Maserati MSG Racing squandered the chance for a double-point-scoring finish during the Portland ePrix on Saturday as Nick Cassidy took the chequered flag in an exciting race in Oregon.
The Monégasque brand have experienced something of a return to form in the second half of the ninth Formula E season. Both cars looked set for good points-scoring finishes, but contact between Max Günther and Edoardo Mortara late in the race put pay to ambitions of making advancements in the constructors’ standings.
Late puncture leads to Mortara DNF
At one point, Günther, who has won MSG Racing’s only race of the season so far, in Jakarta, was at one point in third place. However, dropped down to fourth late in the race, he was then squeezed off the track by Sam Bird, demoting him down to ninth.
Mortara was in seventh, but as Günther made his way back through the field, he made contact with his Swiss teammate. In the incident, Mortara, who last season fought for the championship title, suffered a puncture, forcing his retirement. Günther finished six, but the race promised so much more for MSG, who once again showed good pace.
The race to take the chequered flag went down to the final corner. Monaco ePrix winner Nick Cassidy looked to be struggling for power going into the final corner, but just clung onto the victory ahead of pole-sitter Jake Dennis, who overtook Felix Da Costa on the final lap.
“We leave Portland with mixed emotions.”
Dennis, the leader in the drivers’ standings, is just one point ahead of Cassidy with just four races remaining in the season.
Post-race, MSG team principal James Rossiter reflected on the race weekend. “Unfortunately, we leave Portland with mixed emotions. On the one hand, it was good to bring home another good haul of points, but on the other, deeply frustrating to miss out on what could have been a strong result for both of our cars. Max made contact with Edo’s right-rear tyre to cause a puncture during the final laps – a small mistake with points implications,” said the Englishman.
The grid heads to Rome in mid-July for two races before a double header in London at the end of next month to conclude the season.
In a month’s time, one man will set off from Cape Town on an epic journey through Africa. His attempt is about more than breaking world records: it is an adventure Keith Boyd hopes will right the disillusionment of young Africans and inspire them to take their destinies into their own hands.
Yes, you read that right. A run of over 10,000 kilometres using manpower alone along a cross-continent route through Africa, from Cape Town in the south to Cairo in the north. And the man willing – and eager – to undertake such a gargantuan task? Keith Boyd, a 57-year-old retired telecoms entrepreneur and Monaco resident.
He shares his story and the goals behind his Cape Town to Cairo expedition with Monaco Life in the run-up to the great “Rainbow Runner” run.
A man and his dream
Boyd is a Monaco resident, having moved to the Principality in 2018 whilst in the midst of winding down a high-powered career in the telecoms industry; he was one of the founders of a telecommunications towers company that he helped build up before selling to American Tower.
“I stayed on as one of the senior executives in American Tower for four years after the sale, until I retired in 2021,” he tells Monaco Life.
Keith Boyd, the 57-year-old non-professional athlete attempting to run from Cape Town to Cairo. Photo supplied
The 57-year-old, who holds British and South African citizenship, founded a charity called RainbowLeaders in 2017 and it is in this charity’s name that he has decided to make an attempt at running the full length of Africa.
“I wanted to find a way to change the downward socio-economic trajectory that South Africa has been on for the last 10 to 15 years,” he says. “With the economy growing slower than the population, the inevitable consequence is that unemployment, poverty and inequality have all continued to rise. And the youth, those under 29 years of age, have largely disengaged as they are disillusioned with political leadership in the country. Less than 20% of young voters bother to vote, with turnout being as low as 7% in recent local elections.”
RainbowLeaders visits schools, as Boyd will do during the course of his expedition, to talk to 16 to 19-year-olds about the importance of choosing wise and honest leaders.
“However, we will never support nor criticise any political party, as we must remain a-political in order to maintain credibility,” he explains.
The goal
The mission is to make it from Cape Town to Cairo, a feat of more than 10,000 kilometres, in less than 318 days if Boyd is to break a 25-year-old world record held by fellow Brit Nicholas Bourne. But this adventure is about much more than just that.
“Far more importantly, [it will be about] engaging with and educating young people about the importance of voting for their government leaders, and then holding them accountable to do what they promised to do,” Boyd tells Monaco Life. “Only through responsible leadership can a country’s economy grow faster than its population, thereby reducing unemployment, poverty and inequality.”
Ultimately, Boyd hopes to raise €2 million or more in the name of RainbowLeaders during the run.
“The expedition is already fully funded and will go ahead,” he adds.
The route from Cape Town to Cairo
Boyd left Monaco on 20th June, having spent the last few months ramping up training that saw him undertake a daily four-hour run and is unlikely to return until March or April 2024. His destination was Cape Town, Boyd’s former homebase and the launchpad for what will be a truly epic adventure.
“In terms of training, I’m 57-years-old and have never been a professional athlete, so it’s been pretty brutal lately. I’m currently averaging over 30 kilometres per day, every day, and will peak at just above 40 kilometres per day in early July, before I taper the training so that I’m ready to start from Cape Town on 26th July,” he explains.
From there, he will need to maintain a marathon distance every single day for a full 280 days if he is to stand a chance of beating the pre-existing record for the Cape Town to Cairo run.
The route Keith Boyd and his team have mapped out for the upcoming expedition. Photo courtesy of Rainbow Runner
The next “stop” will be in Botswana, then onto Lusaka in Zambia towards the end of September.
“From there, if the situation in Sudan has stabilised, we shall continue northwards through Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt,” says Boyd. “If the situation in Sudan has not stabilised by end September, we will take a slightly longer, more central route, heading through Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Chad, the south east of Libya and into Egypt. The attempt will require me to run more than a marathon a day, without rest days, for approximately nine months.”
The team behind him
“The challenge over such a long period of time will be maintaining muscle mass in my legs as this is critically important for joint strength and stability [as well as] hips, knees and ankles… But I’ve got some great advice from renowned ex-Olympian and sports specialist Prof. Greg Whyte as well as extreme endurance runner Dr. Andrew Murray,” Boyd explains. “And, of course, I want to avoid food poisoning, malaria, wound and blister infections etc. so team hygiene, food storing and preparation will be critical things that we simply have to be very disciplined about.”
Boyd will be accompanied in person by a field paramedic who will be on hand to assist with any emergency care he might need on the journey as well as provide a professional insight into nutrition and recovery. The medic will be charged with monitoring Boyd’s weight, measurements and vital stats every day.
A videographer will also be tagging along to record the adventure as well as two security personnel. These latter two team members will likely change along the route for linguistic and cultural reasons. The team has had two 4×4 vehicles specially outfitted for the trip and branded in the signature rainbow colours of Boyd’s foundation.
The task for expedition manager Wendy Matthee, who will remain in Cape Town, seems almost as overwhelming in terms of admin as it will be physically for Boyd. She will be managing all issues related to logistics, sponsorship, Guinness World Records and travel, although she will get some support from a specialist for this field of expertise. Matthee will also be coordinating with a social media team, who will document Boyd’s travels daily in an effort to bolster his fundraising goals.
Keith Boyd and his wife, Shelley Boyd. Photo supplied
Africa: a place of inspiration
“I love the beauty and authenticity of Africa and its people,” says Boyd. “I have spent most of my life working and travelling in Africa, and all three of my children were born there, so I want to make a difference and inspire other Africans to turn their dreams into action, and especially to think critically about who we choose as political leaders. I could not achieve this by running through Europe or the USA, which would be somewhat easier I expect.”
With the countdown on until Boyd departs on his once-in-a-lifetime experience, support is being warmly welcomed via the RainbowLeaders website. Click here to read more about the foundation and its programmes, as well as to donate.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay route has been revealed, with Nice among 65 cities to host the iconic relay in June.
On Friday 23rd June, the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 unveiled the next Olympic Torch Relay route in the symbolic Sorbonne University, where Pierre de Coubertin held the founding speech for the Modern Olympic Games.
The Torch Relay will start in Olympia on 16th April 2024 with the arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille on 8th May from Athens, Greece.
Its 68-day journey will then officially begin, taking in 65 French territories courtesy of 10,000 Torch bearers visiting some of the most iconic and historic places in the host nation.
Image source: olympics.com
Olympic Torch Relay in Nice
On 18th June, the flame will arrive in Nice after completing an ‘Oceans Relay’ of five overseas territories: Guadeloupe, French Guyane, Martinique, French Polynesia and the Réunion.
After Nice, the torch is expected to travel through Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Cannes, Grasse, Villefranche-sur-mer, Valberg and La Colmiane.
It is set to be a huge celebration, designed to create excitement in the lead up to the Paris Games which are due to kick off on Friday 26th July 2024.
The “Forerunners Relay”
Also called “Forerunners Relay”, it will highlight the beauty and diversity of France – its history, outstanding panoramas, expertise, traditions, talents, creators and innovators – and announce the return of the Olympic Summer Games, 100 years after France last hosted the event.
“Today, we are proud to unveil the route of the Olympic Torch Relay, which will be more than a circuit around France in 68 days. It will showcase the incredible breadth of our country: Heritage, landscapes, museums, performing arts… And of course, its inhabitants,” said Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.
The Olympic flame will visit the likes of the medieval fortress of Carcassonne (Occitanie), the Chateau de Versailles, and the Chateaux of the Loire Valley. It will illuminate architectural masterworks like churches and abbeys, including the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, and highlight some of the major figures who inspired and contributed to French culture such as Jeanne d’Arc, hero of the Hundred Years’ War, in Orléans.
The Relay will travel through more than 400 cities including 65 stage cities. Torch bearers will cover an average distance of 200 metres each.
The legendary Tom Jones will be joined by top talent including Herbie Hancock and the Tower of Power at the Nice Jazz Festival next month.
This year, the Théâtre de Verdure and Place Masséna will host talented musicians from all over the world for four spectacular nights of music. The diverse schedule has not only great jazz, but also contemporary and world music, giving the event a “something-for-everyone” appeal.
The artists set to perform include the five-time grammy winner Dianne Reeves, Herbie Hancock, Tower of Power, jazz bassist Dave Holland, powerful disco singer Juliette Armanet, Latin-Caribbean artists Yuri Buenaventura and Roberto Fonseca, and eclectic performer -M-… Not forgetting the headline act Tom Jones!
HISTORY
Nice Jazz dates back to 1948 and counts itself as the world’s first ever dedicated jazz festival. That first year, the event took place in February, after Carnival, in the opera house and the old casino on Place Masséna. It was broadcast live on French radio and featured the incomparable Louis Armstrong as the top billed act.
SIDE EVENTS
In addition to the festival, which will have performances running at both venues simultaneously, there are plenty of side events too this July, such as Jazz Off on 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 16th July on the hill of the Château, which will feature the Boom Brass Band, the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra, a swing master class, and music from The Peaky Sliders.
There will also be the return of Nice Jazz Festival Sessions. The line-up hasn’t been released yet, but the organisers say it will be coming soon.
The Nice Jazz Festival runs from 18th to 21st July. Tickets start at €40, with two-day passes going for €75. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
Princess Charlene headed down to the beachfront in Larvotto to look on as students from the Principality took part in her eponymous foundation’s Water Safety Day.
The Princess wasn’t the only celebrity figure to participate at this year’s Water Safety Day in Monaco. World freediving record holder Pierre Frolla as well as a host of other sporting personalities, including Swim-Run champions Kate Williams and Alexandre Bermond, and taekwondo Olympic medalist Marlene Harnois, were all on hand to help the 100 Monaco-educated students hone and practise their skills at sea.
“Having these champions present reinforces the drowning prevention message and helps create positive inspiration for children,” says the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
The students were taught life-saving techniques such as CPR and the recovery position. Photo credit: Eric Mathon / Palais Princier de Monaco
Coastal Rescue world champion Julien Lalanne was also present to supervise workshops and shared his stories with the 5th grade classes of the Charles III College, 6th graders from the Institution François D’Assise-Nicolas Barré and pupils from the CM2 classes of the Ecole de la Condamine.
The young students were taught how to perform a coastal rope rescue, how to use rescue tubes and rescue boards, and the potentially life-saving skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). A new environmental and climate awareness workshop wrapped up a hands-on day of learning.
The event, held on 22nd June, was co-organised by the Monegasque Sea Academy, the Monaco Red Cross and the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
It followed on from a similar Water Safety Day organised by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation that was held last week in Calvi, Corsica. The Water Safety Days are held annually.
Against the backdrop of a meeting of the Small States of Europe, representatives from Monaco and Cyprus convened to discuss the possibility of future partnerships between the two Mediterranean nations.
Founded in Monaco in 2006 by Stéphane Valeri, the Conference of Presidents of the Parliaments of the Small States of Europe (CPPPEE) is an annual meeting with the purpose of strengthening interparliamentary relations between the nine small states of Europe.
Thus, representative from Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino gathered from 18th to 20th June in Luxembourg to discuss the issues and challenges facing their nations.
In a separate meeting held outside the conference, Monaco’s National Council President Brigitte Boccone-Pagès met with Annita Demetriou, the president of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, to consider ways to strengthen their relationship.
Cyprus and Monaco already have economic ties. In 2018, Monaco Telecom became a nearly 50% shareholder in the country’s second largest and fastest growing telecom company, MTN, which has since been renamed Epic. It was a €260 million deal.
During the recent meeting, Boccone-Pagès and Demetriou agreed to a series of regular videoconferences over the next 12 months, which will give them a platform to discuss a range of topics of common interest, with a particular emphasis on the digital economy.
