After a summer break since late June, the 2023 season for the TF35 high-performance one-design foiling catamaran resumes next week with the first of two events hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine on the beautiful shores of Lake Garda, Italy, from 31 August – 1 September.
A revered venue for all high-performance yachts, Lake Garda, is one of the world’s best venues for high-speed foiling catamaran action, offering the opportunity to sail in perfect 15-20 knots – flat water, ideal for exhilarating TF35 competition against the spectacular mountainous backdrop.
Points-wise, the 2023 season has been dominated by Realteam Sailing, led by helmsman Jérôme Clerc, who have taken all four regatta victories so far. However, the reality on the water is much closer, with all the teams now capable of regularly posting top-three results during races and with just five points separating the top three teams in the overall rankings at this halfway stage of the season.
While Yann Guichard’s Spindrift performed well in Malcesine last year, at present, a nose ahead in terms of TF35 recent form is Bertrand Demole’s Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier. Demole’s team placed third in the season opener on Lake Geneva in early May, took second at both the Realsone Cup for Leman Hope and the TF35 Nyon Cup and cumulatively finished third place in the TF35 long-distance races after winning the Geneve-Rolle-Geneve.
Of the chasing fleet, Alinghi Red Bull Racing are five points off the podium in fourth with an all-new youth crew headed up this season by the talented Nathalie Brugger, who is currently through to the final round of qualifiers for the Alinghi Red Bull Racing team’s Women’s America’s Cup.
With a tie just a point behind Alinghi is new team Ylliam 17 helmed by Julien Firmenich, who is supported by an all-star international crew featuring tactician Australian Match Racing champion Torvar Mirsky, and Guy de Picciotto’s ZEN Too, who had an excellent event two this season, posting three podium finishes out of a possible five and securing fourth place overall at the Realstone Cup for Leman Hope.
To find out more about the current standings and the upcoming TF35 Malcesine Cup visit www.tf35.org
TF35 TROPHY OVERALL RANKING 2023
(After 5 events with 1 discard)
- Realteam Sailing – 1 1 1 1 – 3
- Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier – 3 2 3 2 – 7
- Spindrift – 2 3 4 3 – 8
- Alinghi Red Bull Racing – 4 5 5 4 – 13
- Ylliam 17 – 6 6 2 6 – 14
- ZEN Too – 5 4 6 5 – 14
Photo credit: © Loris Von Siebenthal
About the TF35 boat
Compared to its predecessors, the TF35 has been designed with the ambitious brief to offer top-level foiling to a wider audience of sailors. With earlier take-off speeds, guaranteed foiling upwind and downwind and a fully automatic flight control system. The TF35 uses the latest in foiling technology, both to improve performance and simplify high-speed foiling while making it easier to race.
www.TF35.org
