Month: August 2016

In Monaco, a country that traditionally places great importance on sport, everything is ready for one of the great events of the padel season, the Monte-Carlo Padel Master, a stage of the World Padel Tour (WPT) championships, which will take place from September 6 to 11. This tournament, first held in September last year, will therefore consolidate its presence on the sporting scene and confirm Monaco as an unmissable venue on the WPT’s annual calendar for the thousands of amateurs and professionals who follow all of the stages of the circuit every year.

A major innovation for the 2016 event is the Fabrice Pastor Trophy, which will be awarded to the winners of the Monaco Master. The trophy was exclusively created by the jewellery company Cartier for Mr Fabrice Pastor, founder of the Monte-Carlo International Sports Company, the organisers and promoters of the Monte-Carlo Padel Master.

The world’s best male and female players will gather at the Fontvieille Big Top, the multipurpose venue that will be specially adapted for the occasion. Two courts will be set up – an indoor court for the tournament matches and a PRO-AM, and an outdoor court to be used for warm-ups for the players and various other activities.

The 2016 event will also include a women’s tournament, like the other Masters on the circuit, with the first women’s matches to take place in the Soleil Padel Club in Beausoleil.

Fabrice Pastor, Managing Director and Promoter of Monte-Carlo International Sports, initiated this major project. As an entrepreneur who has been a padel player for several years, he is committed to help develop this sport in the Principality and worldwide. Monte-Carlo International Sports also sponsors professional players, opening a padel club on the Côte d’Azur and supporting women’s padel.

Tickets are on sale on the event’s website.

Big changes are in store for the harbour of Fontvielle, with the arrival of two new floating platforms that will form part of the outer harbour. The first of these will arrive on Monday August 29, by sea from Marseille, where it was built. The second will follow a week later. The installation of these floating sea walls continues the reconstruction work on the port that started in February.

The two new platforms replace installations that were deemed to be no longer fit for purpose, having degraded over time, and were initially intended for use at Port Hercule. (Source: Communication Department)

Monaco welcome PSG in the third round of the French Ligue 1 on Saturday. The sides are separated by two points, Monaco on four and PSG on six. And although PSG has dominated France’s Ligue 1 for several years, history favours Monaco, who have won 18 of 43 meetings (D14 L11) including the most recent meeting in the last season where they beat the eventual league winners 2-0.

Although PSG are the more dominant side in recent times, the clash between these two has always been tense and capable of going any way – seven of the last ten have ended in draws. PSG have picked well in the change of reign from Laurent Blanc to Unai Emery, with four goals and two clean sheets in the first two matches, according to  footballscores24.com.

Edinson Cavani did not have much of an impact against Metz, but is likely to be included against Monaco for power and experience. The real threat in front of goal should be Lucas. Monaco were clearly outplayed by Villarreal in a champions league playoff this week, but won 1-0 anyway, and 3-1 aggregate. They may suffer the same against PSG, but this being Emery’s first game in charge of PSG against Monaco, a Monaco win is likely, according to a number of sports commentators.

France’s wine production has fallen by more than 10 percent this year compared to 2015, mainly due to bad weather since April, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday. Frost and hail in the spring were the main culprits, and later in the year a lack of rain also contributed to the poor season.

The areas most affected have been Champagne, Bourgogne and the Loire Valley. In Charentes, 3,600 hectares of vines were destroyed by frost and hail, with production down 16 percent. However, the recent hot weather may yet have a further impact on overall wine production in France.