A Swiss Cow Bell Rings In a Decade of the Swiss Sailing League

Regattaclub Bodensee Win Swiss J/70 HEIDI Cup!
(Spiez, Switzerland)- With the ringing of the Swiss Cow Bell, the 10th season of the Swiss Sailing League came to a close. Marking not only the end of another successful year, but also a heartfelt farewell to Markus Blaesi, who has led the League through an incredible decade of growth and innovation.

The Heidi Cup, hosted in Spiez on Lake Thun, takes inspiration from the renowned Helga Cup in Hamburg, Germany, an event that champions women’s participation in sailing. This three-day regatta challenged sailors with light and variable winds, a familiar Swiss story where the breeze seems to appear only after the final race. As sailors around the world know all too well, the Monday after the regatta often brings perfect wind!

Fourteen women’s teams, twelve from Switzerland and two from Germany, competed on a fleet of seven J/70s, a class that has become the standard across Europe for League-style racing. Thanks to the League’s forward-thinking decision five years ago to invest in robotic mark technology, the race committee completed eight full flights over the weekend. The RoboMark system, now used in more than 16 events across Switzerland and beyond, continues to improve efficiency and consistency in race management.

The winning team, Bodensee Sailing Club, included Dani Rast, co-founder and Marketing Manager of RoboMark GmbH. Dani shared her reflections on the event:

“I feel very lucky to sail with this group of women — surrounded by women. I grew up sailing mostly with men and never imagined I’d one day compete in an all-women’s event. This weekend, our team of six rotated through five positions, using the Heidi Cup as both a competition and a training opportunity for next season. I love sailing with this team, and I deeply appreciate the environment Markus created for women to build confidence on the racecourse.”

As the sun set over Lake Thun and the final bell rang, it wasn’t just a trophy that was passed on — it was a celebration of community, progress, and the spirit of Swiss sailing. The Swiss Cow Bell, serving as the perpetual trophy, perfectly captures that sound of tradition echoing through the valleys and over the lakes of Switzerland.

The winning Regattaclub Bodensee Team from Switzerland (above) consisted of skipper Lisa Naef and crew of Dani Raast, Irina Hotz, Tessa Egli, Mirjam Abegglen, and Nathalie Winiger.

Taking the silver, just one point back, was the Regatta-Verein Greifswald Team from Germany with skipper Karen Stein and crew of Katie Bell, Franziska Siskowski, and Christine Kobs. Then, rounding out the podium in third place was Sophie Mosegaard’s Thunersee Yachtclub Team of Rahel Pfister, Fiona Scharer, Nina Herold, Michele Guggisberg, and Martine Schaer.

The balance of the top five included Erin Cross’s Cercle de la Voile de Verve-la-Tour Team in fourth place and Stephanie Rosse’s Yacht-Club Luzern’s Ladies Team in fifth place.

Follow the Swiss J/70 Women’s Heidi Cup regatta on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/swisssailingleague

For Swiss J/70 Women’s Results on Manage2Sail.com
https://www.manage2sail.com/en-US/event/45859359-8625-43ce-a207-61a749cf031b#!/

For more Swiss J/70 Women’s Heidi Cup sailing information
https://swiss-sailing-league.ch/fr/

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