The Gstaad Yacht Club (GYC) has had much to toast this summer – from winding Alpine roads at its signature Rally & Yachting to podium finishes on international waters. Whether behind the wheel or at the helm, the club continues to showcase its blend of elegance, competition, and camaraderie.

Rally & Yachting 2025
Now in its 19th edition, Rally & Yachting once again brings together classic automobiles and a nautical spirit. Co-organised with the Gstaad Automobile Club, the weekend began with a nautical flag quiz and convivial dinner at The Alpina Gstaad, where model-boat races lit up the hotel pool.

Saturday saw Le Grand Bellevue’s lawns transformed into an open-air museum of motoring history. At 8:30 AM, the oldest car in the field – a 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental – led the convoy across Col de la Croix, through Sion, and up to La Cambuse Restaurant for an Alpine lunch at 1,900 metres. The rally concluded with a prizegiving ceremony at the GYC clubhouse, capped by insights from automotive authority Christian Philippsen.

Rally Winners 2025
1st: Vincent Wüthrich & Philippe Meylan – Jaguar XK 150S Cabriolet
2nd: William & Sophie Cook – Porsche 911 SC
3rd: Guillaume & Paul Chauvet – Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit
Best Ladies Team: Anick Héritier & Sonia Mermod – Ferrari California

Anja von Allmen shines in Sweden
While engines cooled in Gstaad, GYC sailor Anja von Allmen struck gold at the ILCA 6 Senior European Championships in Marstrand, Sweden. The 21-year-old Spiez native won the inaugural U23 European title and achieved her best senior finish to date – 9th among Europeans and 12th overall.

“It was a really difficult regatta. I had problems in the qualifying series, but in the end, I sailed well and I’m very happy with the U23 title,” she said.

Von Allmen has medalled in every junior category at European or World level since 2018. With the 2028 Olympics in sight, this victory marks another milestone on her journey.

Teammates Gauthier and Martin Verhulst also competed in Marstrand, finishing 63rd and 92nd, respectively, in the ILCA 7.

Simon Koster joins Ocean Race Europe
Another GYC member, Simon Koster, is making waves offshore. The 36-year-old has been named co-skipper of Team AMAALA alongside Alan Roura for The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Koster’s career spans from podiums in the Mini Transat and Class40 to a 4th-place finish in the 2022 Route du Rhum. A trained electronics engineer, he joined Roura’s IMOCA programme first as navigator and now as co-skipper.

Together, they lead the Swiss Offshore Team, which also trains young sailors for international competition. “It was unthinkable to imagine this adventure without Simon,” says Roura. “We know each other by heart, and I trust him completely.”

From Alpine passes to ocean crossings, GYC members are proving that Swiss precision travels just as well by road as it does by sea.

GYC