D35's Vulcain Trophy to set sail imminently

Nine boats to compete on Lake Geneva this year

The season started for the D35 catamarans on Lake Geneva last weekend with the first practice races held at Versoix. With snow on the peaks, winter temperatures, rough conditions, and strong winds gusting up to 35 knots, it was a challenging start...

The D35's annual championship, the Vulcan Trophy presented by Business & Decision, will start properly over 4-6 May at the Société Nautique de Genève with the Grand Prix Les Ambassadeurs.

A new racing format will spice up this year's Vulcain Trophy. The organiser first decided to reduce the length of the individual races to only 25 to 30 minutes, to maximise their intensity. In addition, the courses have also undergone a significant change with a new windward gate introduced. So instead of always leaving the weather mark to port, the boats now have the freedom to choose to leave one of the two marks on port or starboard. The purpose of this change is to increase the tactical possibilities and avoid 'single file' that occurs when there is just one weather mark.

On the teams’ side, Dona Bertarelli will this year have a new crew on Ladycat, which will sail in new colours. More here. While brother Ernesto on Alinghi will have his same team.

On De Rahm Sotheby's, Philippe Cardis has a new tactician in Christian Wahl, and trimmer/skipper Jean-Pierre Ziegert, both well known Lake veterans. The CER team have presented their D35 in the colours of their new main partner Realstone.

Paul Cayard returns aboard Artemis Racing with owner Tornbjorn Tornqvist, however Loïck Peyron is no longer part of the core crew with Nicolas Grange on Okalys Corum. Onboard Veltigroup, owner Marco Simeoni has handed over to Boris Lerch who is bringing on board his former crew from Cadence, while on Zen Too, Fred Le Peutrec is back at the helm, alternating with owner Guy de Picciotto.

Crew lists: 

Alinghi – SUI 1: Ernesto Bertarelli (Skipper, helmsman), Pierre-Yves Jorand (Main trimmer, performer), Tanguy Cariou (Tactician), Nils Frei (Trimmer), Coraline Jonet (Trimmer), Yves Detrey (Bowman), Claudy Dewarrat (Coach), Joao Cabecadas (Boat captain), David Nikles (Shore crew)

Okalys-Corum – SUI 2: Nicolas Grange (Skipper, helmsman), Eric Monnin (Tactician), Andrew Graham (Main Trimmer), Damien Cardenoso (Trimmer), Kristoffer Jonsson (Trimmer), Thomas Mermod (Trimmer), Fabien Froesch (Bowman), Cédric Pochelon (Trimmer, Bowman), Malko Pasteur SUI 46°16’ (Shore crew)

De Rahm–Sotheby’s – SUI 3: Philippe Cardis (Helmsman), Christian Wahl (Tactician), Guillaume Bérenger (Main trimmer, performer), Alexandre Quiblier (Bowman), Jean-Pierre Ziegert (Trimmer, Skipper), Nicolas Anklin (Trimmer)

Zen Too – SUI 4: Guy de Picciotto (Helmsman, Main trimmer), Fred Le Peutrec (Helmsman), Gildas Philippe (Tactician), Nicolas Berthoud (Trimmer), Bertrand Seydoux (Trimmer), Lucien Cujean (Trimmer, Bowman), Jeff Kerleguer SUI 46°16’ (Shore crew)

Realstone Sailing – SUI 7: Jérôme Clerc (Skipper, Helmsman), Bruno Barbarin (Tactician), Denis Girardet (Tactician), Arnaud Psarofaghis (Main trimmer), Cédric Schmidt (Trimmer), Christian Monachon (Trimmer), Thierry Wasem (Trimmer), Nils Palmieri (Trimmer), Bryan Mettraux (Bowman)

Nickel – SUI 8: Frédéric Moura (Skipper, Helmsman), Emmanuel Chomel (Main Trimmer), Olivier de Cocatrix (Trimmer), Alex Greenwood (Trimmer), Ludovic Bournisien (Tactician), Christian Roelofs (Bowman), Laurent Chatelanat (Trimmer)

Ladycat – SUI 10: Dona Bertarelli (Skipper, Helmswoman), Yann Guichard (Tactician), Billy Besson (Trimmer), Devan Le Bihan (Bowman), Arnaud Jarlegan (Trimmer), Emmanuelle Rol (Trimmer), Nicolas Débordes (Shore crew)

Veltigroup – SUI 11: Marco Simeoni (Trimmer), Boris Lerch (Helmsman, skipper), Quentin Freymond (Tactician), Alex Detrey (Trimmer), Sebastien Ravussin (Bowman), Pascal Lavarelo (Main trimmer), Philippe Gaudin (Manager, Helmsman), Yann Burkhalter (Shore crew)

Artemis Racing – SUI 12: Torbjorn Tornqvist (Helmsman, skipper), Paul Cayard (Tactician), Noel Drennan (Main trimmer), Franck Citeau (Trimmer), Sarah Gundersen (Trimmer), Gille André (Bowman)

Vulcain Trophy Program 2012
Grand Prix Les Ambassadeurs, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) - 4-6 May 2012
Open de Crans, Club Nautique de Crans-près-Céligny (CNC) - 26-27 May 2012
Genève-Rolle-Genève, Yacht Club de Genève (YCG) - 9 June 2012
Grand Prix de Versoix, Club Nautique de Versoix (CNV) - 8 et 10 June 2012
Bol d'Or Mirabaud, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) - 16 June 2012
Open du Yacht Club, Yacht Club de Genève (YCG) - 25-26 August 2012
Open de Morges, Club Nautique de Morges (CNM) - 8-9 September 2012
Grand Prix Grange et Cie, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) - 21-23 September 2012