Monaco-based Venturi Group, through its Voxan brand, has played a pivotal role in helping Ohio State University (OSU) set four new world speed records.
The records were set from 25th to 29th August at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. The event also coincided with the 15th anniversary of the partnership between Venturi and OSU, which has seen them collaborate on designing and building record-breaking vehicles over the years.
Venturi’s contribution was essential in the creation of the electric motorcycle, the Ohio State RW-5 Voxan, used by the OSU Buckeye Current Team to achieve these world records. The Venturi Group’s engineering department provided expertise in key areas such as design, suspension, battery technology, transmission, and optimisation of the motorcycle’s settings and stability.
Photo: Louis-Marie Blondel, credit: Voxan Motors
The electric motorcycle, piloted by Louis-Marie Blondel, who is also the Head of Engineering at Venturi, set four new world speed records in the electric motorcycle category (under 150 kilograms). Two of the records were achieved without a fairing, with the motorcycle reaching 271.515 km/h over one kilometre and 271.323 km/h over one mile.
With a fairing, the motorcycle reached even higher speeds, setting records of 289.787 km/h for one kilometre and 289.738 km/h for one mile. These records are pending validation by the Fédération Internationale Motocycliste (FIM).
Photo: Bonneville salt flats, credit: Voxan Motors
The Monegasque team at Venturi was instrumental in the success of this project, providing technical support throughout the design phase and assisting during the record-breaking attempts. Blondel, who had previously set six records with Venturi’s Wattman motorcycle, once again demonstrated his skills, taking control of the RW-5 Voxan to achieve these latest world-class performances.
Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Group, highlighted that the collaboration between Ohio State University and Venturi has now resulted in nine world speed records. “Four new world speed records is a fantastic gift to mark the 15th anniversary of our collaboration,” said Pastor. “Ohio State University and Venturi Group already held five records, and we are now at nine. See you soon for the tenth!”
This latest success builds on Venturi’s history in breaking speed records. In 2020-2021, Venturi designed and developed the Voxan Wattman, which set 24 records in its category, with legendary riders such as Max Biaggi and Blondel at the helm.
Almost 3.5 million passengers travelled through the two terminals at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport in July and August alone this summer. Long-haul international travel is on the rise at France’s third-busiest airport, which has managed to balance significant growth in flight paths and passenger numbers with just a 2% increase in aircraft movements.
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport looks to be on track to come close to matching the passenger numbers recorded in 2019, a record year for the south of France’s largest air travel hub.
A grand total of 3.46 million passengers passed through its two terminals this July and August, a 3.7% increase on the figures from the same period last year. The busiest day of the summer came on 2nd August, when more than 63,000 people travelled through its gates.
“With traffic reaching levels close to those of summer 2019, we have regained our momentum, but our facilities are reaching saturation levels,” says Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. “This is often problematic, despite the efforts of our teams. We hope that the ongoing work to upgrade Terminal 2 will enable us to welcome visitors to the French Riviera with facilities more in line with our region’s needs once the work is completed next summer.”
MORE LONG HAULS
Much of the increase in passenger numbers has been attributed to the 13 long-haul international routes now offered by the airport.
This summer, there were seven direct flights to North America. These connections contributed to a 44% rise in passengers travelling to and from the United States and a 23% increase in those coming to and from Canada.
The six flights to the Middle East also brought benefits, with a staggering 120% rise in passenger traffic from Saudi Arabia and a 60% increase from Qatar.
Overall, however, European routes serviced the greatest number of visitors; 64% of the airport’s total volume of travellers arrived in Nice from elsewhere on the continent. Conversely, French domestic travel fell by 10% this summer compared to the same period last year.
Despite the extra flights, the airport has managed to limit aircraft movement. In fact, the increase in aircraft movements was limited to 2%, thanks to the use of larger, fuller planes, though there is still room for improvement.
“The fleets arriving at our terminals are mainly made up of the latest aircraft and are almost 86% full,” says Goldnadel. “There is still room for improvement. These are important drivers for reducing the environmental impact of a transport method that is essential for opening up our region.”
In a video clip that has gone viral on the internet, a Monaco police officer is seen waiting patiently as Spider-Man digs around in his costume for his driving licence. Here’s the story behind the amusing incident.
The law is the law in Monaco, and even superheroes like Spider-Man aren’t above it.
In a hilarious video clip that is making the rounds online, a man dressed as Spider-Man is seen fumbling around for his driving licence on the side of the road in Monte-Carlo, having been pulled over by a Monaco police officer near Avenue d’Ostende.
The reason for the stop isn’t entirely clear, but it may have had something to do with the 200-horsepower Polaris Slingshot that Spidey was standing next to.
SPOILER ALERT: SPIDER-MAN UNMASKED
Fans of the web-slinger might be disappointed to learn that underneath the mask was not Peter Parker himself, but Farid Zitoun, a 31-year-old urban acrobat who was a finalist on the popular television series La France a un incroyable talent back in 2017.
Since his TV days, Zitoun has popped up in some of the most unexpected places, performing daring acrobatic feats—often dressed as comic book characters like Batman, Captain America, and, of course, Spider-Man.
MONACO TRIP
“I often do live broadcasts on social media where I film and present cars that pass by,” the content creator told Monaco Matin after the incident. “That day, I decided to go to Casino Square to do a live broadcast as Spider-Man. It was the fourth time I had come to Monaco, but the first time in costume.”
As luck would have it, he was pulled over by a police officer who took Zitoun’s surprise appearance in stride.
“He was very kind and understanding; he even laughed about it,” Zitoun explained to the local French-language newspaper. “He asked me for the car’s registration documents, my licence, and the up-to-date insurance certificate. Otherwise, the vehicle would be impounded.”
The only catch was that Zitoun had to remove his mask as proof of identification, but once that was done, he was allowed to continue on his way. In the end, he did make it to Monaco’s famous Casino Square, where he did what he set out to do—just without the costume.
Following the SNCF’s shock announcement that train services between Nice and Ventimiglia will be suspended from 9pm until 6am for a full nine months, the Monaco Government has confirmed that it will be seeking an urgent meeting with the rail network’s bosses in a bid to find a solution to the considerable disruption that the cancellations will cause.
Due to essential construction works on the train line between Nice and Ventimiglia, all train services between 9pm and 6am on Sundays through to Thursdays have been cancelled for just over nine months, beginning 15th September.
The decision is likely to heavily impact both commuters and tourists, who will now have to find other travel alternatives.
In a press release published on 10th September, the Monaco Government condemned the lack of options available to those affected by the news, noting that, beyond a replacement bus from Monaco to Nice, no other arrangements have been made by the national French rail network.
Furthermore, during his first private meeting with Monaco’s National Council, the Principality’s new Minister of State, Didier Guillaume, said, “I am deeply shocked to read that trains will no longer stop in Monaco from 9pm onwards. This is unacceptable. We must be respected with a certain quality of service and not just be considered as financial contributors.”
The government has confirmed that it is now seeking an urgent meeting with SNCF Réseaux and the leaders of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region with the goal of addressing its concerns regarding the cancellations and finding improved solutions and alternatives for those who depend on the rail link between Monaco, the Alpes-Maritimes and the Italian region of Liguria.
Bernard Hiller, world-renowned Hollywood acting coach and success mentor, talks with Monaco Life about his unique approach to personal transformation, inner power and vulnerability.
Recommended by Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson and Nadja Swarovski, Hiller is currently in Monaco, conducting a series of intensive workshops aimed at helping participants unlock their true potential and live authentically. He shares his insights on the importance of taking risks, the power of failure and how embracing your vulnerability can lead to extraordinary success in both life and business.
Monaco Life: Tell us a bit about your history.
Bernard Hiller: Well, I started as a performer, an actor, singer and dancer, in New York City, doing Broadway musicals. I was constantly acting and performing. At some point, I began teaching acting all over the world, creating exercises that helped people connect with their feelings, emotions, passion and inner power. About 20 years ago, businesspeople started contacting me because they needed help with communication, learning how to connect to their inner power and express their feelings and passion.
I teach people how to be successful, and one of the key principles I share is that if you have a dream that’s too logical, you’ll never achieve it. Only unrealistic dreams come true. It has to feel unrealistic. Goals and ideas change the world for the better.
Suddenly, I found myself teaching CEOs and business leaders around the globe how to communicate and manage better. I believe that the root of suffering lies in people who are not connected to their authentic selves.
A lady who lives in Monaco that I worked with asked me to share my knowledge with others here, saying they needed something that would uplift and inspire them.
Bernard Hiller is recommended by some of the biggest names in Hollywood
You’ve worked with a wide range of actors. What are the key qualities that separate great performers from good ones?
The thing that holds people back is often themselves. The great performers are the ones who take risks, are vulnerable and remain hungry to learn. I work with Academy Award winners and those who aspire to win one, and what sets them apart is their willingness to listen, to learn, to change and to carry themselves with passion and style. I’ve developed a course, called ‘How to Live an Oscar-Winning Life’, based on the idea that we are all born to be stars. People who want to be amazing make a choice to be courageous and take action steps. I’m only teaching what has worked for me.
You’ve talked about authenticity and connecting to one’s inner power. Can you elaborate on that?
Authenticity stops when society imposes us to act. People are constantly acting based on how they think others want them to behave. I wrote a book called Stop Acting, Start Living, which emphasises that the day you stop acting is the day your authenticity has a chance to emerge. We’re all playing roles: journalist, parent, partner and so on. Authentic people have the courage to discover who they truly are and share that with the world. You know you’re being authentic when you make your soul visible to the world, when you’re happy and connected to your power, and stop seeking approval.
You encourage people to be incredibly vulnerable. How important is vulnerability?
Vulnerability is the most important factor in success. You can’t be successful at anything without it. In love, in business, in life—vulnerability is essential. During the Covid pandemic, we were all reminded of our vulnerability. I teach people something called “80% pain forever, or 20% temporarily”. If you don’t take risks and do what you really want, you’ll experience long-term pain. But if you do take a risk and face rejection or failure, the pain is temporary, and it will pass.
Monaco Life Publisher Eric Brundage with Bernard Hiller at his workshop in Monaco
You say that successful people ask for help. Why do people struggle with that, and how can they overcome the fear of bothering others?
The first problem is that people are often living from their heads, trying to control everything. The mind doesn’t want you to be happy or successful. Asking for help is actually a sign of strength. Look at any successful person—they have coaches and mentors. Even top athletes like Messi and Federer have coaches. If you want to achieve something you’ve never achieved, you need to become someone you’ve never been, and the right mentor can help you find parts of yourself you didn’t even know existed.
What role does failure play in success, and how do you encourage your clients to deal with it?
Failure is just a matter of opinion. There’s no such thing as failure; there are only results you don’t like. Many successful products, like rubber or Viagra, were discovered by accident. Failure is just part of the journey to success. The key is to keep going until you get the results you want.
Bernard Hiller is conducting workshops in Monaco this September
What’s your opinion on people who prefer to play the role of victim in life?
People often get something out of playing the victim—whether it’s attention or avoiding risk. Every action has a perceived benefit to the person doing it, even if it’s not a positive one. People who play the victim are often afraid of being vulnerable or taking risks. But the only way to live a happy, successful life is to embrace vulnerability.
How do you help people unlearn societal expectations and embrace their true selves?
We live in a world of “collective loneliness”, where social media disconnects us more than it connects us. When people come to my workshops, we focus on what they want to achieve, not what’s wrong with them. If you’re comparing yourself to others, make sure you’re comparing up, not down. Surround yourself with people who inspire you.
You’re hosting a workshop here in Monaco. Can you tell us about that?
Yes, I’m holding a three-day workshop here from 10th to 12th September at the Yacht Club de Monaco. It’s based on the idea that you can change quickly if you want to. Life is all about change, and if you don’t change, you risk becoming irrelevant. My workshop is for those who want to transform their lives and become the best version of themselves. To live a life based on purpose, meaning and joy.
With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 2024/25 season due to begin in a matter of weeks, the Roca Team’s players have been getting themselves back into the swing of things with a series of pre-season friendlies.
After a disappointing loss (65-70) against Turkish team Galatasaray on 2nd September, the Roca Team will be looking to reset their outlook in another European level friendly against Real Madrid on 11th September. The game at the El Pabellón Municipal de Deportes de Pontevedra venue will get started at 8pm.
The team will be led by last year’s Most Valuable Player in the EuroLeague, Mike James, and strengthened by new additions, including Nick Calathes, Giannis Papagiannis and the NBA’s Furkan Korkmaz.
Looking ahead, AS Monaco will begin their EuroLeague season on 3rd October with a home match against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. The team will also host Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on 9th October, Virtus Segafredo Bologna on 18th October and Paris Basketball on 24th October. It will be a busy month for the Monaco side, who will also travel to Spain to play FC Barcelona Bàsquet on 16th October and to the Serbian capital on 30th October for a game against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.
