Classics head for Monaco

Monaco Classic Week will take place on 13-18 September

The Yacht Club de Monaco, located in the Principality’s Port Hercule, will once again host Monaco Classic Week on 13-18 September. As is customary for this spectacular biennual event the cast is star-studded including the elite of Traditional and Classic Yachting - Motor and Sail - will crowd the now much enlarged Port Hercule. The event will also markthe 10th anniversary of the YCM’s classic flagship, the restored 1909 Fife Cutter Tuiga.

This, the seventh edition of Monaco Classic Week will feature: traditional Yacht Regattas, Class J Challenges, Elegance Contests, an Onboard Chefs Competition, a Restoration and Heritage Trophy, Regularity and Manœuvres Trials and Skill-Testing, Cocktails, and Evening Galas, to cite but a few.

New for 2005 is the spoinsorship of Hublot, the Swiss luxury watchmaker. Hublot becomes Official Timekeeper for Monaco Classic Week.

The Yacht Club de Monaco has organised Monaco Classic Week since 1994, under the Club Presidency of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. Monaco Classic Week is the only event which gathers together in a single harbour Traditional Sailing Yachts, Classic Motor-Yachts, and Vintage Motorized Dayboats and enables them to all sail around together - a spectacle straight out of “La Belle Époque”.

This year, the Yacht Club de Monaco has paid particular attention to inviting Classic vessels which are special either because of their history, their sporting careers, their renowned owners, or because they come from highly esteemed yards or designers.

So far, some 40 sail and motor yachts meeting the above criteria have already confirmed their participation. Among them - and to be seen competing in the Traditional Yacht Regattas - will be the 1914 ketch Sumurun , a 28-metre Fife design which won the 1997 Atlantic Challenge Cup and recently competed in the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge. She is newly arrived in Monaco. Also Xarifa a 43m 3-masted schooner launched in 1927, and the elegant Charles E. Nicholson design, of the 1910-built Orion . She has just finished a 30-month restoration period at the Classic Works yard in La Ciotat, France.

Splendid Historic Motor-Yachts will also abound. The 1926, 18m Mabrouka is a jewel of high-tech of her period. Then there is SS Delphine an 80m, 1921 steam-yacht, over the Rainbow , a 35m built in 1930, entirely restored by her owner, the artist Jean-Michel Folon.

Classic Riva speedboats of the Fifties are being presented by Carlo Riva. These runabout, open-boats, mostly in brilliantly varnished mahogany with chrome fittings, made many cameo appearances in James Bond movies, and those featuring Brigitte Bardot and a host of similar pin-up stars. Rivas are still synonymous with a certain style of excellence, comprising their design, the way they are built, and their performance as speedy little beauties.

Shamrock V is the oldest known surviving example of the Class J. Ranger and Velsheda , are the two other Class J yachts that will be in the Principality for Monaco Classic Week. That is to say, three out of the four Class J craft known to be in existence... They will compete in the Bay of Monaco against Candida and Cambria , both 23 Metres, whose tonnage-ratings have been adapted to conform to this class. It will be an exceptional opportunity to see these yachts that have contributed so much to the history of the America’s Cup - and are very rarely seen in the Mediterranean.


Program:

Wednesday 14 September
11h00 : Class J Challenge
12h00 : Onboard Chefs Competition

Thursday 15 September
11h00 : Traditional Yachts Regatta
15h00 : Regularity Trials (Riva & Open Motorboats)

Friday 16 September
11h00 : Traditional Yachts Regatta
15h00 : Manoeuvre Skills Test (Riva & Open Motorboats)

Saturday 17 September
10h00 : Elegance Contest – Sailing Vessels
11h00 : Traditional Yachts Regatta
15h00 : Elegance Contest - Motor-Yachts, Riva & Motorboats

Sunday 18 September
10h00 : Prize-Giving Ceremonies
13h00 : Start of the “Trophée Grimaldi” : Monaco to Cannes.