TF35 TROPHY

A WEEKEND WITH A DOUBLE CHALLENGE: THE MIES GRAND PRIX AND THE GENEVA-ROLLE-GENEVA

The TF35 Trophy resumes this weekend with the second stage of the season: the Grand Prix of Mies on May 29th and 31st. Also on the program is the first long-distance race of the year, the Geneva-Rolle-Geneva, which will take place on Saturday, May 30th.

This weekend is always particularly intense for the TF35 crews, who will have to alternate between windward-leeward regattas and a long-distance race. Two boat configurations, two very distinct approaches and competition rhythms, requiring significant preparation and analysis beforehand. After a winter start to the season in Nyon, the conditions in Mies will be summery with temperatures around 30°C throughout the weekend. As for the wind, a northerly breeze is expected on Friday before lighter conditions on Saturday, followed by a risk of thunderstorms on Sunday. Quite a program!

The TF35s will first meet on May 29th and 31st to compete in the Mies Grand Prix, organized by Nautic Concept at the Mies shipyard, with the support of the Versoix Nautical Club. In 2025, Sails of Change 8 emerged victorious after a perfectly executed weekend. As we saw in Nyon, the cards have been reshuffled, making the 2026 title race particularly intense. The first possible start will be at 11:30 am on Friday and Sunday off the coast of Mies, with a maximum of five races scheduled per day.

“X-WING is a new team, but we already know each other very well. Sailing with Marco Favale is really enjoyable and motivating. He always wants to push himself further,” explains Lucien Cujean, X-WING grinder. “This year, we were among the first to launch the boat, so we’re really on the attack! There’s clearly a great team spirit to aim for podium finishes and, above all, to have fun in every regatta.”

The other major event of the weekend, counting as a leg of the Mies Grand Prix, is the Geneva-Rolle-Geneva race on Saturday, May 30th. Organized by the Geneva Yacht Club, this classic Lake Geneva race is often considered the prologue to the Bol d’Or du Léman, held the following weekend. More than 200 boats (213 registered to date) are expected on the starting line, with the starting gun firing at 1:30 pm in front of the Tour Carrée.

The 2025 edition was memorable, with Ylliam 17 winning in 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 19 seconds, just three minutes shy of the race record set in 1990 and only 26 seconds ahead of Sails of Change 8. This year, the scenario could be different. The predicted heat and light winds are expected to make things difficult for the crews. More than ever, tactical finesse and perfect management of transitions will be crucial to having any hope of victory.

Lucien Cujean continues: “We are fortunate to be able to easily plan our routes. If the estimated race time exceeds 6 to 8 hours, we will undoubtedly adapt the boat more to the light wind conditions. We will do a final weather update on Saturday morning, as well as a final routing of the Geneva-Rolle-Geneva route to make the right choices.”

Since the launch of the championship in 2021, the Geneva-Rolle-Geneva has crowned five different winners: Zoulou in 2021, Alinghi Red Bull Racing in 2022, Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier in 2023, Sails of Change 8 in 2024 and Ylliam 17 in 2025. This diversity perfectly illustrates the intensity of the competition within the TF35 fleet, where victory is often decided in the final meters.

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