The 53rd edition of Lake Geneva’s most demanding regatta will take place on August 29 and 30, starting from the Société Nautique de Genève. With 130 competitors at the starting line, including several offshore racing stars such as Mathis Bourgnon, winner of the Mini Transat, and Renaud Stitelmann, winner of the Mini Globe Race, the 2026 edition promises to be particularly competitive. Thank you to BCGE, which has committed to a three-year partnership with us as our main sponsor, for its support of the Translémanique en Solitaire.
Year after year, the Translémanique en Solitaire reaffirms its status as a must-attend event on Lake Geneva. Held on a theoretical 125-kilometer course between Geneva and the Vieux-Rhône and back, the 53rd edition will bring together 130 competitors, including some of Lake Geneva’s best sailors, as well as offshore sailors who have come to take on one of the most demanding challenges in Lake Geneva sailing.
This year, the Translem’ is taking on the feel of an offshore race, with the participation of several sailors who have recently distinguished themselves on the oceans. First among them is Mathis Bourgnon, the recent winner of the Mini Transat in the Prototypes category, who will be sailing aboard the Psaros 33 Tchié’n Tchigre owned by Axel Meyer, President of the Société Nautique de Genève.
Winner of the 2020 Translémanique and most recently 5th in the Mini Transat in the Production Class, Joshua Schopfer will be sailing aboard the Surprise Spirit Of…. The “Mini” yacht he raced in the Mini Transat, the Mingulay, will be on the starting line; it is now skippered by Aurélien Gard under the colors of the Naviguer en Solidaire association.
Renaud Stitelmann, winner of the Translémanique in 1989, 1993, and 1997, two-time winner of the Bol d’Or du Léman, and three-time winner of the 5 Jours du Léman, won this year’s inaugural Mini Globe Race, a solo, multi-leg race around the world contested aboard one-design sailboats made of plywood measuring… 5.80 meters. Renaud—known as Isidore to his friends—sailed 24,000 miles and dominated the race from start to finish, winning every leg and setting the record time of 180 days, 11 hours, and 25 minutes. He will compete in the Translémanique aboard the Surprise CNM Voiles Gautier.
Among the offshore sailors, we should also note the presence of Arnaud Machado, who finished 12th in the 2015 Mini Transat, who will be sailing aboard the Surprise L’Enfant Bleu / Pro Yachting. And Nicolas Groux, currently skipper of the Psaros 33 MSC, who finished 14th in the 2011 Mini Transat.
Guillaume Girod, the 2025 Translem’ winner on a real-time basis, will attempt to defend his title at the helm of the Psaros 33 Raijin. Alain Stettler, the winner on a corrected-time basis, will be at the starting line aboard his Melges 24.
Among the other top contenders, Alexander de Weck, sailing the Luthi 1090 Katana, will be aiming for his first victory at the Translémanique. He has a particularly high-performance boat, on which the late Charlie Dalin claimed victory in 2021. Another top contender, Victor Casas—a multiple Swiss champion and winner of the Bol d’Or du Léman—will be competing aboard a Tofinou 9.70.
The best-represented class will once again be the Surprises, with 34 boats at the starting line. Notably, the field will include several veterans of the 5 Jours du Léman, including Charlotte Frei, Marius Lanz, Daniel Bouwmeester, and René Mermoud. Among the other one-design classes are ten Grand-Surprises, nine Psaros 33s, and eight Esse 850s.
The winners of each class will be honored at the end of the race. Three prestigious trophies will also be up for grabs: the Tuiga Challenge, awarded to the winner based on corrected time; the Ella Maillart Challenge, which will be awarded to the first woman in the corrected-time standings (five women are registered this year); and the Dragon Challenge, which will be awarded to the first competitor to cross the finish line in real time.
Organized by the Société Nautique de Genève since 1974, the Translémanique en Solitaire is Switzerland’s premier solo regatta. Every year, it offers the most experienced sailors on Lake Geneva, as well as competitors from abroad, the opportunity to test their skills on a challenging course. With 130 competitors, several Lake Geneva champions, and a strong field of sailors who have recently returned from ocean voyages, the 2026 Translémanique en Solitaire promises to be a high-level competition.
A big thank you to all the volunteers, especially those on the Race Committee and the safety team, who make it possible to organize this event.