BOL D’OR MIRABAUD 2022: THE GREAT LAKE PARTY IS BACK!

Bol d’Or Mirabaud 2022: the big lake party is back!

After a special edition last year, the big lake party is back in 2022! The Bol d’Or Mirabaud, a not-to-be-missed event for all those who love Lake Geneva, will be held from June 10 to 12, starting in Geneva. It promises to be rich in sporting challenges and festivities.

After the unfortunate cancellation of the 2020 event, followed by a lacklustre performance last year, the great lake party is back in 2022 with – in addition to a regatta rich in sporting stakes – a fantastic social and festive program for all competitors and the public, who are welcome at the SNG during the event.

This year, an all-new village concept in front of the Bâtiment des Sports will be the focal point of the weekend’s festivities, serving as the gathering place for the opening ceremony, winners’ celebrations and prize-giving ceremonies. The racing office, press room and TV studio will be integrated into the new Sports Building.

The opening ceremony kicks off the festivities on Friday evening at 6pm. One of the highlights of the event will be the presentation of the BOM ambassadors: five female sailors from all over the world who are among the best in their respective categories and who make up the Sailing Squad, an innovative project run by our partner Mirabaud. The traditional weather briefing, presented by MeteoSwiss, will follow. The festive part of the evening kicks off with a concert by Time Machine at 8:30 p.m. (another concert and a DJ are also planned for the weekend).

More information on Sailing Squad here

Then it’s time for sport, with the start of the race scheduled for Saturday at 10:00 am. Head for Le Bouveret and back, on a theoretical course of 123 kilometers (66.5 nautical miles), the record for which has been held since 1994 by the trimaran Triga IV in 5h01. Several records are at stake, including the number of wins per sailor, to which Pierre-Yves Jorand, Christian Wahl, Ernesto Bertarelli and Alex Schneiter can lay claim. The TF35 hydrofoil catamaran regatta will also be of particular interest, especially the performance of Alinghi Red Bull Racing, now an official challenger for the next America’s Cup under the SNG colors. Speaking at the press conference this morning, Arnaud Psarofaghis, the team’s navigator, explained that ” The Bol d’Or Mirabaud is a must for us. Firstly, because it’s a lake festival that all sailors on Lake Geneva are delighted to take part in. This is the case for me, every year! I’ll never forget my first Bowl, which I took part in at the age of 10 with my uncle and grandfather. But also from a sporting point of view, we’re aiming for a performance with our TF35. We’ve already started TF35 and GC32 training with two teams, and these two boats are our main training grounds for the America’s Cup. See you in June to see if the training has paid off! “.

The monohull regatta is also shaping up to be a hotly contested affair, with a number of contenders and foiling yachts that could well reshuffle the cards. Winner in 2019 and 2021, Zsolt Király’s Hungarian Libera Raffica is in a position to win back the Bol de Vermeil once and for all, as it did in 2016, which would be a historic feat. On the other hand, no crew is in a position to win the Bol d’Or for good, as it is promised to anyone who wins it three times in five years.

“In 2021, 426 yachts will be starting the race,” reminds us Yann Petremand, the new president of the Organizing Committee. ” We very much hope to improve on this number, and return to the 500-boat mark. In any case, we’re pulling out all the stops, with a formidable and highly committed organization team, and over 100 volunteers whom I’d like to thank for their commitment. ”

The Bol d’Or Mirabaud is proud to count on its loyal partners, Mirabaud and Hublot. New companies have also joined the organization, including the Hôtel Intercontinental as a hotel partner, and VNV SA, esri and INSER as technology partners.

Online registrations are open!