Geneve-Rolle-Geneve

The Grand Prologue on Lake Geneva Looms

May 30, 2026, 1:30 PM, off the Tour Carrée in Cologny. Six foiling catamarans will charge off the line for one of the most anticipated fixtures of the Lake Geneva season. The Genève-Rolle-Genève, dress rehearsal for the Bol d'Or Mirabaud, will once again play its role as the ultimate litmus test. More than 200 boats are expected on the starting line. Safe to say, the pecking order for the season could well take shape during this 45-kilometre sprint out and back.

A Classic Since 1964

Founded over sixty years ago and organised by the Yacht Club de Genève, the race has seen only one major cancellation—in 2020, courtesy of the pandemic. That consistency speaks volumes about its place in Lake Geneva's sailing culture.

For the top teams, the stakes go beyond a simple result: this is where you validate technical choices, gauge crew cohesion, and sharpen reflexes ahead of June's main event. The start off Cologny, with spectators packed along the quays and at the YCG Club House, remains one of the most striking tableaux on the calendar.

A Tactical Sprint in Tricky Waters

The course looks straightforward: Geneva → Rolle buoy → Geneva. Forty-five kilometres compressed into the "Petit Lac," where winds often prove fickle.

• Start: Yacht Club de Genève (Cologny)
• Turning buoy: Rolle
• Finish: Yacht Club de Genève

When the bise or thermal breeze cooperates, the flying multihulls of the TF35 class devour the distance in little over two hours. In 2025, the crew of Ylliam 17 hit hard with a winning time of 2h 22min 19s—just three minutes shy of the course record.

TF35s: Formula Ones of the Lakes

Launched in 2021, the TF35s have reached a technical maturity that turns every regatta into a spectacle. Thanks to a fully automated flight control system, these foiling catamarans lift off and maintain stable flight from just 7 knots of wind—about 13 km/h.

That capability changes the game, especially on Lake Geneva, where wind holes make and break the standings. By reducing the randomness of light conditions, the flight assistance system tightens the gaps and refocuses competition on precision tuning and tactical judgment. The transition between displacement mode and flight mode becomes one of the race's decisive moments.

The Contenders

Six top-tier teams will contest victory. Passionate owners and seasoned professionals share identical hulls.

• Sails of Change 8 (SUI 8) — The team to beat. Yann Guichard and his unchanged crew arrive as defending champions after a 2024 campaign in which they swept everything: overall championship, Bol d'Or, Genève-Rolle. The stated goal: the double and total domination.

• ZEN Too (SUI 4) — The lurking challenger. Third in 2024, winner of the Geneva GP at season's end, Guy de Picciotto's team bolstered its electronics during the winter to close the gap with the leader.

• Ylliam 17 (SUI 17) — Confirmation required. Julien Firmenich and his tactician Guillaume Rol must prove their 2025 victory in this very race wasn't a one-off flash of brilliance.

• Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier — Consistency personified. Bertrand Demole banks on a crew that's been together since 2015 and a solid D35 pedigree to aim for the podium.

• Realteam and Sails of Change 10 round out this elite field, which makes the game wide open. As Bertrand Favre, the class director, puts it: "The game is now wide open and anything can happen."

Find the full Lake Geneva season calendar on spencer.club.

Three Storylines to Watch on May 30

The Psychological War Before the Bol d'Or

Winning the Genève-Rolle means staking your claim. For Sails of Change 8, a victory would confirm their dominance. For ZEN Too or Ylliam 17, it would be proof that the champion is beatable before June's main event.

Technical Reliability

At more than 30 knots in flight, the slightest failure costs dearly. This race is the final full-scale stress test to validate fine foil tuning and electronic systems.

Light Air Management

If the wind plays coy, the TF35s' ability to fly early—from 7 knots—will be decisive. The crews that best master the switch between floating and flying will seize a crucial advantage in the Petit Lac's transition zones.

See you on May 30, 2026 on the Cologny waterfront to witness this high-flying nautical ballet. Compare the competing boats and follow the results on spencer.club.