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Month: April 2022

Roca Team humbled in Greece

by: Luke Entwistle
21/04/2022

AS Monaco Basketball recorded a record-low scoring tally for the season as they were beaten comprehensively by Olympiacos (71-54) in the first-leg of their Euroleague play-off tie on Wednesday.

Coach Sasa Obradovic told Monaco Life pre-match that their good form going into the play-off would count for nothing, and that they should “put it aside”, and so it transpired. Despite beating Olympiacos in the regular season, they were swatted aside by a dominant Olympiacos, who never yielded their tight grip on the fixture.

Obradovic also warned about the atmosphere inside the Peace and Friendship Stadium, which was at fever-pitch throughout. Monaco did manage to slightly dampen the mood in the first-quarter. A resilient Monegasque defence severely limited the home side’s scoring opportunities, as they registered a mere eight points.

Roared on by their crowd, Olympiacos fought back. Aleksandar Zezenkov and Konstantinos Sloukas were prominent in an unreplied nine-point streak at the beginning of the second-quarter. That was just a sign of things to come, as Monaco struggled to keep pace with the runaway Greeks. By the end of the quarter, their lead had not just been wiped out, they also headed back into the dressing rooms with a seven-point deficit (33-26).

Thereafter, Olympiacos managed the game, gradually growing their advantage. The Roca Team’s prominent figures of the last weeks and months were kept largely quiet. Mike James (10) and Donta Hall (10) finished as Monaco’s joint-top scorers, but neither of them had the same level of influence as they have done in their recent streak that made them one of the most formidable sides in Europe.

Post-match, Obradovic discussed the lessons to be learnt from the tie. “For the second match, we need to manage our emotions better, keep control and avoid falling in the atmosphere around us,” said the Serbian.

Paris Lee, meanwhile, was defiant ahead of the second-leg, which takes place in the same stadium on Friday. “We have the ability to respond much better. On Friday, we will have our backs to the wall, we recognise this kind of match.”

A response from Obradovics’ men is necessary to keep the tie alive coming into the home leg at the Salle Gaston Medecin next Wednesday.

 

 

Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball

 

 

 

Ventimiglia steps up appeal with ‘Beyond food’ festival

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/04/2022

The urban regeneration project Marina di Ventimiglia, overlooking the new Monaco-owned Cala del Forte port, on Wednesday launched its first summer event combining culture, food and wine.

Marina di Ventimiglia is a major new construction project designed to boost the appeal of this Italian Riviera city to a more luxuriously-minded international clientele.

The main part, Borgo del Forte, will include a high-end hotel, luxury apartments, and gastronomic restaurants, as well as tennis courts, an events hall, and an international school.

To create some buzz while all of that is being created, the team behind the project, Marina Development Corporation (MDC), in conjunction with the City of Ventimiglia, is organising a summer festival titled ‘Beyond Food’.

Launched on Wednesday in the presence of the Mayor of Ventimiglia Gaetano Scullino and MDC CEO Giuseppe Noto, the culture, food and wine festival will run from May to September 2022, linking all three subjects.

“I thank Marina Development Corporation for this important initiative that enriches our city with a further lustre,” said Mayor Gaetano Scullino.

Second from left: MDC CEO Giuseppe Noto, Mayor of Ventimiglia Gaetano Scullino, and Photojournalist Steve McCurry. 

Firstly, the festival will feature a ‘Food’ exhibition by famed photographer Steve McCurry, the American photojournalist behind Afghan Girl, which is scheduled to take place from 7th May to 4th September at Forte dell’Annunziata, an ancient fortress built in the early 19th Century and featuring one of the most magnificent sea views in the world. The exhibition, sponsored by the Municipality of Ventimiglia and curated by Biba Giacchetti, will showcase 70 photographs by the four-time World Press Photo Contest winner, testifying to how food remains a central element for mankind and is the direct expression of cultures and territories. The exhibition, titled ‘Cibo’, forces the viewer in to a deeper reflexion and awareness of how food, fundamentally important for life, is actually present in different ways on different parts of the Planet.

Fishermen, Weligama, South coast, Sri Lanka, 1995

“Our commitment to enhance Ventimiglia continues today with the promotion of Oltre il Cibo, an internationally renowned exhibition that fits very well into our idea of ​​developing the Marina di Ventimiglia – a large urban regeneration project with a strong Italian vocation but international in scope, which intends to complete the new tourist port with the construction of a village for hotel and residential use as well as a campus managed by an international school in the Campasso area, ” said MDC CEO Giuseppe Noto.

On the weekend following the inauguration of the exhibition, Friday 13th and Saturday 14th May, the first edition of the Ventimiglia Wine Masterclass will be held, hosted by experienced Wine Educator and founder of wine-club.it Cristina Mercuri. The first masterclass will focus on sparkling wines, journeying from Italy to France, and passing through Spain and South Africa. The second masterclass, ‘Reds even in summer’, aims to dispel the myth that red wines should only be reserved for the winter months. Both events will take place in the heart of the historic centre of Ventimiglia.

On Friday 8th and Saturday 9th July, in the Marconi square of the Marina di Ventimiglia, two exceptional mixologists will create three cocktails inspired by the Ligurian Riviera – Vincenzo Pagliara of Laboratorio Folkloristico, winner of the Gambero Rosso award as the Best Cocktail Bar in Campania, and Dom Carella, founder of Carico Milano, an eclectic venue named the best Cocktail Bar in Italy in 2021 by Gambero Rosso. Both events will be accompanied by a DJ set by Francesco Bacci of Lowtopic.

Finally, Eron, one of the most popular Italian graffiti artists, will transform a wall in the historic centre of Ventimiglia into a work of art in June to encourage reflection on the geopolitical context, borders and freedom.

For information and ticket purchase, visit https://oltreilcibo.it

 

SEE ALSO:

The ribbon is cut at Cala del Forte

 

 

 

New format for Princess Charlene Foundation water bike challenge

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/04/2022

The Riviera Water Bike Challenge is back this summer, in a different format but with all the excitement of previous years, as well as a chance for the public to try out the water bikes for themselves at the Yacht Club of Monaco.

The Riviera Water Bike Challenge is an annual fundraiser for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, and this year it will support the drowning prevention programme ‘Swim for Safety’ aimed at underprivileged children in Sri Lanka.

It is set to be held on 5th June, starting and ending at the Yacht Club of Monaco (YCM).

Unlike the previous challenge in 2020 that stretched between Monaco and Calvi in Corsica, spectators will this year be able to enjoy the race first-hand on the Solarium of the Digue Rainier III, as teams of five compete in a water bike relay race on the Port of Monaco. Teams will be made up of sports celebrities and sports enthusiasts, making for an exciting race and a family-friendly day of water sports and entertainment.

In March, people who wished to sponsor a team and participate in the challenge were given the opportunity to test out the water bikes at the YCM, drawing more than 50 people.

Now, the Foundation is offering a second chance to try out the water bikes, this time on 27th April between 2pm and 6pm, when the Foundation’s team will be on hand to give supervised trials.

In case of unfavourable weather, the day will be postponed to a later date.

So far, there has been no mention of whether Princess Charlene herself will be participating this year, but her brother and Secretary General of the Princess Charlene Foundation Gareth Wittstock has been training at the YCM and will almost assuredly be part of one of the competing teams.

Previous participants include F1 Champion Nico Rosberg, Olympian and world record holder for the women’s marathon Paula Radcliffe, and endurance athlete and Guinness World Record holder Mathew Bennett.

For more information or to book a test slot, visit the website at www.rwbc@fpcm.mc or phone on +377 98 98 99 99.

 

SEE ALSO:

Princess’ Serenity wins The Crossing water bike challenge

 

 

 

 

 

New access rules for Port Hercule swimming pool

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/04/2022

The Rainier III Nautical Stadium will reopen on Monday 2nd May with a new ticketing system, pricing policy and access. Here is everything you need to know.

Following the closure of the winter ice-skating rink, the public will, from the start of May, once again be able to enjoy the swimming pool at the Stade Nautique Rainier III as well as all the activities and lessons offered by the aquatic complex: swimming, aquagym and aquabike.

However, the Mairie has introduced some new features this season.

The site will become non-smoking, with the exception of a landscaped area.

There is also a new ticketing system with access control and a new pricing policy. Visitors must have a ticket or a name card in order to unlock the access turnstiles to the swimming pool, and with this new access control, any exit will be final.

Meanwhile, the ticketing system will be in line with that of the Saint-Charles swimming pool, meaning entry and reservations will be centralised on the same card and can be used within the two swimming pools.

The card will give each user the opportunity to make purchases, recharge their balance, and book aquatic lessons. Customers with old cards or tickets can use them up completely before switching to the new card.

In addition to buying a single ticket or a card of 10 daily entries, customers will also have the option of choosing an hourly pass, available in 10 or 30 hours.

All 2022 prices and timetables are available on the Maire de Monaco website: https://www.mairie.mc/poles/sports-et-loisirs/loisirs/stade-nautique-rainier-iii-tarifs -2022.

 

 

Photo by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

Monaco puts out call for young street artists

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/04/2022

The Junior Street Art Challenge is returning this summer where three teams of young artists will have a chance to show their talents on the Casino’s Terrasses du Soleil.

The Junior Street Art Challenge, created in 2019 as part of Urban Painting Around the World (UPAW), is back for 2022 after a two-year hiatus brought on by the pandemic.

“The competition had been a great success during its first edition, but the 2020 and 2021 sessions had to be cancelled due to the health situation,” said the Mairie in its press release.

In order to participate, students going to school in Monaco from 4eme to Terminale are invited to throw their hat in the ring to be one of the teams showing off their creativity based on a selected theme and using three panels measuring 150cm x 150cm as a canvas.

The competition is limited to only three teams, composed of a maximum of five students. The teams will be accepted on a “first come, first served” basis, meaning that the first three teams to submit completed dossiers will be automatically selected.

Artists must complete the form available on the Mairie website and submit it no later than 20th May to the communication department by either email or post. The form must be accompanied by a letter of motivation presenting the team and the orientations that will be given to its creation, as well as a parental authorisation letter.

The jury will be comprised of internationally known street artists, making the contest an exciting way for budding artists to meet real artists doing the same kind of work that is inspiring them.

The Junior Street Art Challenge runs from 17th to 20th June and features live performances by urban artists, as well as the competitors, who will be forming their creations at the same time.

The event will benefit the Initiative for Human-Wildlife Cohabitation, sponsored by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which has several worldwide projects on the go including an Amur tiger conservation programme on the Chinese-Russian border, a project to help Tanzanian farmers adapt their practices to accommodate elephant migration, a study of St. Lawrence Beluga whales in Canada, and sea turtle protection strategies in Mozambique.

 

 

 

Lack of natural snow no deterrent on season

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/04/2022

Isola 2000 and Auron both closed their slopes on Monday after a winter with little snowfall, but the season was deemed a success nonetheless with the help of artificial snow.

Local ski resorts Isola 2000 and Auron have both made it to the traditional end of the ski season by the skin of their teeth. With a winter of disappointing snowfall averages, the stations were able to stay open this long thanks to the artificial snow they’ve been pumping out all season.

Isola has not seen any new snow since 3rd April and is on drought alert, with locals making reference to the alarming dip.

“We had two or three times less snowfall than usual,” Christian Belpois, a ski instructor since 1974, told France 3.

“Such little natural snow is extremely rare in Isola 2000,” Mylène Agnelli, the mayor of Isola, added. “Indeed, the equivalent of 1.5 meters of snow fell on the town this winter. It is unheard of.”

The season was made possible by the snow cannons which spread 550,000m3 of artificial white stuff, but the lack of “real” snow didn’t deter snow bunnies from making the trip up. After two seasons of denial due to the pandemic, skiers were just happy to be on the slopes and without masks.

In Auron, the feeling was roughly the same. The resort opened 23 out of 43 slopes and was operational for 129 days. Over 2.2 million people used the stations ski lifts during this time with 15th February being a peak day of 5,668 skiers and snowboarders.

This year, foreign tourists represented about 10% of stays, said Director of the Auron tourist office Pascal Lequenne. “In December, they couldn’t come, we found them from February, mainly British and Scandinavians.” 

Despite the lower numbers and lack of snow, the year was considered pretty positive and lasted until the traditional end of the season. Now, snow enthusiasts can look forward to 2022-23, when hopefully Mother Nature will comply with their needs a bit better.

 

 

Photo source: Isola 2000