2014 Solar 1 Monte Carlo Cup - The movie and team presentation

by Yacht Club de Monaco on 6 Sep 2014 The smell of success is cascading throughout Monaco after the completion of the inaugural Solar 1 Monte Carlo Cup, World Solar Boat Championship. Three days of thrilling festivities attracted 24 teams from across the globe.

The first Solar 1 Monte Carlo Cup was held in the new Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) which was designed by Lord Norman Foster. The core foundation of racing participants was made up of, international university and college students, who travelled from destinations from as far afield as the USA and Russia.

The futuristic vessels were built by these young engineers who designed them to compete in one of three classes; A Class, Open Class and V20. These classes went head to head in three competitive races; fleet race, slalom and one-on-one sprints, right in front of the Principality, which was watched with great, interest by passers-by and YCM members.

Champions of the event were, Clafis Private Energy Solar Boat Team II, who pulled off a double, taking first and second in the Open Class (the most innovative, as there is only one restriction - the length - 8m or less). Dutch Solar Boat Team stole the show in the A class (maximum length 6m and four solar panels) and, Russian Team, Beluga Powered by Synergy, won the one-design V20 class (designed to plane on foils).

Finally the Monegasques, who were the only team from the Mediterranean basin, took third in their Nakhimov Racing V20 boat, driven by Gianmarco Casiraghi, the son of Marco Casiraghi. Marco himself also played an extremely large role in the vision of the Solar 1 Monte Carlo Cup 2014.

Aside from racing, the on land activities never stopped. The stimulating solar conference attracted a wide variety of speakers, coming from top universities and engineering businesses to, extraordinary naval architects like Vripack, the technical partners for the Solar 1 Cup 2014. This event drew in a hundreds of people of all ages, from enthusiasts to curious passers-by.

Solar 1 guaranteed this event to be an experience for all; with activities ranging from a live DJ playing right in the paddock to a children’s solar boat competition, which took place in the new YCM swimming pool, where 25 children from five - fourteen participated in a miniature solar powered boat race, to mimic that of the Solar 1 Monte Carlo Cup.

If that was not enough for this outstanding and successful event, Solar 1 attracted the unique 30m PlanetSolar catamaran. VIP’s, teams and publics were able to view the highly powerful racing, right from the top deck, surrounded by 512m2 of photovoltaic panels with Gérard d’Aboville, Captain of PlanetSolar.

Appreciation and recognition must also be given to the Solar 1 Partners and Sponsors, as this first year event would not have accomplished the level of success that it did without them. Partners included; Yacht Club de Monaco, Vripack, Eurosport, UIM, PlanetSolar, Hill Dickinson, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Direction de tourism et des Congres, Oikos. Sponsors included; Orsto, Fairmont Monte Carlo, Green TV, Boat International, Wajer and Wajer, Super Yacht Times, WeWi, Nahkimov, Beluga, Enphase Energy, The Sun Factory, Rviera Magazine and RIB and HSC – High Speed Craft Directory.

The Solar 1 Monte Carlo Cup 2015 has already begun its planning, with dates confirmed from ninth – eleventh July 2015, Solar 1 are already putting the plans in motion to create an event bigger and better event at the stunning Yacht Club de Monaco.