TF35 fleet set for the 87th Bol d'Or du Léman
by TF35 Trophy 5 Jun 02:38 PDT
Bol d'Or du Léman © Loris Von Siebenthal
This Saturday the TF35 fleet will take part in Switzerland's most historic yacht race, the Bol d'Or du Léman. A 123-kilometre course from the start line at the Société Nautique de Genève to Le Bouveret and back, the 87th edition of the race will see the TF35s lining up alongside 391 yachts and nearly 2,500 sailors.
Notorious for turning glassy and leaving hundreds of boats drifting on its motionless waters, Lake Geneva looks set to offer more favourable conditions this weekend. A south-westerly breeze is expected to establish itself across both the Petit-Lac and Grand-Lac on Saturday, potentially delivering a faster race than many competitors have experienced in recent years.
A more challenging section is anticipated in the Haut-Lac, the easternmost basin of Lake Geneva, where the breeze may soften before potentially allowing a flying return to Geneva for the TF35 fleet.
Yann Guichard, helmsman and skipper of Sails of Change 8, explains: "In major races and in light winds, you often see the leaders come to a standstill, as happened during the Genève-Rolle race. People also say you must not miss the last transition, but you never really know where it will occur. The important thing is to stay in touch with the competition. I think that has always been the key. The Bol d'Or races we have won were built on that principle: never take a radical option and always stay close to the others. Everything will depend on the conditions."
Last year, the Bol d'Or du Léman, the largest lake regatta in the world, took more than 15 hours to complete as the leading teams battled through exceptionally light winds. For the TF35 fleet, the added complication of such a long race on a lake renowned for rapidly changing conditions is that key decisions on foil configuration and sail selection must be made before the start.
"What is unique about this boat is that just a few minutes of foiling can provide a considerable advantage over conventional displacement boats," Guichard continues. "So there is virtually no hesitation about starting with foils. And besides, it's more enjoyable. We have a flying boat, so we want to race the Bol d'Or flying."
Since the launch of the championship in 2021, three teams have added their names to the TF35 Bol d'Or du Léman record books: Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier in 2021, Sails of Change 8 in 2024, and Realteam Spirit in 2025. However, with the depth of talent across the fleet, every team will arrive believing it has a chance of victory.
Among them is Ylliam 17, fresh from victory in last weekend's Genève-Rolle-Genève.
"We had a very good preparation and were still sailing this Thursday in excellent conditions," said helmsman and skipper Julien Firmenich. "We prepared for what should be a relatively fast race, with south-westerly winds and several transitions. We have kept our options fairly open regarding sail selection, foils and crew composition, so we still have quite a few possibilities. We are now waiting for the latest forecasts before making our final decisions. We can't wait to get started."
For spectators, the Bol d'Or Village will open to the public from noon on Friday at the Société Nautique de Genève and remain accessible until Sunday evening. Visitors will be able to follow the action live on the giant screen throughout the weekend.
The TF35 fleet can also be followed via the championship's live tracking system on the official website and across the class's Facebook and Instagram channels.