Transatlantic first for Monaco yacht

Following his third place in the Rolex Fastnet Race, Pierre Casiraghi has entered the IMOCA 60’ Malizia II – Yacht Club de Monaco for the 13th Transat Jacques Vabre later this year.

The demanding biennial race for double-handers leaves Le Havre on November 5, although the grandson of Princess Grace will not be on board. The race will be a first for a Monegasque boat supervised by Pierre Casiraghi and led by German sailor Boris Herrmann.

“In line with our Club’s sailing policy, as well as preparation for the Vendée Globe, it seems important to me that the Yacht Club de Monaco’s offshore flagship Malizia II is able to compete in internationally renowned events to inspire our young sailors to dream big and get them considering used vocations,” said Pierre Casiraghi, YCM Vice-President.

To complete the team, he has chosen Frenchman Thomas Ruyant, who has three Transat Jacques Vabre under his belt and the last Vendée Globe on Souffle du Nord. The Dunkirk sailor is an experienced ocean racer.

“With this young team, our ambition is to be there on the start of the most prestigious races, be it GC32 regattas or offshore races on the IMOCA 60’. Both are high performance foiling boats which epitomise modern sailing,” added the Prince, who just turned 30 on September 5.

Malizia symbolises the Grimaldi family’s attachment to the sea, a tribute to Francesco Grimaldi “The Cunning One” (La Malizia in Monegasque), the Genovese who arrived by sea in 1297 and established the Grimaldi dynasty.

The Transat Jacques Vabre involves 4,350 nautical miles ending in Salvador de Bahia in Brazil, with thirteen IMOCA 60s competing.

READ MORE: Dynamiq sponsors Casiraghi’s sailing team