Geneva Grand Prix

Three days to decide a title: Geneva Grand Prix closes the TF35 season

Geneva harbour, the Jet d'Eau as backdrop, flying catamarans touching 25 knots right off the start line. From 2 to 4 October 2026, the Geneva Grand Prix hosts the final act of the TF35 season — when the overall standings are frozen and there's no room left for regrets.

From D35 to TF35: a reinvented legacy

For sixteen years, the D35 class ruled Lake Geneva, forging generations of sailors in the art of tactical positioning at water level. Then foiling changed everything. Popularised by the America's Cup, foil-borne flight demanded a complete fleet redesign.

The TF35, launched in 2020, takes off at just 7 knots upwind and 9 knots downwind. Racing is no longer played out on a flat plane: it now includes a vertical dimension, constant flight stability management, and speeds that can triple the true wind velocity. The Geneva Grand Prix is its most demanding proving ground.

An urban arena like no other

The venue

Competition unfolds on the Petit Lac and Geneva harbour. A stretch of water hemmed in by the city on one side, the Jura mountains on the other — site effects are pronounced, gusts unpredictable, shifts violent.

Course format

Races run on windward/leeward "banana" courses, a format that multiplies manoeuvres, explosive starts and side-by-side duels. Boats capable of reaching three times wind speed make every crossing spectacular.

Accessible spectacle

Few major sailing events let the public see everything from the shore. In Geneva, the catamarans fly just a few hundred metres from the waterfront. No binoculars needed.

A rulebook built for consistency

The TF35 Trophy doesn't reward isolated brilliance. It crushes inconsistency.

• Up to 3 races per day, totalling 9 potential races over the weekend
• Low Point scoring: 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points… one discard possible after a certain number of completed races
• Wind window: starts between roughly 5 and 25 knots — the TF35's design, engineered for early take-off, minimises lay days
• Reaching or upwind starts, split-second timing, line crossed at full speed

One breakdown, one missed start, one botched gybe late in the weekend: the podium flips. In the season finale, equipment fatigue weighs as heavily as crew fatigue in every decision.

The contenders: who can win?

Sails of Change 8 — Yann Guichard

The team to beat. Winner of the 2025 TF35 Trophy with rare authority — four event victories including the Bol d'Or Mirabaud — the crew of Yann Guichard and Dona Bertarelli are targeting the double. Their trademark: metronomic consistency, from light airs to muscular Bise.

Realteam Sailing

The historic rival. The Swiss team knows the lake inside out, capable of race-by-race brilliance. Always at the sharp end when the standings tighten.

Sails of Change 10 — Duncan Späth

The young guard's ascent. Third overall in 2025, this crew has shown meteoric progression. A credible spoiler for event victory.

The outsiders

• Ylliam, on the 2025 Bol d'Or podium
• Zen Too, winner of the 2025 Mailly GP
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing, armed with America's Cup experience but seeking a final podium after a frustrating 2025 season

October on Lake Geneva: the unknown factor

Racing in Geneva in early October means embracing uncertainty. Climate data sketch a paradox: the lake can remain glass-flat for hours or transform into a battleground in minutes.

• Average wind around 5-6 knots (~10 km/h) — the lower limit for foiling. Some races could be sailed in displacement mode, hulls in the water, where pure tactics reclaim their rights
• ~45% of the time delivers 5 to 10 knots, ideal for tight, technical racing
• Only ~10% of the time above 15 knots

But when the Bise rises — that north-easterly funnelled between the Jura and the Alps — the Venturi effect on the Petit Lac drives gusts between 15 and 25 knots, accompanied by short, steep chop, nightmare territory for foiler appendages. Knowing how to perform in light air will likely be the key. Knowing how to survive the Bise, the decisive bonus.

What's at stake beyond the finish line

The championship finale. Last stop on the TF35 calendar, the Geneva Grand Prix distributes the final points. If the gap between the top two remains tight — a recurring scenario between Sails of Change and Realteam — every tack, every side-of-the-course choice will weigh on the title.

A showcase for the class. Closing the season in front of the Jet d'Eau gives partners and the general public proof that Lake Geneva foiling delivers on its promises: spectacle, reliability, intensity.

The 2027 laboratory. For teams out of title contention, this Grand Prix already serves as a test bench — new crew configurations, untried settings, calculated risks before the off-season.

Find the complete TF35 season calendar on spencer.club.