The 10th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge has started and will continue through Saturday. Organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco, it has established itself as a top meeting place for alternative energy sources, honouring a long tradition.
“Monaco has always been a mecca for yachting, since 1904 when the Principality organised the first powerboat meetings,” YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri said. Supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, BMW and SBM Offshore, the event has also attracted the attention of important shipyards such as Oceanco, Ferretti Group, Monaco Marine, Sanlorenzo, Lürssen and Palumbo SY Refit.
Jeremie Laguarrigue, president of the international jury, said: “We’re here with 46 teams, plenty of students but also companies. This is the biggest innovation of this year. There’s a strong relation between the yachting industry and universities. Because students from universities come with all the passion and the ambition to create new solutions but the industry is also presenting the need of yacht owners that want to have something which is affordable and reliable. Here it is possible to discover a lot of innovation around hydrogen propulsion, battery storage and solar panels. All of these in different categories: energy class, solar class and open sea class.”
For four days, 25 nations, 31 universities and some 50 teams in total, nearly 500 international students, will be competing on the sea in a range of contests. A grand Parade, sea trials, speed records (for all three classes: Solar, Energy and Open Sea), a fleet race, a 16 nautical mile race around marks or following the Monaco-Ventimiglia-Monaco route, endurance, manoeuvrability and slalom contests – all highlights that make up the programme.
