As tradition dictates, some 450 boats and several thousand sailors launched an assault around Lake Geneva, departing to the sound of the cannon firing at 10am on Saturday. For multihulls, the 82nd edition of the world's largest closed-basin regatta can be classified in the series of classic early summer Bol d'Ors, with light wind, thermal breezes and a lot of twists and turns! Nils Frei: "After a good start, we were vying for the lead at the head of the pack, before being overtaken by two D35s and an M2. Being in front is good. But in light and shifty wind conditions, it shows, when you come to a halt, those chasing you the areas with no wind. They then come back into contact, by being able to bypass this 'lull' that you have found yourselves in. "And then at one point comes the finish line, which yesterday was after 12:50 in the race for the TF35s. This is the last transition that you must not fail to nail. Some wind came in, we took off this time shortly after some boats and we finished 4th, 34 seconds behind Ylliam - Comptoir Immobilier, whom we congratulate, just like Zen Too and SailFever, who completed the podium." Miles ahead that melt like snow in the sun We counted six 'new starts', where M2s, D35s and TF35s were almost on a tied line of departure. Each time, the boats, once split, returned to contact, or even took the lead. At 2pm, Alinghi was up to 11km ahead of Realteam. A few hours later, the two boats were back level! Nils Frei: "As soon as the wind picked up a little, the TFs get on their foils, the gaps fill up or widen quickly, leaving little chance for the M2 and D35, kings of the light air. "The good news from this Bol is for the TF35 class, for whom this was a baptism of fire on the Bol d'Or. As we feared in this type of conditions, the M2 and D35 largely were the protagonists at the head of the race. At 13 hours for the leaders and with about 140km travelled, the average speed was around 6-7 knots. It's slow for the multis when the record for the event is 5:01:51. Despite this, the seven TF35s seized the first seven places. It is a success for this new class with complex but well-crafted specifications. "At our level, we will continue to develop techniques in light conditions and we will be delighted to run the Bol in a stronger wind!" Accept the random nature? Nils Frei: "The sport is really different from a grand prix type regatta and when you start a long race like the Bol, you have to accept this element of randomness, which becomes more of a factor. It is not easy to take in and there is no magic bullet in light air. You have to be in the right place at the right time and, above all, be on the right boat. We have the feeling of having sailed well. If we had to repeat the race, we wouldn't change much. We had a great speed and we started again well after each 'new start', but at the end, as fast as it was unpredictable, we missed a chance." When the wind finally picked up, six TF35s were sprinting at 25 knots in the pitch black on approach to Geneva, escorted by dozens of motorboats with all lights blazing. The first four TF35s arrived in the space of 34 seconds, the next two crossing the finish line at the Société Nautique de Genève a minute later. In the provisional general classification of the TF35 Trophy, Realteam takes the lead, one point ahead of Alinghi. Spindrift is 3rd before the summer break and the two final rounds, which will be held in Scarlino. Note that the rules of the classification of the season allow for the withdrawal of the worst score: Realteam played its 'joker' by finishing 7th in the event that combined the two long races (Geneva-Rolle-Geneva and Bol d'Or). There is no doubt that the battle will be intense to win the very first TF35 Trophy awarded in Italy in September. Until then, the team will continue to its second annual regatta circuit and will soon be flying to Lagos, southern Portugal, before the first stage of the GC32 Racing Tour from July 1st to the 4th. Extracts from the rankings of the 82nd Bol d'Or Mirabaud: 1st - TF35 Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier: 12h49'27 2nd - TF35 Zen Too: 12h49'46 3rd - TF35 SailFever: 12h49'52 4th - TF35 Alinghi: 12h50'01 5th - TF35 Realteam: 12h51'15 ... 8th and the 1st D35 - Emil One: 13h04'07 9th and the 1st M2 - Degroof Petercam: 13h06'34 .... 17th and 1st monohull (Bol de Vermeil) - Raffica: 14h06'23 Click here for the ranking including all boats. Extracts from the provisional general classification of the TF35 Trophy after five events (NB: from four validated events, the worst score is removed / The results of the two long races add up to form only one event): 1st - Realteam: 4 points 2nd - Alinghi: 5 points 3rd - Spindrift: 10 points 4th - Ylliam XII: 11 points 5th - Zoulou: 11 points Click here for the full classification. To find out more tf35.org  //  boldormirabaud.ch To learn more about the race monitoring system, the team composition and the TF35 Trophy in general, a summary of the event is here. #GoAlinghiGo  //  #TF35Trophy  //  #BOM21 Credit for photos © Loris von Siebenthal, Gilles Martin-Raget and jeanmiphotographies

We could have summed up Alinghi's last three days in a short sentence: two events in one weekend, two second places. But such a review would be incomplete without detailing the very first long classic race involving the TF35s (and won by a TF35) and the wild scenes produced shortly after the start of the Genève-Rolle-Genève. It would also be remiss not to mention the remarkable performance of Arnaud Psarofaghis, who took part as interim skipper of the New Zealand team engaged on the international SailGP circuit. After only a few hours of getting to grips with the 50-foot foiler, our co-skipper made a promising start in Italy and led their team to the gates of the final. But first, let's come back to Switzerland with Yves Detrey for the 3rd grand prix of the season, run over two days because of the Genève-Rolle on Saturday: "After taking the advantage in the five races on Friday, we are a little disappointed with our performance this Sunday. The wind was not as forecast and only allowed for two races, where we keep making mistakes. "Finishing 2nd in a grand prix is not the result we are aiming for, but day after day the general level of the fleet is rising. There are very good sailors on board each boat, who know how to take advantage of sailing alongside Realteam and us, who had a small lead. One thing is certain: it will be tough until the end of the season." Realteam wins this stage, Zoulou takes 3rd place. Florian Trüb: "It's great to be on board the TF35 in competition. We did our best in this new configuration without Arnaud. The conditions were not easy, especially on Saturday during the long race with small clouds of rain randomly bringing wind from the right and left. Anyway, it's good to be back on a foiler!" He continues about the "cold sweats" episode: "Just after the start of the Genève-Rolle, we suffered a big gust that surprised us with its strength. At that precise moment, there were four of us in the middle of the boat to furl the gennaker. We quickly climbed the nets to counterbalance! It was hot and we narrowly avoided capsizing the boat." Photo and video report on our social networks... Bryan Mettraux continues, talking about the key moments in this 56th Genève-Rolle-Genève: "We waited quite a bit for the expected wind, especially on the outward journey. There wasn't much of a gap at the beginning. With the wind coming in from behind, the TF35, D35 and M2 were fairly aligned. "We rounded Rolle's mark in 2nd position, 20 seconds behind Realteam. At the end of Rolle, we sailed really well and we took the lead. Then it became impossible for us to control all our competitors, and the width of the lake gives the teams many options! Ylliam and Zoulou (even though Zoulou were last at the Rolle mark) passed us by. We regained ground over the last two miles and we managed to gain a place to finish 2nd. Obviously, we would have preferred to win, but we are happy with this result and the way the boat behaved against the D35 in light winds." Zoulou, led by Erik Maris, signs for a nice victory, Spindrift completes the podium, while Realteam, our direct competitor, finished 6th. Note that the rankings of the two major races (Genève-Rolle and the Bol d'Or) will be added together to count as a single race. The result at the Bol d'Or will act as a decider in the event of a tie. We will therefore have to wait another week for the announcement of the provisional general classification for the first part of the season. See you at 10am on Saturday June 12 for the start of the 82nd Bol d'or Mirabaud! Podium for the Grand Prix de Mies after seven races (the worst score being removed from four races validated): 1st - Realteam: 11 points 2nd - Alinghi: 14 points 3rd - Zoulou: 17 points Click here for all the rankings Podium for the Genève-Rolle-Genève 1st - Zoulou: 3:27:33 2nd - Alinghi: 3:29:51 3rd - Spindrift: 3:30:47 Click here for the ranking including all boats To find out more tf35.org  //  ycg.ch/grg To learn more about the race monitoring system, the team composition and the TF35 Trophy in general, a summary of the event is here. #GoAlinghiGo  //  #TF35Trophy  //  #GRG21 Credit for photos © Loris von Siebenthal, JeanMiPhotographies and Seb Aubord

Nils Frei: "These seven races of the season's second TF35 Grand Prix were interesting because provide a balance to those run two weeks ago. We had more wind, more situations where the boats were close, "hot" decisions that had to be made. Sometimes everything went well, but we also made mistakes that we need to analyse for the future. We are a little disappointed with some errors that could have been avoided, but this is only the second time that we have all come together in competition and the other teams are pushing hard." Nicolas Charbonnier: "In these conditions, with wind above 15 knots and most races foiling in the air from start to finish, the whole fleet still has a lot to learn, even if some are already doing manoeuvres without putting their hulls in the water. Our second place can be explained by a few mistakes here and there, but also by the fact that Realteam sailed well. They deserve this victory and we will continue to work!" Bryan Mettraux: "We continued to learn more during this rather windy weekend. We had difficulty sometimes finding stability downwind, but we will work on this point in training. "In just under three weeks, we'll be running two events in three days: a Grand Prix interspersed with the Genève-Rolle-Genève on Saturday. But in terms of approach, we will separate these two events because the modes of sailing will be very different. On a long-distance race, you have to succeed in making the boat go quickly on a given heading, and depending on the weather and the angle to the wind, choose to make it foil or keep it in the water, for example. In any case, we are delighted to enter our TF35 in this first Lake Geneva classic." The team would like to thank the Société Nautique de Nyon and its volunteers, in collaboration with the TF35 class and the authorities, for making this event possible, while respecting public health rules. Join the seven TF35 Trophy teams from June 4 to 6 for the Grand Prix de Mies (Friday and Sunday) and the Genève-Rolle-Genève (Saturday). Classification of the Grand Prix de Nyon after seven races (the worst score being removed after four races validated): 1st - Realteam: 8 points 2nd - Alinghi: 10 points 3rd - Spindrift: 17 points Click here for the full results. Click here to watch the races in 2D thanks to the GPS tracker placed on board each boat. To find out more tf35.org To learn more about the race monitoring system, the team composition and the TF35 Trophy in general, a summary of the event is here. #GoAlinghiGo  //  #TF35Trophy Credit for photos © Loris von Siebenthal

A recap // What: The very first championship for the one-design, multihull foiling TF35s, which follows the format of the Décision 35 competition, but this time with the added dimension of flight over water. All the further info is here. Who: Seven teams made up of six team members (total team weight limited to 500kg) Where: Lake Geneva (Switzerland) for the first five events of the season, then to Scarlino (Italy) for the finale. When: From April to September, the 2021 TF35 Trophy will include seven events: five Grand Prix and two Lake Geneva classics (the Genève-Rolle-Genève and the Bol d'Or Mirabaud). Click here for the calendar How: During the Grand Prix, the teams compete during three days in successive races of about twenty-minute duration and which are sailed around buoys. During the Lake Geneva classics, a coastal course is completed with a start from Geneva, a mark to be rounded (in Rolle or Le Bouveret at the end of the lake) and then a return to the finish line in Geneva. Follow the action There are a number of ways to follow the team: On Twitter @alinghi > Publication of results and assorted photos and videos On Facebook @alinghi and Instagram @alinghi > Interviews, videos & photos On our homepage alinghi.com > News and photos Race monitoring, live or replay > A tracking system will be onboard each TF35 during regattas. Access the 2D mapping via: the TF35 Trophy website, the TracTrac website, or the free app on your smartphone (click here if you have an iPhone, or here if you have an Android) Team for the TF35 (SUI 100) Helmsman / skipper: Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI) Tactician: Nicolas Charbonnier (FRA) Mainsail traveller: Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) Mainsail trimmer: Bryan Mettraux (SUI) Headsail trimmer: Nils Frei (SUI) Bowman: Yves Detrey (SUI) Spare crew: Florian Trüb (SUI) Shore crew João Cabeçadas (POR) David Niklès (SUI) Team Director Pierre-Yves Jorand (SUI) To find out more tf35.org Hashtags for the events #GoAlinghiGo // #tf35trophy // #tf35 Credit for Photos © Loris von Siebenthal

Following the recent guidance from the Conseil Fédéral and the new directives from Swiss Sailing, the resumption of training on Lake Geneva is now possible, in compliance with health rules. These last months have defied us all and we will continue to face these challenges together in the coming times so that a restart is favourable across all aspects. On our side, we are delighted to be able to return to our sport and our passion again, and do so with a feeling of great gratitude to all the people who have worked and are still working to manage and lessen the effects of this pandemic. Pierre-Yves Jorand, team director: “Our 2020 season will partly resume with the launch of our TF35, and partly be postponed, since we have decided, in agreement with our partners, OMEGA and PELLE P, not to participate in the GC32 Racing Tour this year. “Later in the year, we will re-examine the return of our GC32 to competition from 2021, hoping to defend our titles in the World Championship and the annual Racing Tour. Indeed, with the GC32 class having decided to postpone the majority of the planned programme (only two independent events will be offered at the end of August and in mid-October), these titles will not be in play this year." Regarding the TF35, the Alinghi team is hard at work to finalise the preparation of its brand-new boat, picking-up where it left off in early March. To learn more about the TF35, click here. Nils Frei, team member and coach: “We are happy to be able to resume our activities on the water and as a team. We are eager to proceed with the very first launch of our foiler and to get started sailing. A good list of tests in all conditions awaits us in order to continue the development of our boat on Lake Geneva. As with the launch of any technological racing machine, we will proceed in stages and wait until we have validated the boat completely before going out in a sustained way. “Even if, to date, no regatta is planned and trips outside Switzerland are suspended for this season, our motivation remains very real and I can say with some certainty that all of us are impatient to return to the water." We look forward to sharing with you over on our social media channels the foiling sessions of our new machine (registered "SUI 100 / VD64") and in the meantime hope that you can continue to take great care of yourself and your loved ones.