TF35 Mies Grand Prix Day 1: A perfect day for Sails of Change 8
by TF35 Trophy 29 May 12:06 PDT
29-31 May 2026
Sails of Change 8 delivered a near-flawless performance on the opening day of the TF35 Mies Grand Prix on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, winning all five races in a commanding display of consistency.
Their strategy was straightforward: start cleanly and own the right-hand side of the course. It proved untouchable.
"It was incredibly intense, but we sailed really well," explained skipper Yann Guichard. "You get days like that sometimes, where everything just falls into place from the first race to the last. The starts were extremely tight and that proved crucial, because the right-hand side of the course was almost impossible to avoid. Each time, we managed to be the first boat onto the right-hand side after starting on port tack, and I think that helped us enormously. After that, the boat had great pace and, tactically, Noé made all the right calls. In the end, it was an almost perfect day. A fantastic day for us."
Behind them, Bertrand Demole's Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier sits second overall after posting an impressive string of second and third-place finishes. Having missed the opening event of the season due to his son's graduation, Demole was clearly delighted to be back on the circuit.
"Beautiful day and beautiful conditions - it was like Hawaii," he said. "Great wind, warm weather, sunshine. The team worked hard today and we were consistently at the front of the fleet. We're very happy with the speed of the boat and with the manoeuvres, so we just need to do the same again tomorrow."
One of the standout moments of the day came in race three from X-Wing. Who matched Sails of Change 8 off the line and heading right on the opening beat, stayed within striking distance at the first windward gate, although Sails of Change 8 extended slightly downwind.
On the second beat, X-Wing rolled the dice, splitting away to the left-hand side alone. The move paid off and they rounded the final windward mark in the lead, only to lose out by metres on the finish line after a dramatic final run.
Elsewhere across the fleet, consistency proved elusive as every team struggled at times with deep results on their scorecards.
In third overall, Zen Too showed growing confidence and pace as the day progressed. Mainsail trimmer Devan Le Bihan said: "We sailed better and better as the day went on. In the first race, we still weren't completely dialled in, even if the result didn't necessarily show it because we finished second. But on board, it was a bit chaotic during the manoeuvres. Then, race after race, we started to feel comfortable, so we're improving, and that's very encouraging.
"Today, it was absolutely crucial to get a strong start and fight for the right-hand side of the course. In that respect, Sails of Change 8 were extremely strong, so credit to them. After that, once you're in the fleet, nobody gives anything away, which makes the racing particularly exciting. In those conditions, it's a fantastic contest and enormous fun."
Sails of Change 10 lies fourth overall after breaking into the leading pack in races two and four, scoring third place in both, although a seventh in the opening race hurt their overall tally.
Realteam Spirit ends the day fifth, their best result a third place in the final race, while X-Wing sits sixth after their near-win. Ylliam 17 opened strongly with a fourth place finish but struggled to maintain consistency across the remainder of the day.
Tomorrow the fleet switches from short-course windward-leeward racing to long-distance mode for the Genève-Rolle-Genève. Organised by the Yacht Club de Genève, the Lake Geneva classic is widely regarded as the traditional curtain-raiser to the Bol d'Or, which follows next weekend.
More than 200 boats are expected on the start line, with the starting cannon due to fire at 1:30pm off the Tour Carrée. Follow the race live at www.tf35.org