excitement out of his voice as he announced a short postponement to racing over the radio this afternoon. Posted on 23 Oct
Transat Café L'or Ocean 50 preview
The racing karts of the oceans There will be ten Ocean 50s at the start of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Normandie Le Havre this Sunday. The light, fast flying catamarans require the pairs of co-skippers to really live life much closer to the edge on their race from Le Havre to Martinique. Posted on 23 Oct
Top Picks: High-Rated UV50+ Rashies
Kite boarders, sailors, paddlers and surfers all agree Vaikobi's Rashies offer a 5-star performance! Kite boarders, sailors, paddlers and surfers all agree... Vaikobi's UPF50+ Rashies offer a 5-star performance! Posted on 23 Oct
Hyde Sails One Design Sale 2025Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeArmstrong 728x90 - Performance Mast Range - BOTTOM