The Principality witnessed a world-first thisweek, when Massimiliano Mordenti, official pilot of the Fédération Monégasque de Motonautique and co-founder of the Offroad Club Monaco, completed a record-breaking jet ski crossing powered entirely by bioethanol…
Leaving the Yacht Club de Monaco at 1:10 p.m., Mordenti steered his craft to Italy’s Gallinara Island and back, covering the route in just over three hours. He arrived back at Port Hercule to cheers from supporters and a press briefing celebrating what is now pending recognition as a new Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) world record.
The journey was about more than speed. Conceived by the Offroad Club Monaco, the attempt was designed to prove that high-performance watersports can be conducted sustainably. Mordenti’s jet ski ran exclusively on bioethanol and trialled a 3D-printed spill-proof refuelling cap created by engineer Andrea Pezzini of Floating Life. Made from recycled high-density polyethylene with brass ducts, the system allowed quick, leak-free refuelling at sea and zero impact on the marine ecosystem.
With backing from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the patronage of the Italian Embassy, the challenge underlined the Principality’s growing reputation as a laboratory for environmentally responsible innovation. The Yacht Club de Monaco not only hosted the start and finish but provided technical expertise and logistical support alongside the Fédération Monégasque de Motonautique and a roster of international sponsors.
For Mordenti, the feat was as symbolic as it was sporting. The Offroad Club Monaco’s motto, “The wake of Monaco,” reflects a commitment to leaving the Principality to take on ambitious challenges before returning home with values of sport, peace and respect for nature intact. Monday’s crossing placed Monaco firmly at the forefront of a new era of eco-conscious maritime competition.
