Prince Albert II celebrates prestigious 2024 YCM Awards
Sailing School; Kids
The Monaco Yacht Club hosted the prestigious YCM Awards – UBS Trophy ceremony on Wednesday 18 December in the presence of the Sovereign of Monaco. It was a special event, not only to honour the great sporting achievements of its members, but also to highlight the club’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the yachting sector.
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With 2,500 members of 81 nationalities, the Monaco Yacht Club is helping to “make Monaco the premier destination for yachting, combining innovation and sustainability,” as Prince Albert II stressed in his opening speech at the YCM Awards 2024.
The Club’s values are reflected in the “Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting” initiative, which positions the YCM as a key player in ocean preservation and maritime innovation.
With this in mind, the YCM has also launched projects such as the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge and the SEA Index®, a pioneering environmental tool that assesses the CO2 emissions of yachts over 24 metres.
From left to right: Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio, Prince Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Océane Schroeder, Prince Albert II, Graeme Peterson, Alejandro Velez (Managing Director of UBS Monaco, Spain and Italy), Benoît de Froidmont, Vladimir Prosikhin and Kostia Belkin © Yacht Club de Monaco
Graeme Peterson and Océane Schroeder in the spotlight
The evening ended with the presentation of the YCM Awards – Trophée UBS. Britain’s Graeme Peterson won the prestigious award after an exceptional season — and for becoming vice-World Champion in the ClubSwan50 class in particular. In an emotional speech, he said: “This is a real honour and a great source of pride for my family and my team.”
Graeme Peterson, winner of the YCM Awards – UBS Trophy and Prince Albert II © Yacht Club de Monaco
In the youth category, victory went to Océane Schroeder, in light of her winning the Women’s Coupe Internationale de Printemps (Spring International Cup) in La Rochelle. The young sailor expressed her determination to continue improving, saying: “My aim is to win overall titles, and not just in the girls’ category.”
Océane Schroeder, winner of the YCM Youth Awards – UBS Trophy and Prince Albert II © Yacht Club de Monaco
A year of exceptional performances
2024 was a year of remarkable sporting achievements for Club members. For the first time, two YCM teams reached the America’s Cup Final: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Britannia, winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup, and Emirates Team New Zealand, which retained its title for the third time in a row. The Sovereign hailed this performance as a “real achievement.”
The club’s support for yachtsman Boris Herrmann, who is embarking on his second Vendée Globe, was also highlighted at the ceremony. Herrmann, who is currently sailing aboard Malizia – Seaexplorer, sent a video message from the southern oceans, talking about the extreme racing conditions and concluding with a hearty “Daghe Munegu.”
The achievements of YCM members also extend to motorboating, as demonstrated by Tomaso Polli’s Offshore World Champion title.
Setting the course for 2025: Between tradition and modernity
In 2025, the Monaco Yacht Club will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Tuiga gaff cutter, sailing under the Monegasque flag, and take part in the Admiral’s Cup, a major yachting event that is being revived after a 22-year gap.
Pierre Casiraghi, Vice-President of the YCM, explained that the project, supported by the Club and Team Malizia, represents a new source of inspiration for young sailors.