Bol d'Or gets underway

Anne Hinton reports from the start of Lake Geneva's biggest regatta

The 66th Bol d’Or race around Lake Geneva, with Rolex as this year’s principal sponsor, started at 9am today. All 510 boats started at the same time, although classes are split to start along different parts of the starting line which stretches from one side of the Lake to the other, just off the premises of the Société Nautique de Genève, the organising authority. Anyone over the line incurs a penalty of 50 minutes added to their starting time; there are no recalls.

A bright, cloudy and sunny day, with light northwesterly zephyrs, patchy across the Lake and rising, after the start, to up to force 3 at times, greeted competitors. The usual array of hot air balloons, some airships (popular in the central European lakes area) and a multitude of spectator craft, also turned out for the occasion.

In the new Décision 35 catamaran class, Alinghi (SUI 1) was furthest to windward and first across the line. Ernesto Bertarelli was crewing for the first part of the race. Alinghi led the fleet, making fast progress in seemingly no wind, and heading out towards the northern Swiss shore. Having gained a half mile lead on the fleet, she then ran out of wind near the shore. This permitted Team Red (Zebra 5) (SUI 5) and Cadence (SUI
6) to overtake Alinghi. Others also caught up as Alinghi tacked back to the southern shore and she was joined by Loïck Peyron in Team Red (Zebra 7) (SUI 7). After a luffing match, Cadence overtook Team Red (Zebra 5) and was first past Yvoire and into the grand lac, after about two hours racing.

Leading monohull throughout the race so far has been French Connection from France, a boat similar to the Libera design popular on the lakes in Germany and Italy sporting many trapezes for the large number of crew.

After four hours racing, French Connection has caught up to the Décision 35s which found a flat patch in the grand lac.

The Décision 35s are enjoying extremely close racing. Ernesto Bertarelli took the helm of Alinghi off Yvoire. SUI 8, Banque Gonet, took the lead for a while in the grand lac, but has just been passed by Team Red (Zebra 7). Cadence and Alinghi are still at the top of the close racing group, lying third and fourth respectively. The leaders are expected to reach the turning point at the far end of the lake, Bouveret, at 1430 Swiss
time today (1330 hours in the UK).