On the second day of the 17th Monaco Classic Week, the pace picked up with a packed programme, including a visit from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, President of the Yacht Club de Monaco. With traditional sailing regattas, a Chefs’ Competition showcasing culinary creativity, and a photographic rally for motorboats, the event once again highlighted the unique facets of Monaco’s maritime heritage.
At 13:00 around forty boats set sail in a light breeze, enabling crews to demonstrate both elegance and dexterity. Century-old boats such as Madcap (1874), Viola (1908) and Barbara (1923) showed they had lost none of their youthful vigour. Their performance at sea was a reminder that these witnesses of another era still have what it takes despite their age. Ultimately, it was Chips who took the provisional lead in the gaff rig category.
Organised in partnership with Moët Hennessy, who are celebrating twenty years of collaboration with the YCM, the Chefs’ Competition set the pace for the day ashore. Early in the morning, the crews discovered an exclusively organic basket containing a set list of ingredients with which to prepare a dish based on sardines for four people, accompanied by padrón peppers, Warrigal greens, onion, thyme, garlic, cream and Parmesan cheese. For dessert, they had to create a dish combining figs and Piedmont hazelnuts with cinnamon, star anise, ricotta, vanilla, lime, honey and milk. It is not just about culinary techniques but the passion that is passed down the generation. A symbol of this succession is 10-year-old Susanna on Oriole who prepared the dessert, reminding us that the art de vivre la mer lifestyle at sea is taught as much as it is shared with others.
Dishes were prepared on board under sea conditions and presented to a prestigious jury chaired by Tom Meyer, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and Executive Chef at La Chèvre d’Or in Eze. The other jury members were Julien Roucheteau (La Réserve de Beaulieu), Sébastien Tantôt (Maybourne Riviera), Laurent Smeulders (Fairmont Monte Carlo), Jérôme Lorvellec (Amazónico Monte Carlo), Renato Secchi (YCM), Wendy Van Schrick, Moet Hennessy Ambassador and Marc Lavoine and his companion Adriana Karembeu. After long deliberations, Jaime Queipo Del Lano form Oriole emerged the winner.
At 14:00, the vintage motorboats took part in the now traditional photo rally, a challenge combining elegance and precision that encapsulates the essence of Monaco Classic Week. Created in 1994 to celebrate HSH Prince Albert II’s ten years as President of YCM, the event continues to embody his vision of combining competition, heritage, and conviviality. The Sovereign was present today and also visited the event’s two new exhibitions: ‘Rock & Royals’ by British photographer Kos Evans and ‘Action! Classic Yachts on Screen’, which explores the connections between iconic yachts and movie stars.
This spirit of sharing between sport, culture and history is also reflected in the personal journeys of the owners. Jean-Yves Brun, owner of the 1949 Rex II motorboat, is a perfect example of this. When he first saw the boat, he was immediately struck by her history and elegant design. For him, this encounter was more a matter of destiny than mere chance. Having been carefully restored after a long sporting career, Rex II bears witness to the creativity of its designer, Frantz Liuzzi and the technical performance of its BPM engine, which was designed by former Ferrari engineers. Many participants share this philosophy, considering their boats to be living legacies rather than mere collector’s items.
Monaco Classic Week continues apace on Friday 12 September. Traditional sailing boats and Dinghy 12’ class boats will set sail again at 1.00pm. The quays will be awash with Italian colours for the Riva gathering that has brought together around fifty of the mahogany runabouts, timeless icons of glamour and la Dolce Vita. The day ends with a Happy Hour for all participants that embodies the spirit of camaraderie that defines this event.
