Yacht Club de Monaco: Flagship events in 2024!
A number of major events are scheduled at the YCM this year (Photo © Mesi/Yacht Club Monaco)
After commemorating 70 years of the Monaco Yacht Club last year, the celebrations will continue in 2024 with the 10th anniversary of the new Club House, designed by Lord Foster.
The calendar’s schedule is in keeping with the ambition of the “Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting” initiative, launched by the Yacht Club to promote the Principality as a centre of excellence in the field.
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14th Monaco Optimist Team Race (10-14 January)
Starting on 10 January, the international elite of Optimist team-racing will be heading to Monaco. 17 nations (United States, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Monaco among them) will be represented by 72 sailors aged under 14.
Organised in match race format, the competition will consist of duels between teams of four. A total of 153 rounds are scheduled to be fought out in Monegasque waters.
16th Economic Symposium (8 February)
The 16th edition of this annual industry event will focus on the French Riviera’s significant economic might in the yachting industry.
Organised in the form of a dinner-debate, the aim of the La Belle Classe Superyachts symposium, which brings together yacht owners and professionals by invitation, is to analyse the yachting sector, explore its developments and gain a better understanding of its challenges and issues.
Primo Cup-Trophée UBS (7-10 March)
The best international J/70 crews will meet again for the continuation of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, Act 3 (8-11 February). Over the last eleven years, this series of monthly regattas has become an unmissable fixture on the winter calendar.
Currently led by the Monegasque crew of Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio’s G-Spot, the series promises to be hotly contested. To round off the winter season, the J/70s will meet one last time in Act 4 (7-10 March).
The weekend will coincide with the 40th Primo Cup-Trophée UBS, which will bring together the Smeralda 888s, the Longtze Premiers, the RS 21s, the Cape 31s — not forgetting the Surprises.
March will conclude on an equally sporting note with the second Women Leading and Sailing Trophy (15-17 March), an all-female J/70 event organised in collaboration with the Monegasque and French Sailing Federations.
Monaco Ocean Week (18-22 March)
During Monaco Ocean Week, organised by the Prince Albert II Foundation along with the Monaco Oceanographic Institute and the Centre Scientifique de Monaco, the Yacht Club has been entrusted with the yachting aspect of the week, which is dedicated to protecting the oceans.
On Thursday 21 March, the Y.C.M. will be hosting a series of three events, starting with the 13th Environmental Symposium. Following on from the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous, organised in September by M3 (Monaco Marina Management), the Y.C.M. will be hosting the 2nd Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous on 21 and 22 March.
This networking event aims to make the yachting industry more ethical by encouraging exchanges of ideas and introducing innovations for a more sustainable industry. The event will conclude with the presentation of the Smart Innovative Yacht Awards.
Thursday 21 March will conclude with the presentation of the 4th YCM Explorer Awards by La Belle Classe Superyachts. Organised under the presidency of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, this ceremony has been rewarding yacht owners who have distinguished themselves by their commitment to preserving the marine environment, both in the design of their yachts and in their sailing, since 2018.
Superyacht Chef Competition (4 April)
For five years now, superyacht chefs have been meeting at the Y.C.M. to test their skills in the Superyacht Chef Competition, a unique gastronomic contest organised by the Club in collaboration with Bluewater.
The idea is simple: to bring together 9 chefs who work at sea and watch them work their magic in cooking areas inspired by the limited confines of the kitchens on some yachts. “As part of La Belle Classe Academy, the Y.C.M.’s training centre, this event attracts professionals and the general public alike, providing a unique perspective on the different professions in yachting,” says Bernard d’Alessandri, General Secretary of the Y.C.M.
Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (1-6 July)
For over 10 years, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, a hub for new technologies and alternative energies, has been bringing together young engineers from schools and universities across the world, putting them in touch with key figures in the yachting industry.
In 2023, 46 teams representing 31 universities and 25 nations demonstrated the effectiveness of their shared, open source solutions. This year, SBM Offshore – also an event partner, for the fifth year in a row – will be installing a floating pontoon that will start producing green hydrogen from January on, to supply the participating teams ahead of the event.