Records tumble!
D-Day for the 46 teams entered in the three Classes at the 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco. The first on-water confrontation in the bay of Monaco was dedicated to them with the traditional parade then the first sea trials followed by qualifying laps for the Championship that will take place on the last day. There’s no room for error in any of the categories: the Energy Class and its 18 protagonists, the Solar Class (13 boats) and Open Sea Class (15 boats).
Monaco Energy Boat Challenge contestants get straight to the heart of the matter
While the technical inspections continued in the paddocks (open to the public) the 450 competitors kicked-off the 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge on the water. Organised by Yacht Club de Monaco supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW and SBM Offshore, the event saw over 700 students involved, of which 450 are here in the Principality to represent their projects.
Kick-off tomorrow for 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge
Over 450 engineering students representing 40 universities and 25 nations have made the trip to the Principality to present their prototypes and meet major players in the yachting industry at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. Since 2014 this event, which is part of the collective Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting approach, combines alternative propulsion and hull design to drive the future.
Beda the big winner
The Smeralda 888 fleet were in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, 27-30 June for the Invitational 888 which is the third stage in their 2024 championship. Eight races were run for the eight teams in competition in sometimes strong wind conditions.
Success in tough conditions
After a successful event in Bonifacio, Corsica, less than a month ago, the Swan Sardinia Challenge met up in Alghero in north Sardinia, Italy, for the third stage of the 2024 Nations League. Throughout the week, 11 ClubSwan 50s and eight ClubSwan 36s battled it out in a competition where 25 nations were represented on a race area where weather conditions tested the entire fleet’s skills to the limit. Only three races were completed for each class. In ClubSwan 36, Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spot) from Yacht Club de Monaco won the event. In ClubSwan 50, Graeme Peterson (Moonlight) came 2nd ahead of Leonardo Ferragamo (Cuordileone) 6th.
YCM flirts with the top ten
The second event on the Italian circuit saw 35 teams in action at Riva del Garda including two from Yacht Club de Monaco. Louis Poons on Charisma pulled off a well-deserved 6th place in the overall ranking as well as in the Garmin Cup. In eight races on a Lake Garda at its best he was in the top ten of five of them including a win. Lorenzo Bortolotti’s Black Swan was also competing managing a 9th place in the overall ranking. In a few weeks (26-28 July), the J/70s will be in Malcescine for the next stage on this circuit.
Two in a row for Viola
Another superb win concludes the Italian season for the crew on Viola, the 1908 gaff cutter led by Kostia Belkin from Yacht Club de Monaco. Just days after triumphing in the 21st Vele d’Epoca in the Gulf of Naples, Viola made it a double on the Tyrrhenian coast during the Grandi Vele held in the gulf of Gaeta. An experience that adds another dose of the Dolce Vita for Kostia Belkin who topped the Epoca ranking but was also overall winner. He and his crew are now heading over to Catalonia, Spain, to line up on the start of the Vela Classica that runs from 12-15 July.
A super busy week
The 130th Kieler Woche that brings together the cream of dinghy sailors. Yacht Club de Monaco’s Jérémy Moutout was on the start lines in ILCA 7, finishing 58th overall after eight races.
Raw potential
A delegation of 10 young sailors from Yacht Club de Monaco’s Sports Section were on the starting lines of the 49th Trofeo Optimist d’Argento. An event that revealed the potential of the Principality’s young racers, with a special mention for the Benjamins (younger group) who tackled three races on Lake Garda with aplomb.
Riding high
Charisma led by Nico Poons from Yacht Club de Monaco was back on top form at this meeting in Sweden. “We had two poor results after changing the crew at the start of the year,” explained Nico Poons, “We reinvented ourselves – there is still room for improvement – but I think we’re back”. So a fresh start that put them in first place even before the last race, an ultra-rare feat in this class where the ranking is always very tight.