A week after the GRG, LV1 follows up with the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, an internationally renowned regatta on Lake Geneva. More than 400 boats on the starting line, including 103 Surprises (but where are all those Surprises for the criteriums!?)

The boat was launched that very morning, lightened as much as possible given the constraints of a five-person crew ready to endure 36 hours of sailing with the possibility of storms, LV1 is pleasantly surprised as soon as it leaves the harbor by a light breeze that allows it to reach the line without using any means of propulsion, as prohibited by Rule 42.

After a few tacks to warm up and make the initial adjustments, the decision was made (a tad late) to head toward the left end of the line, which was clearly the better option. An opening to tack to port two minutes before the start allowed the crew to escape the unpleasant feeling of being wind-shadowed in a dying breeze.

Off to a good start at the starting gun, LV1 sailed in fresh winds and positioned itself right from the start among the top contenders. A round trip along the Swiss coast with no gains or losses, a few tacks along the French coast as far as Yvoire—the choice of the direct route is pretty clearly laid out by the big boats, so there’s no need to overthink it. A shift to the middle of the lake from Evian to avoid the risky area of Meillerie, and the crew finally headed for Le Bouveret shortly before 1 a.m.

After sailing mostly upwind on the outbound leg, the spinnaker was hoisted and remained up for most of the return trip, which followed the same route. Choosing the direct route between Ripaille and Yvoire allowed the boat to take advantage of the thermal winds on the French side, arriving among the first boats in the early morning as the Morget wind began to die down.

A bit too adventurous on the final stretch of the small lake, the crew thought for a moment they might crack the top 10 before settling into a surprising 17th place out of 102 at the finish line—but with a corrected time that put them 22nd out of nearly 400 boats!

Satisfied and tired, everyone really enjoys the mostly vegetarian pasta after putting the boats away.

After meeting the night before to make final preparations and tinker with the boat in the rain, and spending a damp night on board, the LV2 crew set out onto the waters of Lake Geneva for the start of the 2023 Bol d'Or. Thanks to sound tactical decisions from the start to the exit from the small lake, LV2 began the race in a strong position.

Unfortunately, their luck ran out. Once off the coast of Ivory with the first Surprise-class boats, LV2 found itself stuck in a lull, while a group of competitors closer to the coast overtook them, riding a light thermal. It took several hours under the blazing sun—made more bearable by a refreshing swim for some of the crew and a good nap for others—before the wind picked up again. Alas, LV2 would never make up the ground lost during those hours.

As night falls, it sails along the French shore and heads toward the center of the lake near Evian. At 1:30 a.m., LV2 rounds the buoy at Le Bouveret and sets off under spinnaker toward the Swiss shore, hoping to catch the thermal. But that night, the wind in the middle of the lake seems much stronger, judging by the mast lights of the competitors speeding across the lake. LV2 gybes under spinnaker toward Pully and heads back toward the French coast. Unfortunately, upon reaching the middle of the lake opposite Evian, the wind drops again. LV2 nevertheless manages to move faster than the others and gains a few places until Yvoire, where the wind dies down once more.

It wasn't until a few hours later, after entering the small lake, that the wind picked up again, allowing LV2 to speed along at full speed until it crossed the finish line at 1:15 p.m., after 27 hours and 15 minutes of sailing.