Esse850
The Swiss Esse850 championship confirmed that the international series has lost none of its appeal. Fast even in light airs, it can count on a large, loyal and dynamic community accustomed to sailing at the highest level.
“For the Swiss championship to be validated, we need at least twelve boats under the Swiss flag. We’re going to do everything we can to make this a major event. We’re obviously counting on the presence of Lake Zurich units and hope to attract a few boats from Lake Geneva and other bodies of water.” The appeal published on esseboats.ch seems to have been heard, as the Segel-Club Enge, organizer of the championship, had received sufficient entries two months before the event was due to kick off.
In the end, eighteen Swiss crews gathered in the idyllic setting of BĂ€chau on Lake Zurich at the end of August. Had it not been for the constraints of the quagga mold, which discouraged many, even more would probably have made the trip. “Unfortunately, given the effort required by the procedure, owners from French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino decided not to come,” laments Florian Schuchter, head of Schuchter Sportboot AG, the shipyard that launched and developed the Esseboats. Twenty years after their launch, Esseboats are still leading the way in many regattas. These sleek, stylish daysailers are renowned for their quality finish and easy handling. They deliver excellent performance, even in light winds. Many of their owners are passionate racers who love to sail at a high level, and help to maintain and grow the community.
A well-run championship
The Swiss championship held at the end of August was a perfect illustration of this. Just as the competitors were about to take to the water, a new anticyclone moved in, sweeping away the rain of the previous days and bringing a nice breeze of around 8 knots. Ideal conditions for running three races on the first day. Two more followed on Saturday morning, before the wind died down. On Sunday, after long hours of waiting, the wind picked up again, allowing three more races to be run. The Esse850s stand out for their homogeneity. The proof: five different crews won all eight heats, and podium places were decided by a single point. The suspense lasted right to the end. At the end of the final race, Jan Bachmann/Rolf Bachmann/Matthias Eigenmann (Segelclub Enge ZĂŒrich) won the title ahead of Nicola Fuso/Stephanie BĂ€chtold (Segelclub StĂ€fa), who were forced to retire in one of the races after a broken gennaker halyard. Third place went to Rainer Fröhlich/Nathan Zwick/Cedric Schenk of Yacht Club Rapperswil. “Some people were hoping that the Esse850 class would lose momentum. It’s quite the opposite,” says Jan Bachmann. We’re back and I’m proud to have gathered so many boats. We’re already looking forward to the 2026 edition on Lake Geneva. esse850.org