With this season’s penultimate Grand Prix having just drawn to a close, there is still everything to play to secure victory in the 2024 TF35 championship.
The two Sails of Change crews were back out on Lake Geneva over the weekend for the resumption of the sports season with the Grand Prix Les Voiles de Choisi.
After two days of training, the crews of Yann Guichard – Noé Delpech, François Morvan, Bruno Mourniac, Adrien Mestre and Solune Robert – and Duncan Späth – Yann Jauvin, Xavier Revil, Pieter Tack, Jules Bidegaray and Thibault Julien – got down to action in some changeable weather conditions.
Following the three-day Grand Prix, there were mixed results for everyone with four starts given on Friday in a shifty breeze, no racing on Saturday and only one race on Sunday. Sails of Change 8 finished second, tied on points in the season’s overall ranking with their direct rival Realteam, whilst Sails of Change 10 ranked sixth (in the Grand Prix and in the provisional ranking).
The two TF35 Sails of Change had the bit between their teeth as they tackled part two of this racing season.
Before heading out onto the water on Friday morning, Noé Delpech (tactician – Sails of Change 8) explained what was on the programme: “Rather light airs are forecast throughout the weekend, but we’re hoping for a bit of breeze. We’re leading the championship and we enjoyed an excellent opening match this season so let’s hope it lasts! We’re putting everything in place to ensure it goes smoothly and to make some in-roads into the minor points we need to work on. I think that the whole team is bang on track and we’re feeling pretty optimistic about this season’s second match.”
At the end of the first day, Yann Jauvin (tactician aboard Sails of Change 10) summed up their performance as they rejoined the fray: “We found it difficult to get back into the swing of things at the start, but we finished the day with a great two-way sprint. We got into our rhythm in the end so we hope to continue in that vein going forward.”
As the Grand Prix drew to a close on Sunday, Duncan Späth (skipper, Sails of Change 10), gave his feedback: “Returning to the racetrack after a summer break is always a challenge but we’re very pleased to be back and to come together again. We still have a lot to learn but we’re really looking forward to the last Grand Prix of the season in Geneva in a few weeks’ time.”
Yann Guichard (skipper, Sails of Change 8) gives his analysis: “It was an excellent Grand Prix, which saw us finish second. The season will be decided in the final clash in 3 weeks’ time. The crew that finishes in first place will win the championship, which is pretty exciting. It won’t be easy because the Realteam crew showed that they were a cut above us as we resumed play here. As such, it’s down to us to work on erasing our errors as much as possible, being competitive and approaching the final clash with our hearts set on victory if we are to stand of chance of winning this championship.”
When Yann Guichard is asked to sum up the past season, he responds instantly: “Even if the season were to end here and we finished second, that would be a success. We won the Bol d’Or Mirabaud and the Genève – Rolle – Genève, the season’s two long-distance events, and we’re on the pace in the ranking. I think we’d have signed on the dotted line to achieve these results at the start of the season. We’re in it to win it now for this championship, so we’re going to try to give our all. It won’t be easy but the whole team believes we can do it and we’re making good speed. It’s still a regatta at the end of the day so we’ll take it one race at a time.”
The denouement for this 2024 sports season is due to play out from 20 to 22 September!
