In any celebration, there are years when everything comes together to make it a superb occasion that will long be remembered. That will be the case for this 10 th edition of Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe. A unique event on the circuit and organised in partnership with its official timekeeper Hublot, Credit Suisse, Italian car manufacturer Lancia and the SEPM, this biennial regatta brings together yachts and motorboats of all sizes from the past.
Inauguration of the Monaco Classic Week 2011 - Photo Carlo Borlenghi
Respect for etiquette, safeguarding the environment and paying tribute to our heritage: these are the key principles behind a label that reaches out beyond YCM members to bring owners together for friendly competitions on the water, followed by a host of parties in traditional Monaco fashion where they can meet and chat in elegant surroundings.
This year there were nearly 100 exceptional boats, including the four remaining 15 M IR yachts, sailing together for the first time in nearly 100 years, and all enjoying superb conditions that brought out the best of the best in each category. Crews and owners alike were at one in expressing their commitment to our maritime heritage, not forgetting Jacques Perrin, voted by all participants as the 2011 Personnalité de la Mer.
Sir Robin Knox Johnson, Jacques Perrin and Laurence Ferrari - Monaco Classic Week 2011 - Photo Carlo Borlenghi
Among well known personalities present were Robert Charlebois on Emilia, and Patrick Poivre d’Arvor on Karenita, Errol Flynn’s yacht, soon joined by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, an exemplary helmsman and president of the Monaco Classic Week jury. Also present were Marie Tabarly and Pierre Casiraghi on the Yacht Club de Monaco’s flagship Tuiga, while the violonist Renaud Capuçon and journalist Laurence Ferrari chose the charter yacht R/S Eden.
Monaco Classic Week provides a superb showcase for the past in the run up to the Monaco Yacht Show where the boldest innovations and images of what the future holds are to be found. The two events at both ends of the spectrum add weight to Monaco’s role as the world capital of yachting, one of the wishes of the Sovereign Prince Albert II, YCM president who was very present throughout the event, as was HRH Princess Caroline who welcomed YCM members aboard her motoryacht Pacha III.
Ambiance Belle Epoque at the MCW 2011 - Photo Andrea Pisapia
Highlight of the week was the sight of the four 15 Metre International Rating yachts racing together, all Fife designs launched between 1908 and 1912 and the only ones left of a series for which only 20 were built between 1907 and 1917. The first of the quartet, the solo violin and a real Stradivarius, is Tuiga who Eric Tabarly described as the most beautiful yacht in the world.
Following an exemplary restoration in 1994, Tuiga was then joined on the circuit by The Lady Anne, then Mariska, and finally this year by Hispania, sister-ship to Tuiga, launched in Spain in 1909 by King Alphonso XIII. She was restored at the instigation of His Majesty Juan Carlos who was keen to see the two racing again as they did in the Belle Époque era.
Hispania, owned by the Real Fundacion Hispania was entrusted to the Isla Ebusitana foundation based at the Puerto Sherry marina which is one of the main partners: “Our foundation is committed to the restoration of Spain’s maritime heritage and the development of classic yachting on a global level. Our objective is to create a base for traditional yachts and to organise a regatta next June, while continuing to develop the links forged with Tuiga and the YCM, through crew exchanges and advice on organising and running events,” said Pedro de Bores, President of Puerto Sherry and Vice-President of the Isla Ebusitana foundation.
The competition between these four 15 M was won by Mariska, who has had an unusual life having spent 73 years in Sweden where she was taken just before the First World War. Converted into a gaff-rigged yawl, then as a marconi and finally as a ketch, her counter having been shortened by three metres, she is the first yacht of such significance to be restored in France, at La Ciotat, and is helmed by a woman, Laurence Ramès.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnson at the Monaco Classic Week 2011 - Photo Carlo Brolenghi
The 2011 La Belle Classe Restoration Prize goes to Mariquita
This prize, presented during the La Belle Classe evening under the patronage of Christophe Navarre, Chairman of Moët Hennessy, is a special tribute to the preservation of our maritime heritage and aims to ensure that the expertise of the craftsmen involved survives to be passed on to future generations. Chaired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the jury had much to do with over 50 of the world’s most beautiful boats and some fine restorations to judge. In the end, it was a unanimous vote for Mariquita, the only 19 M IR still sailing and who celebrated her 100 th anniversary in Monaco. It was a clean sweep for this gaff cutter who also won the coveted Monaco Classic Week Trophy 2011 and a Hublot watch, and which takes into account both the results of the elegance parade on the Saturday and the La Belle Classe prize.
Recognisable by the upturned varnished clinker built dinghy aft of the mast, Mariquita was launched on 6 May 1911 for A.K. Stothert who three years earlier had taken delivery of the 15 Metre Mariska. Over the last 100 years she has had many reincarnations, from being a famous racing yacht to a peaceful family cruiser, then house-boat, destined at one time to become a travelling chapel, then a hulk in storage, before being taken to Fairlie Restorations,
Southampton. For the restoration, her owners scoured the marine antique dealer networks, boatyards and bric-a-brac traders on both sides of the Atlantic to ensure every detail on this magnificent yacht would be as authentic as possible. A private boat based in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, she attends all the gatherings and is a regular on the podium. On the Friday she beat the 23 M IR Cambria, a youngster of 83 years with a length of 41 m, and won the series of races in that category in compensated time using the CIM (Comité International de la Méditerranée) rating.
Monaco Classic Week was also the occasion when the reorganised CIM Executive Office met to compile an initial report before the season draws to a close. Chefs Competition: ladies take the helm Eleven yachts, four of them with female chefs onboard, registered for the gourmet competition that has been a feature of Monaco Classic Week from the very beginning. First prize went to Bénédicte Cochard, the young chef on M/Y Over The Rainbow, for her red mullet fillets en croûte with cepes. Meanwhile Wayfarer won a special prize for the quality of the welcome, awarded by the unanimous vote of the jury, chaired by Alain Ducasse and comprising notably Mauro Colagreco, Michelin-star chef from the Mirazur Restaurant (Menton) and Christian Garcia, chef at the Prince’s Palace. This year contestants had to prepare a Mediterranean fish dish, which was judged on its creativity, originality, delicacy of flavour, presentation and how well it paired with a glass of champagne from the competition’s sponsor, Moët et Chandon.
Monaco Classic Week 2011 - Photo Carlo Borlenghi
The motorboats: a world apart!
A brilliant idea which sets Monaco Classic Week apart is to unite sailing yachts, motoryachts and classic motor-boats all of which have a link to Monaco’s yachting history. This year a fleet of 23 motorboats, the majority from Chris Craft, alongside Riva, Pedrazzini, Hacker’s Craft and Dodge, including a few rare models, captured the public’s attention during the various events organised for them. This included the first Poker Run organised with the Société des Bains de Mer. As it happened on the Saturday when they roared through the more leisurely, elegant spectacle put on by the classic yachts, the crowd massed on the harbour wall could not help but applaud them.
Elegance prize: unanimous vote for Istros
This 42m motor-yacht was built in 1954 at the De Vries Lentsch boatyard for a Greek family who kept her in pristine condition for 23 years. A luxuriously comfortable vessel, she was built at a time when there was absolutely no intention of sacrificing the luxury of having varnished panelling, brass and teak decks to the interests of easy maintenance! As one of her captains said, “She really is an elegant lady.” What’s more, Istros is an economical boat as her two 570cc diesel engines use just 140 litres an hour when cruising at 12 knots, with all systems working, giving her a range of 3,300 nautical miles. We can understand why the jury was so unanimous in their decision.
1st Classic Lancia Torino to Monaco: 13 classic cars celebrate Monte-Carlo Rally centenary
It was in a Lancia Aurelia that the only Monegasque to win the Monte-Carlo Rally, Louis Chiron, drove to victory, further strengthening the bonds that existed between the Principality and this Italian brand established in 1906. Powerboat fans and classic car buffs alike cannot resist that particular sound of a 50-year-old motor-boat in action. Indeed, we know that at the turn of the 20 th century, given the number of accidents on the road, car manufacturers were forced to test their monster engines on the sea, a trend that led to the first motorboat meetings like those in Monaco. Lancia is a Monaco Classic Week partner and also wanted to remind people that the Italian firm has had the most winners in the Monte-Carlo Rally. To this end it arranged for some exceptional cars to gather here this year, such as the prototype designed by Pinin Farina which revolutionised bodywork aesthetics in 1955, or the coupé by the same designer which belonged to Eric Clapton.
Monaco Classic Week 2011 - Photo credit to Carlo Borlenghi
Hublot Classic Fusion: a limited series
The Swiss watchmaker has been the main sponsor and official timekeeper of Monaco Classic Week since 2005. For the event’s 10th anniversary the company’s CEO Jean-Claude Biver was there to present an exclusive new model, the “Yacht Club de Monaco Classic Fusion”, a chic sports watch in lightweight, shock-proof titanium that is extremely resistant to corrosion. The Club’s logo on the navy blue dial with silver markers adds a touch of exclusivity, while the alligator skin stitched on rubber strap is designed to resist the corrosive effects of sea water. Beware – this is a very limited edition with only 250 produced!
The Roux dynasty of marine painters from Marseille on show in Monaco From 10 to 25 September 2011 in the Yacht Club de Monaco Clubhouse, in collaboration with the Galerie Stammegna et Associé from Marseille, this exhibition brings together for the first time in one venue 30-plus original paintings by the Roux dynasty, alongside a model of the 1921 vessel Kersaint. Inaugurated by HSH Prince Albert II and HRH Princess Caroline, it puts the spotlight on this family of marine painters from the 18th and 19 th century.
Jacques Perrin, Personnalité de la Mer 2011 Saturday evening was a particularly glamorous event at the Oceanographic Museum when journalist Laurence Ferrari presented Jacques Perrin, actor, director and producer with the Personnalité de la Mer 2011 prize. “Do I dare receive a prize when Robin is here – but it means a lot to me to know that people who understand the sea recognise some virtue in my films,” he said. As Bernard d’Alessandri, Secretary General of the YCM reminded everyone:
“This prize was created not just to recognise sailors but those who work towards a better understanding of the sea and are therefore defending its interests.”
The next Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe will be 11 to 15 September 2013.
The Winners Manoeuverability Prize (motorboat)
1st: IDA (Erio Matteri)
Poker Run (motorboat)
1st : DEAR VAL (Melle Anne-Laure Nicolas)
Classic Yacht Regatta – Classic category
3rd : SUHAIL (Francesco Dell’Olio Lespine)
2nd: GALVANA (Borja Pella)
1st: ARCADIA (Louis David Housez)
Classic Yacht Regatta – Vintage Marconi category
3rd: HELEN K33 (Jeff Ventre)
2nd: LEONORE (Brad Swain)
1st: ROWDY (Jonathan Greenwood)
Classic Yacht Regatta – Vintage Gaff-Rig category
3rd: AVEL (Christopher Austin)
2nd: KELPIE (Olive Pelham)
1st: BONA FIDE (Giuseppe Giordano)
Classic Yacht Regatta – Big Boat category
3rd: SUNSHINE (Peter Wood) – 1st in real time (schooner and ketch)
2nd: CAMBRIA (Chris Barkham) – 1st in real time (cutter and sloop)
1st: MARIQUITA (Jim THOM)
Classic Yacht Regatta – 15 M IR
1st: MARISKA (Christian Niels)
Trophée d’Elégance
Winner: ISTROS (Roger Bolton)
Monaco Classic Week 2011 Trophy
Winner: MARIQUITA (Jim Thom)
Monaco Classic Week 2011 - Image credit to Carlo Borlenghi
Chefs Competition
Prix d’excellence – 3rd: Silvio Goffi, chef on M/Y Montrevel
2nd: Rhonda Butler, chef on M/Y Istros
1st: Bénédicte Cochard, chef on M/Y Over The Rainbow
Special Prize: Wayfarer
Prix d’honneur – 4th equal: Sato Taakatos
