TF35 Crans Grand Prix Day 1 - Opening day called off as wind fails to arrive

The TF35 Crans Grand Prix got off to a false start on Lake Geneva today, with racing cancelled due to a complete absence of wind.

Hopes had briefly lifted during the morning briefing when forecasts hinted at a south-westerly breeze developing over the Grand Lac. But heavy skies, steady rain, and flat water told a different story. By mid-afternoon, with no sign of improvement, the Race Committee officially called off the day's racing.

TF35 Crans Grand Prix opening day - photo © Loris Von Siebenthal

Competitors, hosted by the Club Nautique de Crans, were welcomed by club president Xavier Duparc: "We are very happy to see you again in Crans despite these autumnal conditions. We hope the wind will be with us this weekend."

Instead, the fleet's day was spent with card games, debriefs, and countless coffees before PRO Benoît Deutsch confirmed what many already suspected: "It's going to be a very difficult weekend. If we are lucky, there will be a little breeze tomorrow at the end of the day on the Grand Lac. We'll go hunting for wind, but today there's nothing to hunt."

Deutsch underlined the reasoning behind the decision: "The conditions are not right. The TF35 is a class where people want to have a good regatta, so we're waiting for the conditions to be optimal. And for that, we are dependent on nature."

Tomorrow's forecast looks more promising, with rain set to clear and sunshine returning. The skippers' briefing is scheduled for 10:00, followed by the first warning signal at 11:30.

TF35 Crans Grand Prix opening day - photo © Loris Von Siebenthal