Black Jack 100 wins Rolex Fastnet line honours in thrilling offshore duel

29/07/2025

Black Jack 100, owned by Yacht Club de Monaco member Remon Vos and helmed by Tristan Le Brun, was first to cross the finish line of the 51st Rolex Fastnet Race in the early hours of Tuesday 29th July. The 100ft maxi monohull completed the race in 2 days, 12 hours, 31 minutes and 21 seconds, claiming the Erivale Trophy for line honours in the monohull category.

Victory came after a relentless duel with SHK Scallywag, with both yachts trading leads in a series of close tactical manoeuvres. The race was decided off Fastnet Rock, where Black Jack 100 pulled away with three rapid sail changes in challenging conditions.

“Last year we lost to Scallywag by 20 minutes in the Middle Sea Race,” said Remon Vos. “This time, we were just that little bit faster.” Le Brun added: “Nothing was certain until the very end. We sailed close to shore in the dark for hours—it was delicate but decisive.”

SHK Scallywag crossed at 01:19, followed by Joost Schuijff’s Leopard 3 at 01:24, securing a strong showing for Monaco across the monohull podium.

Admiral’s Cup tightens as YCM teams close in

Meanwhile, the Admiral’s Cup—revived this year after two decades—remains wide open. Pierre Casiraghi’s Jolt 6 (AC Class 2) and Peter Harrison’s Jolt 3 (AC Class 1) are both expected to arrive in Cherbourg by evening, with every minute counting in the team standings. YCM currently trails the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, with Yacht Club Costa Smeralda also in close contention.

Monaco sailors across the fleet

Elsewhere, Oren Nataf’s Rayon Vert, co-skippered by Vincent Riou, is nearing the finish in the multihull division. Giovanni Lombardi Stronati’s Django entries, racing under the Italian flag, are also expected overnight. Young sailor Didier Schouten, from YCM’s Sports Section, is completing his first major offshore race aboard Ocean Breeze, continuing the Principality’s tradition of nurturing ocean racing talent.

As always in the Fastnet, the corrected-time rankings remain in flux, with the final standings only confirmed once the last boats arrive—true to the race’s reputation for high-stakes fairness and late drama.

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Main photo source: YCM

Jesolo hosts Italy’s first Water Safety Day with Monaco’s support

by: Cassandra Tanti

29/07/2025

Jesolo in Veneto has hosted Italy’s first-ever Water Safety Day, an initiative led by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation in partnership with the Honorary Consulate of Monaco in Venice. Held on 23rd July, the event welcomed more than 140 children aged six to 12 for a day of hands-on safety workshops.

Organised by Honorary Consul Anna Licia Balzan and supported by the Municipality of Jesolo, the day included CPR training, rescue-themed sports and environmental awareness activities.

A highlight was the inclusive session with rescue dogs on a fully accessible beach, offering children with disabilities an engaging and safe experience.

*Photo source: Consulat de Monaco à Venise*

“Water safety education must be inclusive and memorable,” said Balzan. “This event proved that it can be both.”

The ceremony was attended by local authorities including Mayor Christofer De Zotti and Foundation representative Xavier Archimbault. The Foundation covered all logistical costs and provided gifts and t-shirts for participants.

With strong community support and positive feedback, organisers hope the event will serve as a model for similar initiatives across Italy.

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Main photo source: Consulat de Monaco à Venise

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo season looks inward with bold reimaginings and quiet milestones

by: Cassandra Tanti

29/07/2025

The 2025–2026 season of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo steers away from spectacle for spectacle’s sake, instead offering a measured mix of introspection, innovation and homage. With a series of world premieres, quiet commemorations, and works that blur the lines between tradition and disruption, this year’s programme invites audiences to watch a company reflecting on its legacy while shaping its next chapter.

Opening in October at the Salle Garnier, the season begins with a double bill that signals the tone for what follows: See You, a new creation by Paul Lightfoot, paired with William Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman, a piece whose fractured structure and ironic wit still feel unsettlingly current. If there’s a message here, it might be that dance can still ask questions rather than deliver answers.

By December, Jean-Christophe Maillot returns with Ma Bayadère, a full-length creation that revisits and rewires a 19th-century ballet best known for its exoticism and ghosts. Maillot’s version, premiering at the Grimaldi Forum with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, suggests a more personal exploration of legacy — not just of the ballet itself, but of Maillot’s long tenure at the helm of the company.

legacy without nostalgia

The company turns 40 next year, but rather than staging a grand retrospective, the anniversary will be marked by a surprise Gala Evening in July 2026 — its contents withheld, perhaps deliberately. It’s a quiet nod to continuity over celebration, a choice that mirrors the company’s reluctance to dwell on the past even as it honours it.

That same ethos runs through Miniatures, a series of short premieres set for April. Choreographers including Francesco Nappa, Mimoza Koike and Aurélien Dumont contribute to a mosaic of pieces that suggest not a unified vision, but rather a cross-section of styles, voices, and possibilities.

the institution behind the art

The Académie Princesse Grace, a core pillar in Monaco’s dance ecosystem, marks its 50th anniversary this December with a programme that includes a gala in June. There’s ceremony, of course, but also something looser — the students will dance alongside live musicians, including Italian folk artist Antonio Castrignanò, giving the evening a more lived-in quality than a traditional showcase.

Meanwhile, Monaco Dance Forum remains the Principality’s most outward-looking platform. Highlights this season include Éric Oberdorff’s Waku Doki, and the Paris Opera Ballet’s La Dame aux Camélias, which closes the season in July under the direction of John Neumeier — one of ballet’s great storytellers of emotional restraint.

dancing elsewhere, watching at home

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo will also tour widely — Venice, Madrid, Seoul, Riga — with Cendrillon, Roméo et Juliette, LAC, and Ma Bayadère making their way to international stages. Back in Monaco, audiences will be offered glimpses behind the curtain through public workshops, late-night performances at the Atelier, and a film screening (La Danseuse) that will no doubt resonate with those thinking about the sacrifices behind the scenes.

This season isn’t an explosion of colour or an anniversary soaked in nostalgia. Instead, it’s the kind of programming that favours a deeper connection: between artist and audience, between what ballet was and what it might still become.

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Photo source: Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo

Monte Carlo Rally to return to F1 street circuit for first time since 2008

by: Kyriaki Topalidou

29/07/2025

The Automobile Club of Monaco has revealed an exciting new itinerary for the 94th Monte Carlo Rally, featuring the first return to Monaco’s street circuit since 2008.

Running from 22nd to 25th January 2026, the 94th edition will be based in Gap for the third consecutive year.

The headline attraction comes on Saturday 24th January, when rally cars will return to Monaco’s famous Formula 1 street circuit for the first time since 2008. The 2.82-kilometre super-special stage, scheduled for 17:45, will use the lower section of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit. The last time rally cars tackled this iconic circuit was in 2008, when Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena claimed victory in their Citroën C4.

Four-Day challenge

The rally begins in traditional fashion with an official start from Monaco’s Quai Albert 1er on Thursday 22nd January at 14:00, following Wednesday’s 4.80-kilometre shakedown session in Gap at 14:01. The shakedown, introduced in 2017 and extended this year, now uses the Routes de la Garde and de Rabou in Gap.

Thursday’s opening leg features three demanding stages counting 61.58 competitive kilometres across the Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence departments. The day begins with Toudon/Saint-Antonin covering 22.90 kilometres at 15:35, followed by the 23.48-kilometre Esclangon/Seyne-les-Alpes test at 18:03, before concluding with the 15.20-kilometre Vaumeilh/Claret stage at 19:51.

Friday represents the rally’s longest day with 129.38 times kilometres across the Drôme and Hautes-Alpes. Crews will tackle a loop of three stages run twice, consisting of Laborel/Chauvac-Laux-Montaux at 17.84 kilometres, the challenging Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert/La Motte-Chalancon test covering 29 kilometres, and La Bâtie-des-Fonts/Aspremont spanning 17.85 kilometres. These legendary roads, known for their technical traps and unpredictable weather conditions, will provide a decisive test for world championship contenders.

Saturday’s shortened but intense programme spans 78.22 kilometres, highlighted by the new La Bréole/Bellaffaire stage via Col des Garcinets – the rally’s longest single test at 30.10 kilometres, run twice. The day concludes with the eagerly anticipated Monaco Circuit super-special.

Sunday’s finale includes 71.62 kilometres across two stages run twice. The concluding battles will take place on Col de Braus/La Cabanette covering 12.48 kilometres and La Bollène-Vésubie/Moulinet spanning 23.33 kilometres, with the latter serving as the Wolf Power Stage on its second running at 13:15.

The complete route encompasses 17 special stages covering 340 competitive kilometres, with the victory ceremony scheduled for Monaco’s Port Hercule from 17:00 on Sunday 25 January.

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Main photo by Automobile Club de Monaco.

Christophe Mirmand meets Monaco’s key institutions in series of protocol visits

by: Cassandra Tanti

29/07/2025

Newly appointed Minister of State Christophe Mirmand has begun a series of official visits to Monaco’s core institutions as part of his first days in office, meeting with political, municipal and judicial leaders to establish the collaborative tone of his mandate.

On Tuesday 22nd July, Christophe Mirmand was received at the National Council by its President, Thomas Brezzo, for a first official meeting that combined protocol with working dialogue. The two leaders held discussions on the constitutional framework that defines the balance of power between the Council and the Government.

In his opening remarks, Thomas Brezzo reaffirmed the Council’s firm attachment to Monaco’s constitutional monarchy and expressed his hope for a renewed dynamic. “The culture of dialogue, reciprocal trust, pragmatism and transparency are essential values,” he said, recalling the productive cooperation seen under the previous Minister of State, Didier Guillaume. “We must use these same ingredients to re-establish a true institutional partnership and revive an effective working relationship in the service of the general interest.”

*National Council President Thomas Brezzo and Mininster of State Christophe Mirrmand. Photo credit: Manuel Vitali*

According to the government, the two men agreed on the need for open and regular exchanges, with Brezzo underlining citizens’ priorities and recalling the commitments made by the Government in December 2024 that had paved the way for the unanimous adoption of the 2025 Budget. The atmosphere was described as “constructive and benevolent”, setting the stage for a cooperative relationship moving forward.

A working visit to the heart of the Mairie

Continuing his protocol agenda, the Minister of State visited the Mairie de Monaco on Monday morning, where he was welcomed by Mayor Georges Marsan, First Deputy Camille Svara, Deputy for the Communal Domain Marjorie Crovetto, and Secretary General Isabelle Costa. Accompanied by Interior Minister Lionel Beffre, Government Secretary General Marc Vassalo, and his Chief of Staff Elodie Kheng, Mirmand toured key municipal departments including the Salle des Mariages, the Civil Status and Nationality Office, and the Council Chamber.

The visit concluded with a meeting in the Mayor’s office where several local projects were presented. These included the upcoming openings of the Caroline Media Library and the new performance hall, the long-awaited reopening of the Jardin Exotique, renovations at the Condamine Market, cemetery works, and the return of the popular ice rink to Stade Nautique Rainier III.

*Mayor Georges Marsan (left) with the new Minister of State Christophe Mirmand (right). Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communications Department*

Institutional engagement with justice services

As part of his ongoing introduction to Monaco’s institutions, Christophe Mirmand also met with Samuel Vuelta-Simon, Secretary of State for Justice and Director of Judicial Services.

This encounter, held on the evening of 24th July, was an opportunity to discuss the key responsibilities of the judicial administration and reinforce the importance of coordination between the State and Monaco’s independent justice system.

*Christophe Mirmand with Samuel Vuelta-Simon, Secretary of State for Justice and Director of Judicial Services. Photo credit: Stephane Dana*

These early visits reflect a deliberate and methodical approach by Christophe Mirmand to establish working relationships with all pillars of the Principality’s institutional framework. His calendar of engagements is expected to continue in the coming weeks as he settles into his role at the head of Monaco’s Government.

See also:

Condamine Market and Jardin Exotique drive municipal council’s 2025 vision for Monaco

Day: 29 July 2025