Sails of Change 8 wins the 2026 TF35 Trophy
by Sails of Change 4 Oct 11:44 PDT
2-4 October 2026
Sails of Change 8 concludes the 2026 TF35 Trophy season at the top of the overall standings, securing a third consecutive title after a championship that remained fiercely contested until the final event.
For Sails of Change 10, the season proved more challenging, with a seventh-place finish overall, but also a victory at the Nyon Grand Prix and valuable experience to build on for the future of the project.
Two crews, two different journeys, and the same commitment to the TF35 circuit.
Sails of Change 8: a third consecutive title after a thrilling season finale
Winning a championship is one thing. Maintaining that level season after season is another. In 2026, Sails of Change 8 once again demonstrated its ability to remain in contention for the title in an increasingly competitive TF35 fleet.
After finishing seventh at the opening Grand Prix of the season in Nyon, Yann Guichard's crew quickly turned things around by winning the Mies Grand Prix.
The team carried that momentum into the rest of the championship, notably securing third place among the TF35s at the Bol d'Or du Léman and finishing second at the Grand Prix du Mailly, where two race wins further underlined the crew's competitiveness.
The championship remained wide open heading into the final stages of the season. In Versoix, unstable weather conditions made racing particularly challenging, with Sails of Change 8 finishing fourth at the Grand Prix. The team retained the overall lead, but the title still had to be secured at the Geneva finale.
At the conclusion of the final event, Sails of Change 8 was crowned the overall winner of the 2026 TF35 Trophy. A third consecutive title that rewards the work of the entire team, its consistency and its ability to perform at the highest level in an increasingly competitive fleet.
"This was a particularly hard-fought season. The level across the class has risen again and, over the seven events, five different teams won a Grand Prix. No team truly dominated, and the championship went all the way down to the final race. After a difficult start, we managed to regroup and fight our way back into title contention. We also welcomed two new crew members this year, Matthieu Ravussin et Billy Besson, and gradually built our cohesion as a team.
This victory is even more satisfying because it gives us our third consecutive championship title. We now want to come back next year and try to make it four in a row," said Yann Guichard, skipper of Sails of Change 8.
Sails of Change 10: building, learning and progressing
For Sails of Change 10, the 2026 season tells a different story: that of a crew continuing to develop and progress within the TF35 class under the leadership of Duncan Späth.
The opening event immediately set the tone. In Nyon, Sails of Change 10 claimed its first race win and went on to win the Grand Prix overall. It was a strong result that confirmed the crew's potential and immediately put the team in contention with the leading competitors on the circuit.
The rest of the season proved more demanding. Between changing weather conditions, analysing differences in boat speed and refining settings, each Grand Prix brought valuable lessons. The crew continued to work on improving consistency and turning flashes of strong performance into more regular results.
The Grand Prix du Mailly provided another highlight. After a difficult start to the event, Sails of Change 10 bounced back with two consecutive race wins. The performance reflected the progress made by Duncan Späth's team and its ability to learn and improve throughout each day of racing.
The result in Versoix was more challenging, but the weekend provided an opportunity to better understand the gaps to the other crews and identify new areas for improvement, an important step ahead of the Geneva finale.
At the end of the championship, Sails of Change 10 concluded the season in seventh place overall. Beyond the final ranking, the year provided valuable experience and allowed the team to continue developing the project, laying strong foundations to build on in the future.
"This season taught us a lot. After a great start with a victory at the first Grand Prix, we faced more difficulties during the second half of the season. We gradually improved our settings, our organisation and our communication on board. The level of the fleet is extremely high and leaves very little room for error. You have to be at the top of your game all the time, particularly in very light wind conditions. We still have a lot of work to do, but we'll be back next year determined to keep progressing," said Duncan Späth.
Two crews, one project and a story that continues
Behind the two boats, Sails of Change is built around a shared culture: a family project where sporting ambition goes hand in hand with a desire to share knowledge, progress together and pursue long-term performance.
The project is founded on strong human relationships, a shared commitment to sporting excellence and an environmental mission that extends beyond the competition itself. Having two crews on the circuit is also a powerful driver of progress, with each team pushing the other to raise its level while sharing the same identity.
For Dona Bertarelli, owner and co-founder of the project alongside Yann Guichard, the journeys of both crews are part of a collective adventure.
"This season was particularly difficult, with the level of competition continuing to rise. We are obviously extremely happy for Yann, Sails of Change 8 and the entire team to secure a third consecutive title. Having two boats on the circuit is also a real advantage: our two crews can train together, share their knowledge and progress side by side. Even though the season was more challenging for Sails of Change 10, this experience is part of their learning process. Yann's victory is also, in its own way, a collective victory. We're really looking forward to seeing what the coming seasons will bring," said Dona Bertarelli.
The 2026 season comes to a close with a third consecutive title for Sails of Change 8. The entire team looks forward to returning next year, ready to take on new challenges on the TF35 circuit.
2026 TF35 Trophy Podium:
- Sails of Change 8 (SUI 8)
- Realteam Spirit (SUI 7)
- ZEN Too (SUI 4)