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Day: 4 July 2022

Government: wash hands, social distance and mask up on transport

by: Cassandra Tanti
04/07/2022

Health authorities in Monaco are urging the population to return to hygiene measures designed to limit the spread of Covid as the next wave begins to grip the Principality and summer holidays approach.

Amidst a new rise in infections spurred by Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 throughout Monaco and neighbouring regions, the Prince’s Government on Monday released a public statement calling for “renewed vigilance”.

“Even if the increase in contamination is more contained in Monaco than in neighbouring regions, the figures show a renewed epidemic of Covid-19,” it said.

The incidence rate over the past seven days has risen to 748 in Monaco compared to 148 a month ago. In the Alpes-Marititmes, it has hit 1,071.

With the approach of summer holidays, and subsequent increase in travel and social interactions, health authorities are urging the population to reinstate personal health measures such as washing hands, wearing masks in crowded places such as public transport, and social distancing to protect themselves and others, “especially since the variants of the Covid-19 virus, currently in circulation, are highly contagious.”

They are also “strongly encouraging” people over the age of 60 and those with a high risk of developing a serious form of Covid-19 to get their free second booster shot, the 4th vaccine dose available.

Monaco is now offering two types of vaccines: a messenger RNA vaccine (Pfizer) and a vaccine that does not contain messenger RNA (Novavax).

In possible contact case situations, the government asks that people test and self-isolate in order to break the chains of contamination.

According to new data from researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, of Harvard Medical School, Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 appear to escape antibody responses among both those who have been fully vaccinated and boosted. However, Covid-19 vaccination is still expected to provide substantial protection against severe disease.

Pfizer and Moderna said that they have already started designing boosters based on Omicron’s BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants. They have now been encouraged to forge ahead with new formulations targeting the newer, more infections BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, which could be available as early as autumn 2022.

 

 

Photo source: Unsplash

 

 

Palais Honoria gaining more apartments and height

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/07/2022

The Monaco Municipal Council has approved the addition of 12 more apartments to the Honoria Palace, currently under construction.  

With building works already well underway, the Municipal Council voted in favour of a measure to add more apartments through the addition of extra floors to parts of the structure.

Located on Boulevard de Belgique and Boulevard du Jardin, the Honoria Palace was initially designed to have 65 apartments, but the government submitted a plan in 2019 that had the possibility of adding five stories to one building, which initially had three, and an additional level over the long tower, to make 15 stories.

That version would have seen a total of 84 apartments, as well as the two commercial sites, a creche, an office, 85 caves and 168 parking spaces.

According to Monaco Matin, this was challenged by François Lallemand who reminded the Council that “according to the regulations in force, only the lower part can be raised but by four levels.”

This led the Mairie’s advisory committee to a compromise whereby a total of 77 new apartments will be created, more than the initial but less than the hoped for 84.

 

 

Image projection of project: Deverini/Lott Architects

 

 

 

Princess back in action at Water Safety Day

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/07/2022

Water Safety Day returned to the shores of Monaco last week after a two year hiatus, welcoming 40 children for a day of rescue training workshops and lifesaving courses with Princess Charlene and her Foundation.

Organised by the Princess Charlene Foundation and the Académie Monégasque de Mer, Water Day Safety Day returned to Larvotto Beach to teach a group of kids from the 6th grade classes of the Collège Charles III and the Institution François D’Assise-Nicolas Barré the basics of lifesaving, water safety and first aid.

The workshops were led by Pierre Frolla, four-time world record holder of freediving and Ambassador of the Foundation, who worked alongside his team from the Académie Monégasque de Mer and the Monaco Red Cross. Additionally, Princess Charlene, an Olympic swimmer herself, was in attendance as a special treat.

During the course of the day, the children learned about inshore rope rescues, rescue tubes, nipper boards, musical sticks and CPR.

They also had the chance to meet a group of professional athletes and personalities, who at the end of the day participated in an Ocean Race, involving swimming, onshore relay races and rescue paddle races in the sea.

The celebrities enlisted by Pierre Frolla included Olympic swimming medallist Coralie Balmy, Olympian Muriel Hurtis, Ice Dance Olympic medallist Gwendal Peizerat, Olympic Alpine ski medallist Florence Masnada, Olympic Taekwondo medallist Marlene Harnois, Coastal Lifesaving world champ Julien Lalanne, Junior European Inshore Rescue champion Anthony Mazzer, swim-run champs Alexandre Bermond and Kate Williams, freediving world champion Remy Dubernm martial artist Claude Pouget, sport manager Matteo Testa and radio and TV host Marc Toesca

Click on the gallery below to see more images from Water Safety Day. Photos source: Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation… 

Repeat of 2021 podium at Monaco jumping competition

by: Luke Entwistle
04/07/2022

Austrian rider Max Kühner beat Darragh Kenny and Olivier Philippaerts to victory at the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco on Saturday, in an exciting repeat of last year’s podium.

It was Kühner’s first LGCT victory, and comes after he narrowly missed out on last year’s title in Monte-Carlo, where he rode the same horse – EIC Coriolis des Isles. After last year’s triumph, Kenny narrowly missed out on the top step of the podium. The Irishman, riding Volnay du Boisdeville, finished just 0.3 seconds behind the champion in a dramatic two-man jump-off. Philippaerts rounded off the podium, earning bronze in consecutive years at the prestigious jumping championship.

Kühner received the trophy from Prince Albert II under the floodlights at Port Hercule in front of a packed crowd, who had come to experience the thrilling climax to the 10th event of the LGCT season.

Afterwards, Kühner revealed his delight at having achieved his maiden trophy. “It was really important for me to catch Darragh this year because last year I was in the lead but he was just a bit faster than me so this year, I was really on a mission to beat him,” he said.

The Austrian continued, “Monaco is a very specific place, it is small and tiny but my horse really likes it and he is flying in the incredible atmosphere here. You can feel the spectators and it is special.”

The event is a long-standing and popular stop on the LGCT calendar, which garners large crowds. This year was no exception, although with a repeat podium, some in attendance under the lights at Port Hercule may have felt a hint of déjà vu.

 

 

Photo of Kasper de Boeck by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

Venturi hit the front in Marrakesh

by: Luke Entwistle
04/07/2022

It was a flawless weekend for ROKiT Venturi Racing in Morocco, as an Edoardo Mortara victory allowed both himself and his team to take the lead in their respective Formula E standings.

Mortara’s first-place finish, coupled with an impressive drive from Lucas di Grassi that saw the Brazilian make up seven positions on his way to fifth, gave Venturi the team’s standings lead in Marrakesh on Saturday.

Whilst cars squabbled and vied for position behind him, Mortara led a controlled race and the victory never looked in doubt. Starting behind DS Techeetah’s Félix da Costa, Mortara kept it clean off the line, and kept within striking distance of the Portuguese driver.

Mortara hit the front during the first round of power boosts as da Costa slipped down to third, and thereafter he never looked troubled. The DS Techeetah duo of da Costa and Jean-Eric Vergne tried to collectively hunt down the leader, giving themselves the best chance of doing so through the use of team orders. However, neither driver could get close as Mortara took the chequered flag to secure his third victory of the season.

Mortara’s day got even better during the final lap, as his closest title challenger, Vergne, was overtaken by New Zealand driver Mitch Evans to deny the Frenchman a podium, whilst da Costa consolidated second position.

That late switch, coupled with a spectacular di Grassi overtake at the penultimate corner of the final lap sweetened the taste of victory for Venturi, as it allowed them to inch past DS Techeetah in the team’s standings. The Monégasque brand now has a two-point lead with six rounds of the season remaining.

In the driver’s standings, Mortara leads Vergne by 11 points, whilst Monaco ePrix winner Stoffel Vandoorne is a further three points adrift.

Post-race, team principal Jérôme D’Ambrosio said, “We stuck to our strategy, executed it perfectly and it allowed us to deliver a strong haul of points to take the lead in both World Championships.”

He continued, “From here, we need to prepare for New York, be confident in our race prep and focus on the task at hand so we can maximise and take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way.”

Venturi and Mortara will be hoping to consolidate, or even grow, their respective leads in the next round of racing in New York in two weeks’ time as the championship hots up.

 

 

Photo source: Rokit Venturi Racing

 

 

 

Arthur Leclerc wins at Silverstone to join championship hunt

by: Luke Entwistle
04/07/2022

Whilst Charles Leclerc suffered another frustrating afternoon at the wheel of his single-seater Ferrari on Sunday, Arthur Leclerc succeeded where his brother failed by winning the F3 British GP.

Victory for Arthur takes him to second and within just six points of F3 championship leader Victor Martins. Post-race, the young Monégasque was congratulated by his brothers (Charles and Lorenzo), who both watched Arthur take the chequered flag at the iconic circuit.

Arthur looked racey from the offset. Having got a less than ideal launch, he was forced to defend his second position during the opening corners, but having done so, he immediately launched an assault on Zak O’Sullivan’s Carlin.

The Prema driver attempted an audacious move around the outside of Stowe corner, but after pulling it off, he was forced to give the position back as the safety car had been brought out midway through the move.

Leclerc did then take the lead on lap six with a move around the outside of Brooklands, which gave him the inside line heading into Luffield, allowing the move to stick.

Whereas a late safety car undid Charles’ race in the afternoon, as the Monégasque moved from a race-winning position to outside the podium places, Arthur remained unfazed. As he had since the beginning of the race, he held position with good pace and zero errors.

Behind him, O’Sullivan and Prema team-mate Oliver Bearman, both hoping to clinch second place in their home grand prix, had a spectacular late tussle all the way to the line. As the two went side-by-side into the final corner, it was O’sullivan who held position by just 0.051’s of a second.

Post-race, Arthur Leclerc said, “I’m really happy about the win, we gave everything. Finally, a good weekend from beginning to end. We had a good qualifying and started on the front row. It was a hard race to keep it in front, we had a lot of degradation with the rear tyres. I was struggling quite a lot with the tyres but in the end, we made it to P1. Now on to Austria.”

With wind in his sails, Leclerc will hope to carry his form into Austria next weekend, where the Prema and Ferrari academy driver could very feasibly take the lead of the F3 championship.

 

 

Photo source: Prema