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Battling Pau fight back in playoff series

by: Luke Entwistle
08/06/2022

AS Monaco Basketball didn’t seize the chance to secure their place in the Betclic Elite final on Tuesday, as Pau-Lacq-Orthez hit back (82-76) to reignite the series amidst a fervent atmosphere.

In defeat, Monaco have been pegged back to 2-1, and whilst they will still be considered strong favourites to advance to the five-legged final later this month, they must now react to their first setback in a series that had thus far gone entirely their way.

A reaction from Pau could have been expected. Having lost both ties at the Salle Gaston Médécin last week, their survival in the series was on the line. Their players knew it and so did their fans, who packed into the Palais des Sports de Pau to create a hostile environment for the visiting Monégasques.

In both of the previous ties, Monaco managed to pull away and control the match from an early stage, but it became quickly apparent that they wouldn’t do so again here. For the first time in the series, the sides looked evenly matched, and neither side managed to pull away.

For the home side, Justin Bibbins and Brandon Jefferson were prolific outside the key, and allowed Pau to stave off any attack from Monaco, as their clinical efficiency made the difference.

As always, Mike James was the man making things happen for Monaco. He and Dwayne Bacon chipped in with considerable points contributions, but Monaco simply couldn’t match the precision of their adversary, whilst a stout rear guard from Pau compacted the space for James to exploit within the key.

Going into the final-quarter, Monaco had a three-point deficit to overturn (65-62), and although the scores remained close, Pau pulled away in the dying minutes with an exhibition in three-point finishing. The home side were deserved winners (82-76) and took the series to a fourth match, once again in Pau on Thursday.

Post-match, Sasa Obradovic praised the level of his opponent: “We must congratulate Pau. They played very well. For me, there was no difference between them and a Euroleague side this evening. When we face them, we must match their energy, and it wasn’t easy in this atmosphere. They took confidence.”

Obradovic concluded, “We have to be more focused if we want to win this series.” The Roca Team coach will be hoping that a strong response from his team can silence the home crowd, end the series and secure a place in the Betclic Elite final.

 

Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball

 

 

 

ASM Women lose first-leg of their promotion tie

by: Luke Entwistle
08/06/2022

AS Monaco Women were dealt a blow in their quest to gain promotion to D2 on Sunday, as they lost the first-leg of their promotion play-off to Bourges.

Having won every match of the regular season, their fate now hinges on the return leg, which is to take place at the Stade Prince Héréditaire de Beausoleil on Sunday.

Given their record over the duration of the season, it is not beyond Monaco to overturn the narrow one goal deficit. The setback came late in the second-half as a goalkeeping error allowed a tame effort from outside the box to dribble over the line.

Should they beat Bourges on Sunday, they will then advance to the final round, which will take place on 19th and 26th July to decide their promotion to D2. If successful, it will be a memorable season for the side, who also went on an inspiring Coupe de France run.

 

 

 

The Oceanographic museum is on a “Polar Mission”

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/06/2022

The Oceanographic Museum has unveiled its major new exhibit for the next two years, an immersive experience to the polar regions where visitors are able to discover the beauty, the fragility, and the hope that lies within.

For the next two years, visitors to the Oceanographic Museum can discover the sometimes forbidding, but incredibly fragile, polar regions of our planet. With the inauguration of Polar Mission on Thursday 2nd June, the public can now delve into this crystalline world and learn all about the Arctic and Antarctic from a new perspective.

Through this new major exhibition, the Oceanographic Museum first offers a “one-on-one” journey with polar explorers Jean Malaurie, Frederik Paulsen, Jean-Baptiste Charcot and Matthew Henson, retracing their discoveries, reproducing a polar environment, and showing what a traditional igloo is like.

The objective is to allow visitors to learn more about the way of life of the Inuits and their traditions.

Photo © Musée océanographique

The exhibition then moves through four more spaces to create a real immersion in these remote regions of the globe.

“It is my hope that the emotion aroused by the beauty of the polar regions, together with the awareness of the vital role they play on a global scale, will lead mankind to regard them with respect and caution,” said Prince Albert, “because one thing of which we are now certain is that the future of the poles foreshadows our own.”

In space number three, the challenge is to unlock the secrets of the North and South Poles; not only to understand how they function, but also to realise what tremendous upheavals are taking place there because of climate change. It offers visitors an opportunity to become fully aware of the differences between these two extremes and the crucial role played by them in the planet’s climate balance.

In space number four, visitors physically feel as if they are at the Poles. The wild, grandiose beauty of those icy lands comes to life in a never-before-seen immersive, interactive projection featuring bears, seals, beluga whales, whales, sea elephants, killer whales and penguins. It is a wonderland which culminates in the dreamlike polar aurora, while an audio projection relays the fragility of this ecosystem, and the dangers which threaten these species.

Finally, space number five reveals how far the knowledge of global warming and its consequences have come, how it is impacting biodiversity, and how it is impacting humans.

Exposition Mission Polaire, Musée Océanographique de Monaco © Musée océanographique 

With the help of an entrance ticket in the form of a press card, the “visitor-reporter” can activate extra content and, at the end of their visit, hand over their report using an interactive terminal. They are also invited, if they so wish, to pledge their support to the Oceanographic Institute and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation by actively backing measures in favour of the poles, most notably the creation of new Marine Protected Areas in the polar oceans.

“Ecology is a subject that concerns all of humanity,” Mélanie Laurent, who is ambassador of the new exhibition, said.

Explorer Jean-Louis Etienne, who was also on hand, added, “The poles are the lungs of the Earth, their role is essential. They are the main carbon sinks on the planet. They regulate the climate.”

Mathieu Ferragut, CEO of CFM-Indosuez, the main sponsor of the exhibit, concluded by saying that finance is necessary for sustainable development. The bank has been a partner with the museum since January 2020 and has also offered its clients sustainable project inclusion in support of the institution in lieu of fees, which last year contributed €171,000 to the museum.

 

 

Photo © Musée océanographique 

 

 

 

Venturi on the podium in Jakarta

by: Luke Entwistle
07/06/2022

ROKiT Venturi Racing secured third place in the inaugural Jakarta E-Prix on Saturday. Less than a second separated the top-three drivers as Mitch Evans took the chequered flag with Edoardo Mortara third.

New Zealander Evans is now within just five-points of Venturi’s Mortara, who dropped below Jean-Eric Vergne in the standings. It could have all been very different, however, as fine margins decided the race.

For much of the race, it looked like it would be a two-horse race between Evans and Vergne, but as the latter failed to pass the former towards the end of the race, Mortara closed in, sensitive to the opportunity to better his third place.

Going into the final lap, the predator had turned prey as Vergne was forced to defend from the Venturi, taking the inside line into corners and hindering his attack on Evans. Vergne, and Evans, were grateful for the chequered flag. Less than a second separated the top-three, whilst there was only just over two-tenths of a second between Mortara and Vergne. Had there been another lap, Mortara likely would have picked off his prey.

Instead, he had to settle for the bottom step of the podium, which keeps him truly in the hunt for the championship, although for now, he has lost his second place. With only seven-points separating the top-three, Stoffel Vandoorne’s championship lead is anything but comfortable, and Mortara will fancy his chances of once again hitting the front when Formula E visits Morocco next month.

Lucas di Grassi meanwhile helped the side with a handful of points as he finished in seventh. However, in the Teams’ standings, Venturi lost their second place to DS Cheetah, who now lead the Monaco-based manufacturer by just one point, whilst the Mercedes EQ team are a further 16 points ahead.

Post-race, Venturi team principal Jérôme D’Ambrosio said, “A great race for us and Formula E in Jakarta today. With Edo on the podium in third and Lucas battling forward to seventh, we were able to take home a good haul of points.”

He continued, “The battle in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championships is extremely close at the moment and with only four race weekends remaining this season, we need to maintain our current momentum. We’ll still be taking it on a race-by-race basis and as always, the goal is to do our best.”

With only a handful of points between the top-three in both the Teams’ and Drivers’ Championships, it is still all to play for as we enter the business end of the season.

 

 

Photo source: Rokit Venturi Racing

 

 

 

Blockchain start-up competition winners announced

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/06/2022

Four innovators in the blockchain world have been recognised as the best of the year at the 4th CoinAgenda Europe Blockchain Start-Up Competition held at the Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel.

CoinAgenda is a conference series that has been connecting blockchain and cryptocurrency investors with start-up companies since 2014.

During a recent conference in Monaco, the winners of the CoinAgenda Europe Blockchain Start-up Competition were announced.

In first place was Fly Air, which combines voice-activated artificial intelligence with the security and convenience of blockchain technology to provide access to more than 10,000 private jets. This means that anyone can fly on-demand with no membership or hidden fees.

Icecap, a company that offers investment-grade diamonds via NFT technology, came in second. Icecap solves difficulties in the traditional diamond investment world associated with large buy/sell spreads, illiquidity, inaccessible marketplaces, and a lack of fungibility.

Third place was a tie between RAIRtech, which attaches digital goods to an NFT using encrypted streaming, and Untold, a web3 platform and digital community that connects award-winning filmmakers, investors, and major distributors to curate content.

All the winners will be given an exhibitor’s booth at a future CoinAgenda conference of their choice. Top spot winner Fly App will also receive a VIP pass to the conference and have their own press release credit sponsored by Blockchain Wire.

Past CoinAgenda BitAngels Competition winners include Aeternity, Bancor, Cashbet, Omega One, SALT Lending, and Qtum which have gone on to raise millions in funding.

 

 

 

Photo CoinAgenda Europe 2022 BitAngels Winners with the judges. From left to right: Brian Santos, COO at Fly Air,  Ed Prado, CEO at RAIRTech, Hervé Larren, Founder at Airvey Metaverse LLC, Garrett Minks, CTO at RAIRTech, CoinAgenda Organizer Michael Terpin, Natalia Sokolova, Managing Partner at SGG World, Jacques Voorhees, Founder & CEO Icecap, and David Orban, Managing Advisor at Beyond Enterprizes.

 

 

 

 

Nice Airport adds new Gulf Air Bahrain route

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/06/2022

Gulf Air, the official airline for the island nation of Bahrain, has announced a new Nice to Bahrain route, only the second in France, using airplanes with some of the best environmental standards on the market.

Nice Côte d’Azur’s reach is expanding with the announcement of a new flight from Kuwait to Nice. Only Paris can boast this routing in France, showing the significance of Nice and the region as an attractive destination to high-end travellers from the Gulf.

The new Gulf Air route is the third connecting Nice to the Middle East, the other two flying to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, and it is using the latest generation of Airbus 321neo airplanes. These aircraft boast excellent environmental performance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% compared to others in the same category.

“This new route symbolises our strategy which is to reconcile the development of our network, for the benefit of the dynamism of our territory, and the search for the best environmental efficiency, by the use of the most modern aircraft and the least emissive,” said Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Management Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur.

The flight is direct from Kuwait to Nice, with the return flight stopping over in Rome Fiumicino. The plane has 166 seats, 16 of those premium.

“It is very exciting for our national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain to reach further places and connect multiple cities in the East and the West to its hub in Bahrain,” Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi said. “On the western side of our network map, we are delighted to launch flights to Nice on the Cote d’Azur as a boutique destination catering to our premium leisure travellers. As we operate our flights to this popular seasonal destination with our environment-conscious Airbus 321neo aircraft featuring flat-beds and superior in-flight entertainment system; we are confident our passengers will experience more enjoyable journeys with Gulf Air.”

This routing will be available for passengers to fly from now until 29th September.

 

 

 

Photo source: Wael Yusuf, Gulf Air