Important funds were raised over the Grand Prix weekend for two charities supporting mental health among yacht crew, an issue that needs more funding and awareness within the industry.
While yachting can deliver crew incredible adventures to remote parts of the world that few other occupations could offer, it is also a hard career both physically and mentally.
According to a survey by the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), 82% of superyacht crew had experienced low crew morale, 57% of women and 39% of men had suffered from social isolation or loneliness, and 55% of female respondents found accessing mental health care to be a challenge.
Meanwhile, 53% of women and 30% of men said they had experienced discrimination, harassment or bullying from the owner, crew or guests, most commonly from captains or other senior crew.
In 2019, Will Faimatea, director and founder of Bond TM, spotted an initial funding request by Colin Squire of Yachting Matters. He told Monaco Life: “After further talks with Colin and Brendan O’Shannassy, I realised that they had been looking for funding for some time and I decided to donate the initial funding to start the Yacht Crew Help, a division of ISWAN.” Yacht Crew Help is an online toolkit that provides crew with a direct line to free, 24-hour emotional support, guidance, and useful health and welfare resources.
“As a former yacht crew member who has come ashore, I feel compelled to give back to the industry and support the crew who may need it,” said Will Faimatea. “As well as the helpline, this project increases awareness in the industry that the mental health and wellbeing of crew is just as important as it is in other walks of life and everyone should learn to recognise any warning signs in themselves and in others, and do what they can to assist.”
On the terraces of Bond TM, overlooking the start line of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit, fans gathered ahead of the race to enjoy the atmosphere. It wasn’t just the thrill of the GP that had drawn them there, it was the knowledge that their money was contributing to this important support network, Yacht Crew Help, as well as a second charity, Sail2help, which raises awareness of mental health issues among all young people and finances support strategies.
In total, over €7,600 was raised for the two charities – a figure that could have been higher if health measures restricting numbers were not in play over the grand prix weekend.
Still, it is a great achievement, and Will Faimatea hopes that it is just the start of continued support for the two important causes.
“I would like to see Yacht Crew Help have sustainable funding and I want to raise awareness of this need for funding amongst the companies that work in the yacht industry, as well as increase the awareness amongst yacht crew,” says Faimatea, who is now looking to create an industry awareness day that will be followed by regular mental health education among crew.
People wishing to donate to the charities can do so here:
Yacht Crew Help: https://justgiving.com/campaign/yachtcrewhelp
Sail2help: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tim-davies-9643
First there was the Formula E series with its electric racing cars, then the Extreme E off-road series with electric SUVs. Now, the foundations are being laid for an all-electric powerboating competition featuring the most futuristic of all designs and a mission to revolutionise the marine industry.
After the concept launch in Monaco last September, the RaceBird has been likened to a Star Wars battleship. But Monday’s unveiling of the final RaceBird design shows there is much more reality rooted in this revolutionary vision.
“There are two ingredients to the RaceBird. Firstly, the inspiration, which is nature and birds hovering above the water.” Rodi Basso, Co-Founder and CEO of E1, tells Monaco Life. “Our aim is to be as natural as possible, racing with the water not against it, using the water as an ally and the foiler to pivot the powerboat and make it faster around the corners. Secondly, the technology – we are going to inherit the state-of-the-art technology of high-end motorsports and plug it straight into the marine industry.”
Symbolically launched on 7th June, the day before World Ocean Day, the RaceBird heralds in a new era for the powerboat world, allowing for the creation of an exciting new competition – the World Electric Powerboat Series, which aims to revolutionise marine mobility and reduce pressures being placed on fragile underwater ecosystems around the world.
“The UIM, which is the only internationally recognised authority for world powerboating and which is headquartered in Monaco, is thrilled to launch the first ever World Electric Powerboat Series,” Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) President Raffaele Chiulli tells Monaco Life. “This new flagship class will create a competitive, fascinating, challenging, environmentally friendly and entertaining all-electric powerboat racing series.”
Alejandro Agag, Sophi Horne and Rodi Basso
The concept came about during Covid-19 lockdown when Alejandro Agag, founder of the Formula E and Extreme E auto racing series, and his good friend Rodi Basso, a former aerospace engineer who has worked with NASA, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren in Formula 1, agreed that the marine transportation world needed to catch up with the automotive world in adopting electric power. Well aware that sport is a powerful platform for making change in the wider world, they decided to create the E1 Series to not only offer exciting electric powerboat racing at spectacular venues around the world, but to drive innovation and change in marine mobility and try to leave a sustainable legacy in ports.
“Since I have the privilege of knowing Raffaele Chiulli from my previous motor racing experience, I connected a few dots and here we are just under one year later, showing the world the final design of the powerboat,” says Basso.
The RaceBird was designed by Sophi Horne of SeaBird Technologies and Brunello Acampora of Victory Marine. Using innovative hydrofoil technology, the electric RaceBird powerboat will rise above the water’s surface, allowing for minimum drag and maximum energy efficiency. It is capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 knots (93 km/h or 58 mph).
The next major milestone will be in September when the covers come off the first full-scale model at the Monaco Yacht Show, before the start of prototype testing which is set to get underway later this year. Over the coming months, Victory Marine will manufacture a full fleet of race-ready electric powerboats for a 2023 race schedule.
“E1 will race in amazing remote locations in parallel with Extreme E and also in some of the most glamorous cities in the world,” says Raffaele Chiulli. “Fans can look forward to experiencing incredible landscapes and fabulous urban water locations. The pilots for this inaugural series are expected to come from a wide range of backgrounds, with some from existing powerboating championships, and others making a transition from road vehicle electrical technology to the water, including some former F1 world champions.”
The RaceBird final design was unveiled publicly on Monday 7th June
The drivers will be called ‘pilots’ because the craft effectively flies above the water. Like the Extreme E series, there will be a male and female pilot of each boat alternating between sessions because, as Rodi Basso says, “our direction is to build something modern and future proof, something that embodies all the principals that we believe in as an E team and as a UIM team.”
A total of 12 teams will be pitted against each other during 10 events per season. There will be five European city races in Monaco, London, Geneva or Zurich, Naples and Barcelona, in classic configuration.
“We show up, we build the city events, the paddock and the race for a two-day race weekend – Friday and Saturday,” says Basso. “There will also be a week-long Technology Festival exhibiting the latest sustainable technologies, and a Fan Zone to excite and engage the local population about sustainability and E1’s mission.”
The other races will take place in partnership with Extreme E, utilising the Saint Helena, a 105-metre ex-Royal Navy Ship that serves as a base and delivers Extreme E vehicles to cities around the world. Together with the electric SUVs, Saint Helena will transport the electric powerboats to compete in the E1 series in locations such as Greenland, New York City, Miami, the Amazon and the Middle East.
The RaceBird is capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 knots
Rodi Basso says high-profile personalities, including Hollywood celebrities and sports stars, have already shown an interest in forming an E1 team. “I am sure even more interest will be peaked after Monday’s launch and September’s Monaco Yacht Show, but the conversations are developing very actively and we are looking forward to making a few announcements in the next few months.”
It is not just the thrill of the race that has everyone excited (although, who doesn’t want to see these boats in action?), it is also the promise of what this technology means to the future of the entire marine industry.
“Our objective is simple and clear. We want to develop an environmentally-friendly alternative propulsion system so that the yachting of tomorrow can utilise clean energy sources,” says the UIM president. “This is a real technological challenge because we want to meet the energy needs of the leisure boat but also of the shipping industry and all the accompanying environmental prerogatives. We are convinced that this series will allow significant improvements in innovation, not only in eco-friendly powerboating, which is the competition side, but also in yachting technology in general.”
With its championship and city partners, the E1 Series will install permanent electric charging posts in each port where it races that will remain after the event, serving as an incentive for the local community to move to electric boating.
“The sports industry, and particularly motorsport, strives for continuous innovation that not only creates thrilling competition, but exploits state-of-the-art technology and captures the imagination of fans. In this case, environmental protection plays a pivotal role. Striving for an emission-free marine mobility has to be the ultimate goal,” says Chiulli.
Photo of Monaco by Michelle Woodson Howell
The E1 race schedule is yet to be decided, but according to the UIM, Monaco is likely to play a significant role in the competition.
It is a natural progression for a country with such a rich history in racing, from the prestigious Formula 1 and innovative Formula E auto racing, to the world’s first powerboating competition and the recent Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.
“Monaco is playing a key role in incubating new ideas, novel solutions, and eco-friendly technologies,” says Chiulli. “I see a history of cycles here. In 1904, Monaco was driving the field of innovation and imagination by hosting the first ever powerboating competition. Now, Monaco is playing a key role in developing innovative propulsion systems, using all that is alternative to traditional fossil fuel technologies to lead the way towards clean energy sources to power the yachting of tomorrow.”
During Monday’s digital reveal of the RaceBird design, Alejandro Agag confirmed that the E1 Series has secured investment from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), representing a significant step forward in the long-term development of the championship.
As part of World Oceans Day, Tuesday 8th June, Monaco is once again educating sea users on how to report sightings of marine animals, particularly sea turtles, and how to help those in distress.
Organised by the Monegasque government and the Oceanographic Institute, the meeting is set to bring together around 40 sea users and aims to engage and encourage them to report any sightings of turtles and marine mammals. The data collected will make it possible to identify the species present in Monegasque waters, to better understand their behaviour, and contribute to the study and protection of ecosystems.
The first edition was organised in March 2019 during the opening of the Monegasque Centre for the Care of Marine Species (CMSEM) at the Oceanographic Museum.
Since then, more than 120 observations have been made including 119 loggerhead turtles and seven green turtles, documenting their age, state of health and travel habits. Observe, Report, Preserve
Sea users are invited to report all types of marine animals, from cetaceans to sharks, as well as any unusual situation such as waste or pollution.
Particular attention, however, is paid to sea turtles, and participants of the Monegasque meeting are educated on the rules of observation, as well as those for the intervention and handling of these animals when necessary. They are taught how to identify if a sea turtle is in distress, how to handle it in accordance with good practices, and how to notify the specialised networks.
They are also encouraged to share their observations on the digital platform OBSenMER, which is designed to be used by both professionals and the general public for the collection, saving and sharing of information.
The easy-to-use application allows users to enter the place of observation, date and time, as well as the type of animal that has been spotted.
The Oceanographic Museum is directly notified of each observation made via the platform, and the government is also made aware so it can better understand the biodiversity of Monegasque waters. Photo of the outdoor sea turtle rehabilitation tank at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco by Cassandra Tanti for Monaco Life
The observations are also added to the databases of structures such as the Network of French Mediterranean Sea Turtles (RTMMF), MIRACETI and ACCOBAMS to improve and strengthen knowledge of species.
The Monegasque Centre for the Care of Marine Species (CMSEM) at the Oceanographic Museum has a laboratory dedicated to the care of injured or sick animals, the reproduction and breeding of animals, as well as a large outdoor pool for rehabilitation – which is visible to the public – before the animals are put back to sea.
The CMSEM also runs collaborative projects dedicated to the study of seahorses and large nacres.
Photo of a sea turtle in the Oceanographic Museum by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
France reveals details of its ‘Traffic light’ travel rule system
The US and UK have been placed on France’s orange list, meaning only vaccinated travellers will be able to enter the country. The rest of Europe has been placed in the green zone, with only a negative test required by authorities.
The government revealed to French media RMC and BFMTV on Friday details of its ‘Traffic light’ based travel rule system, due to take effect from Wednesday 9th June.
Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State in charge of Tourism, confirmed that countries will be placed in three categories: green, orange and red.
All member states of the European Union as well as Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand and Singapore have been placed in the ‘green zone’. Travellers from these countries will be able to enter France freely if they are vaccinated. For others, a negative PCR or antigen test of less than 72 hours will be requested.
People will be considered vaccinated two weeks after they receive both doses, or four weeks for those vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.
The United States and the United Kingdom have been placed in the ‘orange zone’, “where the circulation of the virus still exists but is under control and where there is no variant of concern,” said Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. Travellers from these countries must not only be vaccinated but also present a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours or an antigen test of less than 48 hours. Non-vaccinated people will not be able to set foot on French soil unless they have a compelling reason.
Finally, the countries falling into the ‘red zone’ include South Africa, Brazil and India. Travellers from these countries will not be able to come to France without a compelling reason, whether they are vaccinated or not.
Photo by Yousef Alfuhigi on Unsplash
The Odyssey returns just in time for warm summer nights
The Metropole Hotel has announced the reopening date of its rooftop hotspot, Odyssey Lounge Bar and Restaurant, where guests can enjoy everything from a relaxing after work apero to a Mediterranean dinner under the stars.
Located next to a swimming pool, the Odyssey was forced to stay closed due to health restrictions despite the reopening of the Metropole Hotel in April. But not for much longer.
From Thursday 10th June, the Odyssey Lounge Bar and Restaurant returns, ready to host guests for cocktails and dinner. Photo of the Karl Lagerfeld-designed rooftop by C. Larit
Situated in Monte-Carlo, the beating heart of Monaco, this peaceful locale, imagined and designed by the late, great Karl Lagerfeld, is a place to relax and enjoy the best of Monaco’s summer.
It will feature music curated by the hotel’s sound designer, Beatrice Ardisson, and from 7pm onwards, Odyssey will offer aperos and gourmet tapas including a cocktail bar menu.
When the sun goes down, the full impact of the Lagerfeld mural depicting the voyage of Ulysses will be played up using artistic and tasteful lights twinkling off the pool to create a stunning overall effect.
To top it all off, Executive Chef Christophe Cussac will be serving up Mediterranean-style fare using fresh, seasonal products, offering the best the Côte d’Azur has to offer from his newly renovated kitchens. Photo of the Odysee Restaurant by C. Larit
“People do not see what has been done in the back of house, but it is a revolution for our teams, it is so exciting,” Chef Cussac told Monaco Life during April’s hotel reopening.
For a taste of Monaco elegance, check out the Odyssey, open for dinner from 7:30pm Thursday to Monday all summer.
Venturi, the Monegasque high-performance electric vehicle constructor, is set to unveil the world’s first ever zero emissions polar exploration vehicle on World Environment Day, 5th June.
Returning from a trip to the Antarctic in 2019, Prince Albert II of Monaco remarked to Venturi’s President Gildo Pastor that the research stations there had no environmentally-friendly, non-polluting vehicles. So, the Prince Albert II Foundation asked Venturi to come up with a zero emissions solution, to carry passengers and equipment to and from the scientific research sites.
Three successive versions of the vehicle were designed. The latest, presented to the Prince at Venturi’s workshops on 1st June, will be operational from 7th December 2021 at the Belgian Princess Elisabeth research station. Photo of Venturi’s explorer vehicle with Spitsbergen – Svalbard and Jan Mayer Icebergs peaking from a frozen sea with mountains in the background, supplied by Venturi
Antarctica’s bodywork and styling were created by Sacha Lakic, the designer with whom Venturi has worked closely for many years. His vision cleverly navigates the technical constraints imposed by the research and development department, most of which are to do with the vehicle’s thermal insulation, the size of the battery, and the chassis’ tubular structure.
Sacha Lakic also succeeded in the challenge of devising a design that is versatile, yet ensures the right level of comfort for the vehicle’s occupants. With its fold-down bench seats, Antarctica is able to carry up to six people, along with equipment and a second battery to extend the initial range of 50 kilometres.
Antarctica is the encapsulation of Venturi’s technological expertise. The Research and Development teams – already working on the Voxan and Venturi world speed records programme – have created a completely unique vehicle, equipped with cutting-edge technological solutions that are both bold and clever.
On Tuesday 1st June, during his visit to see the next generation Antarctica for the first time, Venturi presented the Prince with a gift of the original prototype that he drove in Canada in March 2019. Prince Albert II took the controls of the vehicle to navigate part of the 42-kilometre mountainside route between Dease Lake and Telegraph Creek, on the lands of the Tahltan people. Prince Albert with the team in Canada 2019, photo provided by Venturi
“It remains a source of great pride for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to work alongside intrepid and visionary entrepreneurs like Gildo Pastor, making sustainable innovation not just the core of their R&D, but using it to further the cause of science and preserving our planet,” said Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and Chief Executive of the Prince Albert II Foundation.
“This new Antarctica vehicle is itself a magnificent example of the feats we are capable of, and I am sure it will be a real asset for the scientists at Princess Elisabeth Antarctic research station. The polar regions, particularly fragile and vulnerable, must be the focus of all our attentions. They are on the front line of the devastating effects of climate change. To improve our knowledge without disturbing ecosystems, using a zero-emissions vehicle capable of withstanding extreme conditions, is a major step forward.” Photo of Gildo Pastor by Venturi
Since 2000, the Venturi Group has specialised in the design and manufacture of high-performance electric vehicles. Whether through world records, expeditions on hostile terrain, the creation of the first electric sports car, the development of innovative vehicles or its involvement in the Formula E World Championship, the Venturi Group embodies and demonstrates all the capabilities of the electric vehicle on two or four wheels.
“With the Venturi Antarctica, scientists are getting an efficient, easy-to-handle vehicle with very good performance,” said Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi. “They will be able to carry out their research in optimum conditions, without polluting sites where the quality of analyses needs to be accurate down to the last molecule. We are proud to have developed a technological solution that fulfils the remit given to us by the Prince Albert II Foundation.”
