Nyon Grand Prix

Three days to kick off the season: Nyon hosts the opening act of the TF35 Trophy

The foils are about to heat up off the quays of Nyon. From 15 to 17 May 2026, the Société Nautique de Nyon hosts the official start of the TF35 Trophy with at least seven flying catamarans on the starting line. First appointment of the season, first points on the board—and zero margin for error.

After months of winter preparation and training sessions launched in April, the crews get down to business. The Grand Prix format leaves no room for warm-up: roughly 15% of the season's points are up for grabs this weekend. Every race counts, every botched start hits hard in the overall standings.

Nyon, open-air sailing stadium

Since the launch of the TF35 circuit in 2021, Nyon has carved out a prime spot on the calendar. The medieval Vaudois town offers technically challenging waters, shaped by capricious thermals that reward fine condition reading as much as pure speed.

The venue has a rare asset for racing of this calibre: proximity to shore. The races unfold offshore from the town, visible from the clubhouse restaurant and the surroundings of the Musée du Léman. The lake transforms into a natural amphitheatre, with the TF35s flying just a few hundred metres from spectators gathered on the quays.

Weekend programme

• Friday 15 May — First warning signals, racing begins
• Saturday 16 May — Full day of racing (weather permitting)
• Sunday 17 May — Final races and prize-giving

Short courses, maximum intensity

Forget long-distance passages. The Nyon Grand Prix is sailed on windward-leeward courses, designed for spectacle and direct confrontation.

• Race duration: between 20 and 30 minutes
• Race committee objective: 4 to 6 races per day if the wind cooperates
• Starts: reaching or upwind, to allow boats to get up on foils quickly

Scoring follows the classic low-point system—the winner scores 1 point, second place 2, and so forth. A "discard" race can be dropped from the total after a certain number of completed races, offering a safety net in case of gear failure or an isolated bad start.

Seven teams, a pecking order to (re)build

The fleet mixes seasoned outfits with fresh blood. The 2025 edition crowned Ylliam 17 winner in Nyon with two race wins and a total of 10 points—a masterclass that makes them the marked boat for the entire fleet.

Teams to watch

• Ylliam 17 — Defending champion, logical favourite. Their dominance on Nyon waters in 2025 weighs on everyone's minds.
• Realteam Spirit — Founding team of the circuit, formidably consistent season after season.
• Sails of Change 8 & 10 — The stable fields two boats. Aboard no. 10, Yann Jauvin and newcomer Julien d'Ortoli bring additional tactical firepower.
• X-WING — The 2026 rookie. Led by Marco Favale, the crew includes Nicolas Charbonnier, Manu Dyen and Lucien Cujean—experience and talent in spades to shake up the established order right from the first race.
• ZEN Too — Outsider capable of flashes of brilliance, circuit regular.
• Ylliam XII - Comptoir Immobilier — The other Ylliam outfit, regularly positioned near the top of the leaderboard.

X-WING's arrival has everyone's attention. With such a reservoir of experience on board, the team has what it takes to immediately challenge for the podium. First indication on Friday 15 May.

Three stakes weighing on the weekend

The points race from the first leg

The 2026 TF35 Trophy calendar spans several major events—Mies Grand Prix, Genève-Rolle-Genève, Bol d'Or and others. Nyon opens proceedings. Taking the lead here means building a cushion before the long-distance races, structurally more unpredictable.

The technical crash test

Winter was spent developing, modifying, optimizing. Nyon is the first full-scale test bench. Teams that got their technical choices right will pull away; others will have to correct course mid-season.

The psychological battle

Beating Ylliam 17 on home turf—on the waters they dominated in 2025—would send a powerful signal to the entire fleet. The defending champion knows it, and will race with the pressure of wearing the favourite's bib.

Find the complete TF35 Trophy calendar on spencer.club.

The Aeolus factor: uncontrollable variable

May on Lake Geneva rhymes with weather uncertainty. The TF35s need roughly 7 to 9 knots to get up on foils. Below that threshold, the hulls drop back into the water—Archimedean-mode sailing, radically different tactics, transformed spectacle.

Recent history offers a blunt reminder: in 2024 and 2025, certain race days were shortened or outright cancelled for lack of stable wind. Crews must therefore capitalize on every completed race. The full programme is never guaranteed, and that's precisely what makes each raced heat even more precious in the standings.

Ashore and online: following the event

For those heading to Nyon, the quays and clubhouse offer prime vantage points over the entire course. The TF35 Trophy also provides digital coverage via its social channels—Facebook, Instagram, YouTube—with results and highlights broadcast in near real-time. A dedicated team area and hospitality spaces complete the setup for partners.

The "dragonflies" of Lake Geneva launch on 15 May. Seven teams, three days, and an entire season taking shape from the first leg.