The fifth stage of the TF35 Trophy took place from September 8 to 11 in Malcesine on Lake Garda, Italy. A series of small issues throughout the event did not make it easy for Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier, which finished 6th in the event.
Transported in its container after being disassembled in August, the TF35 Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier was reassembled in Malcesine by the crew and the preparer in early September.
The operation is delicate, and during the assembly, Germain Gauthier injured his hand, which required a few stitches that prevented him from sailing. As he was already a replacement for Matthieu Vandame, busy on the Sail GP circuit, the crew had to urgently recruit someone to take over the mainsail traveler position. Coach Franck Citeau, who has an extensive network, managed to bring in Enzo Belanger. A skilled crew member accustomed to foiling, especially in the Moth, he had a suitable profile to take on the position at short notice.
Enzo is an excellent crew member, and he did a great job,” recounts Alexis Rochat, bowman. “But it must be understood that all the automatism and precision of movements that we have put in place for months together cannot be acquired in a few days of training. Especially since we haven’t really encountered favorable conditions to get into the swing of things. This situation has not been conducive to performance, even though we sailed well considering the unexpected. The conditions during the training days did not allow us to thoroughly work on all maneuvers. And the crew entered the races with a slight deficit in preparation.
Moreover, Lake Garda, renowned for its strong and regular thermals, did not live up to its promises, and the weather situation, stormy and complex, did not allow the winds to settle as expected to start the races. Thus, on Thursday, September 8, the date of the Grand Prix launch, the committee could only send one race in tricky winds. On Friday, no race could be completed, despite an attempted start. The crew of Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier also detected a crack in the rear beam, which forced them to take the boat out of the water and partially dismantle it. Several crew members spent part of the night repairing the catamaran to have it ready again the next day. The reassembly was done before the races in the morning but led to an accumulation of fatigue in the crew.
Two races were able to take place on Saturday, still in fairly complex conditions, late in the day after a long wait. Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier finished 6th and 5th. Finally, on Sunday, the fleet was able to enjoy the renowned conditions of the lake, and four races were held in the typical winds of Lake Garda. ‘We had difficulties finding our bearings upwind,’ adds Alexis Rochat. ‘There was a fairly clear tactic to follow, but we lacked a bit of speed to make the right moves. However, we sailed well, even if it doesn’t translate into the result. The atmosphere on board is excellent, and there are many positive points to note in our way of racing. There was a sequence of details that were not favorable to a better result. We remain very motivated for the final stage in Scarlino in early October.’
Ylliam XII – Comptoir Immobilier has been disassembled and placed back in its container to continue its journey to the Mediterranean. The crew will reunite starting from September 29 to reassemble the boat and begin training on October 3. The races will start on October 6, 2022.
