Last year, weather conditions were exceptional. It allowed to the rowers to move very quickly. The Turbo-Bonn team, the holder of the record of the fastest tour since 1995 (12 h 15 min 34 sec) beat in 2000 its own record by finishing the running in 11 h 58 min and 44 sec, which makes an average of more than 16 kph. And the German Team from Neuwied are holding now the feminine record with 14 h 10 min 47 sec.
The Tour represents the biggest event of our section. Every year, a committee specially elected to take charge of it, begins to cooperate the activities of the various volunteers since June. Indeed, such a regatta requires a certain infrastructure. At first, it will be necessary to assure the reception, the lodgement of the teams who are coming from all Europe (and even this year from Moscow!). Then, it will be necessary to anchor the buoys. Finally, it will be necessary to prepare the shows which will take place in club of the Society during the regatta. Next to it, the section should coordinate the security of the rowers. For that purpose, it not only requires the help of the rescue associations around the coast, but also of the Water-skiing Section. Many motor boats follow the rowers until the last one is back in Geneva.
From now on, the Industrial Services of Geneva sponsor this demonstration. The Service of the gas began this sponsoring in 1998. They found that saying that the Tour followed partially the gas pipelines which are under the lake and that rowing is close to natural gas because this sport is clean, ecological, natural, bound to the landscape, etc. For the moment a contract binds the Service of the gas and the SNG for 5 years. So, the sponsoring should at least last until 2004.