TF35 Crans Grand Prix Day 2 - Sails of Change 8 sets the pace
by TF35 Trophy 27 Sep 2025 16:25 PDT
26-28 September 2025
Day two of the TF35 Crans Grand Prix opened under crisp autumn sunshine, with a glassy Lake Geneva holding the fleet ashore for most of the day. While sailors passed the time with lawn games at Club Nautique de Crans, the call finally came at 15:00 from PRO Benoît Deutsch as a soft 5-6 knot breeze settled in near Nyon.
In the opening race, competition was close at the committee end of the start line. Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier and X-Wing approached at speed on port, while Sails of Change 8 hooked in on starboard and quickly tacked away. The right-hand side of the course proved crucial on the first beat, putting Sails of Change 8 in control at the gate, chased closely by Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier and X-Wing. On the downwind, X-Wing split away and climbed into second place. As the breeze built to eight knots, enough to lift the TF35s onto their foils, the fleet compressed once more. The decision to go left on the second downwind proved to be costly for Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier and they slipped back, allowing Ylliam 17 and Sails of Change 10 to cross the finish line in third and fourth.
"When we got on the water there was more wind than expected", explained Adrien Mestres from Sails of Change 8. "We had two good races. The feeling onboard was easy, even though it was demanding in terms of strategy and tactics. We were able to seize the opportunities that were given and sail our own course. The crew remained focused and diligent and it was fun, especially with the battle against Ylliam XII right up to the finish line in the second race."
Race two was similar with Sails of Change 8 establishing an early lead by pushing out to the furthest right and remaining ahead to the finish line. Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier, having learned from its earlier mistake, stayed tight in cover to the leaders on the right and were able to hold on for a photo-finish in second place. Behind them, Zen Too found extra pace in the closing meters to snatch third from X-Wing, while Ylliam 17 claimed fifth and Sails of Change 10 finished close behind in sixth as the wind died for the day.
Tomorrow the teams will start earlier with a first warning at 10:30 to make the most of the north-easterly breeze that is forecast for the morning. "We will need to get up and get going quickly, probably in the cold if it is windy. We are not used to sailing early in the morning in the bise wind. After a week of light conditions, we will need to quickly find our bearings in strong winds to stay ahead of the fleet", Mestres adds.
Full results available here.