NEWS

Monaco Classic Week 2005

Presseerklärung des Yacht-Club de Monaco:

Exceptional events, exceptional yachts, and exceptional personalities marked this 7th Edition of Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe. A record presence of 5 Class J sail-racers, some 30 Traditional Motor and Sail Yachts, and attendances by Dennis Conner and Brad Butterworth – between them holders of 7 victories in America’s Cup Events. An emotional tribute was paid to Carlo Riva - “The Engineer of Sarnico”- elected “Personality of the Sea 2005”.

The Sea demands excellence and, fittingly, this year’s Monaco Classic Week saw the creation of the Yacht-Owners’ Club “La Belle Classe”, dedicated to those who share the passion of Traditional Yachting and the desire to hand on these wonderful and historic vessels to following generations. SS Delphine, the 1921 Steam Ship, was awarded the very first Prix La Belle Classe, the patron of which award is Moët Hennessy.

Further qualities of excellence were demonstrated with the participation of two new partners for the Yacht Club de Monaco: Moët Hennessy, the wines & spirits sector of the world luxury group LVMH, and the Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot, Official Timekeeper to Monaco Classic Week.

H.S.H. Prince Albert II, President of the Yacht Club de Monaco, attended the Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe prize-giving ceremonies, and then personally sounded the on-water start for the second leg of the “Trophée Grimaldi”, a coastal regatta between Monaco and Cannes.

The Yacht Club de Monaco has anew reaffirmed its vocation to promote the precious nautical heritage that these sometimes hundred-year-old vessels represent by creating the yacht-owners’ Club La Belle Classe.

Prestige, elegance and excellence, are values shared by members, and are fundamental to their art of living the Sea. Such an art naturally presupposes the respect of etiquette, reciprocal assistance, solidarity, with the same quality-welcome on land as at sea ; the respect of the environment, the pleasure of shared seafaring values, the whole to be transmitted to future generations.

For the creation of La Belle Classe, the Yacht Club de Monaco has selected 50 yacht-owners from among owners of many very prestigious vessels indeed – they are representative of a dozen nations. Among them : Avel and Creole owned by Alessandra and Allegra Gucci, Over the Rainbow, a 1930 motor-yacht entirely renovated by her owner Jean-Michel Folon, and Doriana, a Scandinavian 1930 gaff-rigged schooner, which has just undergone a 5-year restoration, and was sailed to the Monaco Classic Week by professional sailor Philippe Monnet.


Traditional Yachts: An Exceptional Field for a 5 Day Regatta

A particular aspect to Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe, is that it gathers together in a single port, Port Hercule, traditional sailing yachts, period motor-yachts and vintage motorboats – it is a truly delightful sight to see them all milling around the port and Monaco’s Bay together during the Classic Week.

In the Category Epoch, victory went to the gaff-cutter from Brittany, Pesa, (built in 1911), helmed by her owner Jean-Yves Roubinet. Although the shortest of the three gaff-cutters with a length of 15,73 meters, she had her way with them.

Tuiga, the 15-Meter JI Yacht Club de Monaco flagship, helmed by Dennis Conner, 4-time America’s Cup winner, seconded by Sofia Bekatorou, Greek Olympic Gold Medallist in the 470 Category, took Second Place.

Third Place went to Mariquita : an impressive 19 M JI, with a boom of over 20 meters. Mariquita took First Place in the Elegance Competition, whose Jury was presided by Princess Beatriz d’Orleans-Borbon.

Mariquita also distinguished herself by being awarded the Monaco Classic Week 2005 General Trophy - calculated by accumulating the Elegance Contest points with those of the Restoration & Heritage Contest.

A Sixth Place was awarded to a sprightly 100-year old newcomer to Mediterranean waters: Oriole, an N. G. Herreshoff 1905 racing design for the New York Yacht Club. This gaff-rigged sloop has just been completely restored conform to her original plans by Cannell (Camden) and Boothbay Harbor Shipyard (Boothbay, USA). She was specially re-launched to take part in the Monaco Classic Week Regattas.

Invited by UBS Monaco to a regatta during Classic Week, aboard Moonbeam IV, a 32-meter gaff-cutter, built 1914-20, was Brad Butterworth, Alinghi Vice-President, and victorious at the three most recent edition of the America’s Cup.

'These yachts are very full of history, and it is moving to know that Moonbeam IV, then re-christened Deo Juvante, belonged to Prince Rainier, and in 1956, the Prince and Princess Grace used the yacht for their honeymoon,' commented Brad Butterworth.

In the International Rule Category (JI), a highly unusual field of 5 Class J was present. Velsheda slicked her old rivals, Cambria and Shamrock V, demonstrating both her power and her ability to harness the very lightest of breezes.

Ranger and Astra, competing again together for the first time since 1930, were splendid participants in this truly magnificent spectacle of legendary and very beautiful sailing yachts of the Thirties’ America’s Cup matches.


Motor-Vessels: Competitions Modelled On Those Of 100 Years Ago

The Motor-Yachts present during this Classic Week were marvellous jewels of loving restoration. They competed in Regularity events just as they were held almost a century ago.

Seaway, built by Dickie & Sons at the Bangor Yard in 1928, took First Prize in the Sporting Category. Seaway was also awarded Second Place in the Restoration & Heritage Category. Just behind the 1926 Mabrouka, built by Camper & Nicholson, classed as an Historic Monument, having been owned by Colonel Lawrence, “Lawrence of Arabia”, and subsequently by the actor Sir Laurence Olivier.

SS Delphine was awarded the very first Prix La Belle Classe - prize patroned by Moët Hennessy. This evocative and splendid 79-meter steam yacht was built in 1921 in the USA for Horace Dodge, founder of Dodge Automobiles. The Jury’s award is for the quality of restoration of the vessel – in this case, under the direction of Dodge’s daughter. The twinned steam-engines, of quadruple expansion, each of 1500 HP, have been perfectly maintained in functioning order – the engine set-up is now unique in the whole world.


Carlo Riva, Personality Of The Sea 2005, Tribute To The Maestro Of Sarnico

Carlo Riva is now 83 years old. In the 50s and 60s, less aggressive decades, Carlo created speedboats, runabouts, that were finely made, yet purely for un-serious fun. But nonetheless, very beautiful objects. Around 20 of these sparklingly varnished mahogany open day-boats attended the Monaco Classic Week. Several were awarded prizes in the Elegance and in the Restoration Contests. The Traditional Yachting fraternity is perfectly aware that Rivas are family. It’s a way of looking at things.

At the Award Ceremony Carlo was clearly moved, and recalled his meeting with the late Prince Rainier III: 'It’s the Prince, he understood, who fixed it so I could put up my two first pontoons in Port Hercule – but also, even more, he saw and understood why I had to bore a hundred-metre tunnel to shelter and get on with production of my boats.'

Carlo Riva, a dreamer, a boat-person, was visibly perturbed to address, and be in the company of Prince Albert II, son of the Prince he had known. In all probability, quite unnecessarily so. Carlo profusely thanked all present for the success of Riva and for 'continuing to assist my child’s dream'..


Tuiga: Big Bang, Champagne, Dennis Conner Drives Tuiga

For ten years Tuiga, the 1909 William Fife gaff-cutter, has represented Monaco under the Principality’s Red & White Flag. To commemorate this Decade the YCM and Yachting Heritage have jointly published a definitive historical work entitled Tuiga 1909. It is in English and French. This historical reference work contains many hitherto unpublished documents of all kinds, and illustrations and plans for the for the JI 15-Meter Class. The edition is limited to 4000 copies, numbered, and for distribution to YCM Members only.

Also, as a commemoration, the luxury Swiss watchmaker Hublot has presented the Big Bang “Yacht Club de Monaco” Chronograph in a Numbered and Limited Series of only 250 examples. On the black dial figures the Red, White, and Gold Flag of Monaco and the YCM; on the reverse side of the stainless-steel watch-case is engraved the buckler hammered into the extremity of Tuiga’s boom.

Dennis Conner, the most famous America's Cup skipper of modern times, saviour and restorer of the Q Class Cotton Blossom II, did not want to miss this 7th Edition of Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classes.

'I really wanted to come here. Especially to celebrate the ten years of Tuiga. She is a Fife. The 15 Metre JI are rare. I am a YCM Member. I love yachts built of wood. Whatever the boat, I like racing. Tuiga is a racer, and was was built for such. That is her nature.'


General Placing
7th Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe


Trophée Monaco Classic Week overall
Winner : Mariquita (1911), YCM, UK

La Belle Classe Prize, under the patronage of Moët Hennessy
Winner : SS Delphine (1921), YCM

Vintage Yachts overall

1st : Pesa (1911), YC Lodet, 3,00 pts
2nd : Tuiga (1909), YCM, Monaco, 7,00 pts
3rd : Mariquita (1911), YCM, UK, 7,00 pts
4th : Emilia (1930), YCM, Italy, 8.00 pts
5th : Avel (1896), UK, 8.00 pts
6th : Oriole (1905), Yacht Club de France, USA, 13.00 pts
7th : Moonbeam of Fife (1903), SN Saint-Tropez, France, 14.00 pts
8th : Moonbeam IV (1914-1920), Royal Cork YC- UK, 17.00 pts
9th : Nan of Fife (1896), RMYS, France, 18.00 pts
10th : Altair (1931), YCA, 22.00 pts
11th : Sumurun (1914), New York Yacht Club, USA, 23.00 pts
12th : Zaca (1929), RORC-YCM, UK, 25.00 pts
13th : Mariella (1938), Antigua Yacht Club, 26.00 pts DNF Co2
14th : Sunshine (replica), RTYC, UK, 27.00 pts
15th : Eleonora (replica of 1910), RNYC-YCM, UK, 32.00 pts DNF Co2
16th : Doriana (1930), YCM, UK, 34.00 pts DNF Co2
17th : Black Swan (1899), Italy, 36.00 pts DNF Co2
Not in the rankings:
Creole (1927), Spain
Invader (1905), YCM
Tamory (1953), YCM, UK

J Class Overall
1st : Velsheda (1932), RSYC, Guernesey- UK 2.00 pts
2nd : Cambria (1928), YCM, UK, 6.00 pts DNF Co2
3rd : Shamrock V (1930) Grand Caïman, 8.00 pts DNF Co1/ DNC Co2
Not in the rankings:
Astra (1928), YCM
Ranger (replica)

Elegance contest overall
Winner: Mariquita (1911), YCM, UK

Regularity trials overall
Winner: Seaway (1928)


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