Endurance rowers and long-distance adventure enthusiasts are invited to gather on Saturday, September 26, at the Société Nautique de Genève for the 54th edition of the BCGE Tour du Léman à l’Aviron. Eleven crews representing eight nations will take the start of this race, which is unique in the world.
At 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, eleven crews will set off from the North Pier at Port Noir for a 160-kilometer clockwise circuit. Depending on weather conditions, the boats’ equipment, and the crews’ experience, the lap around the lake can take between 11 and 17 hours (the all-time record, set in 2011, is 11 hours, 43 minutes, and 30 seconds).
Founded in 1972 by the rowing section of the Société Nautique de Genève, the BCGE Tour du Léman à l’Aviron is considered the world’s longest rowing regatta contested nonstop on a closed body of water.
This 54th edition stands out for the presence of a significant number of “novices”—that is, rowers who have not yet participated in more than three editions. The event also retains its strong international character. The Tour du Léman will welcome a Turkish team, as well as rowers from Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Switzerland. Several crews are co-ed, and Team No. 1 will be all-female. However, this team will race with three rowers and one coxswain, as one of the team members was forced to withdraw due to illness.
From a sporting perspective, one of the highlights of this year’s event will be the participation of the AVIRON ROMAND ZURICH/LAUSANNE-SPORTS AVIRON crew in the coxless four—a configuration that hasn’t been seen in this event for about twenty years. Unlike the coxless four, where each rower uses two oars, the crew members here use only one oar each, alternating between port and starboard. This technique requires particularly precise coordination.
In another unique twist, the Bonne No. 3 team will race in a coxed pair. Finally, Matthias Auer, an iconic figure in the event, a multiple winner (including last year) and holder of nearly all of its records, will once again be at the starting line aboard Team No. 2.
As always on Lake Geneva, the weather will be one of the key factors in the race. “Our goal and our greatest hope is that all the teams will be able to complete the full lap around the lake, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure that happens,” says Stéphane Trachsler, president of the Organizing Committee. “The weather conditions look fairly favorable, with thermal breezes during the day and possibly a bit of southwesterly wind in the evening.”
Last year, only five teams managed to cross the finish line, as the Bise made sailing conditions considerably more difficult for the teams that followed. Between 2022 and 2024, weather conditions also forced the Organizing Committee to shorten the course.
Competitors’ safety will be ensured by members of the Geneva Nautical Society’s Safety Patrol, under the supervision of Laurent Perriard-Plumettaz. The success of the event also depends on the dedication of numerous volunteers as well as the active collaboration of the SISL and the Lake Geneva rowing clubs, notably CA Nyon, FRC Morges, Lausanne-Sports, BN de Sciez, and CN Montreux. The Société Nautique de Genève’s administrative office and the club restaurant also play an active role in organizing the event.
Since 2022, the Banque Cantonale de Genève (BCGE) has been the title sponsor of the Tour du Léman rowing race. This partnership aims, in particular, to increase the visibility of rowing and to help promote a competition that is deeply rooted in the sporting heritage of Geneva and the Lake Geneva region.
Straddling tradition and innovation, the BCGE Tour du Léman Rowing Race remains, above all, a unique human and athletic adventure, combining endurance, team spirit, and the ability to adapt to the elements.