Onwards and upwards
Optimist – League Regatta – Bormes les Mimosas
Yacht Club de Monaco’s young Optimist sailors were out in force for the League Optimist Regatta in Bormes-les-Mimosas. With 14 young sailors, YCM again showed great team spirit and progress.
A productive training session ahead of the event
Saturday was an intensive training day organised with the Antibes and Cannes sailing clubs. The warm-up focused on setting courses, an ideal opportunity to fine-tune skills, manœuvres and strategy. On Sunday, conditions were more difficult with a fickle 0 to 5 knot breeze and light rain. Despite this, three races were held for the older Minimes and two for the younger Benjamins, with the Monegasques showing great motivation and commitment throughout the day.
YCM shines at heart of exceptional edition
YCM shines at heart of exceptional edition
Alexander Ehlen up to 8th in world ranking after intense stage in Sardinia
Kitefoil World Series – Cagliari 2024
In the face of a particularly demanding stage in Cagliari, Yacht Club de Monaco kiteboarder Alexander Ehlen showed tremendous resilience and determination at the Kitefoil World Series 2024. Despite several technical problems that forced him to abandon five races, Alexander produced solid rankings in the other three with a 9th, 11th and 12th place.
The results achieved in difficult conditions are testament to the talent and perseverance of this young Monegasque who thanks to his tenacity has consolidated his place among the world’s best kitefoilers.
Ineos Britannia triumphs in Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Wednesday turned out to be a decisive day for INEOS Britannia in their battle with the Italians on Luna Rosso during the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. There have been many historic moments in Louis Vuitton Cup history and today, Friday, the Brits have just added another spectacular chapter by qualifying for the America’s Cup final to take on the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand.
Preliminary Regatta kicks off
Battle has commenced for the AC75 boats with the first duels on Catalan waters taking place from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 August in the Preliminary Regatta. Aboard these revolutionary foiling monohulls, that can top out at 100km an hour, a succession of races saw teams achieve 35-40 knots off Barcelona today, giving those watching a glimpse of what the 37th America’s Cup has in store. On the programme: the Preliminary Regatta, the Louis Vuitton Cup and of course the America’s Cup finale itself starting 12 October. One Defender and five Challengers will be going all out in a contest to lift the oldest sports trophy in the world. This is the first time since 2010, when Alinghi lost to Oracle, that the Cup has returned to the Old Continent.
A big win for Armel Le Cléac’h and Sébastien Josse
The sixth and final event for 2024 organised by Ultim Sailing, the Finistère Atlantique race left Concarneau in Brittany on 28 September.
Five Ultim teams were competing in this second event which after 3,500 nautical miles finished in Antibes on Wednesday 2 October. After 4 days and 7 hours of racing the Ultim of Armel Le Cléac’h, sailing with Yacht Club de Monaco’s Sébastien Josse, won the event.
A nailbiter
The Louis Vuitton Cup Final is taking place in Barcelona from 26 September to 5 October (up to the 7th with reserve days), with the last two Challengers battling it out for the privilege to take on Defender of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand.
The Italians on Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli are duelling with the Brits on YCM member Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Britannia. The rules are simple: the first to win seven matches goes through as the official Challenger to Emirates Team New Zealand led by Matteo de Nora, member of YCM’s Management Committee.
Young guard at the rendezvous
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez celebrated the 25th anniversary of the legendary “Les Voiles”. Ideal conditions greeted the 250 boats competing in a week of spectacular racing organised by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez. Among this fleet of legends of the sea the young team from Yacht Club de Monaco attracted attention on Loïc Pompée’s Le Joy, the personification of a youth revival in sailing.
Anne Schouten triumph
Lorna Whittlesey Ladies Regatta
Anne Schouten is a lady who is very involved with the Pink Wave group of some 50 women from Yacht Club de Monaco who share their passion for sailing and racing on YCM’s gaff cutter Tuiga. Anne is a regular on the scene racing on J/70s as well as Tuiga.
This weekend she was on the other side of the Atlantic in Connecticut flying the YCM flag at the Lorna Whittlesey Ladies Regatta, an all-female event on IDEAL18 sailboats, organised by the Indian Harbor Yacht Club.
With 10-12 knots of wind and favourable conditions on the water, Anne sailing with an American crew mate from the Annapolis Yacht Club dominated the competition to win the trophy. “It was a fabulous experience. I’m really happy to have been competing and especially having won it”. The regatta mirrors the Woman Leading Sailing Trophy organised by Yacht Club de Monaco.
Promising start
Optimist – Opti d’Or – Saint Raphaël
A fleet of Optimists took over the venue for the Opti d’Or, a league regatta organised by Club Nautique de Saint Raphaël. Four races for the Minimes (older group) and three for the younger Benjamin category were completed in ideal conditions with a light 6 to 12 knot breeze on a flat sea.
This first league event was full of promise for the upcoming season, if the results achieved by the Monegasque delegation are anything to go by. With 65 Optimists in the Minimes fleet, YCM’s young sailors did not disappoint with Océane Schroeder coming 23rd just ahead of Frederik Holst, 25th, with Joséphine Dobbelaere 47th. In the Benjamins, the ambition is there as reflected in the rankings and superb 5th place clinched by Louis Faivre while Victor Holst came 9th ahead of Sacha Mousny 14th, Julian Lampert 15th, Anastasyia Verpeka Dolling 16th and 1st in the girls. Mona Benchekroun and Victor Marquet finished 19th and 21st respectively.