Head down!
After an intensive 21 days of training, 18 of which were on the water, Yacht Club de Monaco’s Jérémy Moutout concluded his season’s preparations by lining up on the start of the Lanzarote International Regatta.
Good performances from YCM’s young sailors
The ILCA Mediterranean Championship held in Hyères 22-23 February is an important test of progress for Yacht Club de Monaco’s young sailors who responded well with some solid performances.
Promising results for Leopard 3 before the Caribbean 600
Thirty-five teams representing 16 nations gathered for the Antigua 360 race organised by Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in partnership with Antigua Yacht Club on Friday 21 February. The 48 nautical mile race round Antigua is part of the Nelson’s Cup Series 2025 and gives contestants a taste of what’s to come in the RORC Caribbean 600 that starts on 24 February.
Leopard 3 in action during the RORC Nelson’s Cup Series 2025
From 18-21 February Antigua hosted the 3rd RORC Nelson’s Cup Series, a major regatta on the inshore circuit and prelude to the legendary RORC Caribbean 600 that starts on Monday 24 February. This year there were 35 boats in competition including a highly-anticipated Maxi class for the first time, with eight battling it out in tough conditions. Among the protagonists was Joost Schuijff’s Leopard 3 from Yacht Club de Monaco who pulled off a hard-fought 6th place. An encouraging result that will only reinforce the team’s ambitions for the RORC Caribbean 600, one of the most demanding races on the offshore calendar.
First stage first win for Nico Poons
It’s called getting a grip on the season from the start, as demonstrated by Nico Poons and his crew on Charisma from Yacht Club de Monaco, who pulled off a superb performance in the Caribbean, coming in the top three in eight of nine races. After a thrilling battle with Aleph Racing, Nico Poons, 44Cup champion 2022-23, sailed superbly throughout the regatta, particularly in the last race. Thanks to clever tactics and total mastery of the changing conditions, the crew maintained their advantage to the end to win the stage.
Oren Nataf winner in multihull
A superb victory for Oren Nataf who won the multihull category (elapsed and corrected time) of this event aboard his Pulsar 50 Rayon Vert. The Yacht Club de Monaco skipper alongside François Seruzier and Cristiano Sereni crossed the finish line at 10:34 (UTC) Friday 24 January. The pair won the Line Honours Multihull, an impressive result and fitting end to a masterful and fast crossing. “I am very proud to be the skipper of this boat with a great crew,” commented Oran Nataf. “This was a long race for us because both our small and large gennaker exploded early in the race. This meant we had to sail wider wind angles with a smaller sail area. I did not think we would be first, but the strong wind at the end of the race really helped us. Thank you to the RORC for organising a great race. It is the perfect way to sail across the Atlantic. It takes a lot of energy, but a fair competition makes it so much more interesting than cruising across the Atlantic.”
A new generation full of promise!
Training and passing on knowledge and passion to the next generation is at the heart of Yacht Club de Monaco’s Sports Section’s mission. To this end, 11 young Optimist sailors were at the 8th Coach Regatta in Marseille, organised by the YCPR and ASPTT Marseille. The event has become a reference for this type of regatta on the national and international scene and this year saw six nationalities represented by 84 contestants in the Minime (older group) and 56 in the younger Benjamin category.
Oren Nataf from YCM on the start
On Sunday 12 January 2025, sails will be set to fly on the start of the 11th RORC Transatlantic Race, a 3,000 nautical mile race from the Lanzarote Marina in the Canaries to the Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada in the Caribbean.
Big win for Jérémy Moutout in ILCA 7
The 2024 EurILCA Europa Cup Malta concluded Sunday 22nd December after four intense days of racing organised by the Malta Young Sailors Club. The penultimate event of the season attracted 79 sailors from 18 countries competing in the ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 categories.
Graeme Peterson and Océane Schroeder the big winners of 2024 A celebration of sporting and maritime excellence
For the YCM Awards and its prestigious UBS Trophy, the great Yacht Club de Monaco family gathered under the presidency of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. This event pays tribute to sporting achievements and officially welcomes new members to the Club. In his speech, the Sovereign recalled YCM’s dual mission as a private club dedicated to its 2,500 members (81 nationalities) and its public service remit that contributes to “making Monaco THE destination of reference for yachting, combining as it does innovation and sustainability”. These values are reflected in its collective ‘Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting’ which positions the Club as a key player in protecting the oceans and promoting maritime innovation.