Copyright: monacoeye • 2011 • Monaco • Do not copy without permission.

Update Saturday - good atmosphere Friday night with the free Jean-Michel Jarre concert in Port Hercule which attracted large numbers from the surrounding area. The music was good and brought back pleasant memories from the seventies, for those that were born at that time!

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, appeared on stage and thanked averyone for coming. Beforehand residents and Monegasques were served tasty nibbles and fine champagne by Fouchon caterers.

Relatively few yachts attended - Turama, Sunrays, Alfa Nero, Over the Rainbow, Radiant, Nomad were counted among them. Charlene looked splendid. Princess Caroline couldn’t hold back the tears.

Click photo above for larger pics.


Copyright: monacoeye • 2005-2011 • Monaco • Do not copy without permission.

It’s good to be Prince!

The Principality is in full Royal Wedding swing, as Monaco gears up for a weekend of celebrations for the marriage of Prince Albert to South-African fiancée Charlene Wittstock.

Tonight a free Eagles concert at the Stadium (ticket-holders only). Tomorrow Jean-Michel Jarre in the port, (who can ever forget that classic from the 70s “dum de dum dum dum” ).

All the yachts have been moved from the T-jetty, and buildings miles away lit up all week by the blinding preparations for the lightshow that will accompany Jarre’s music.

Extraordinary sight of a cohort of about 50 French police bikers filling up all lanes on the motorway, making their way to Monaco this afternoon.

World media have been speculating wildly all week, after a report by l’Express that Charlene might have had more than a bad case of pre-wedding jitters, and was caught at Nice Airport trying to hot foot it back to South Africa (humming “you can check out but you can never leave”, no doubt).

I don’t believe a word of it, not a word of it! The Palace has issued an official denial, and we wish them both a happy wedding and the best of luck for the future.

Directly below, miniclip of Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock greeting fans before the Eagles Concert last night. Hotel California was great to see live and definitely the highlight of the evening.



On the next page are a few shots taken at various public events over the last few years. Read More...

Copyright: monacoeye • 2011 • Monaco • Do not copy without permission.

A few pics from the Grand Prix… Indian Empress dominates the T-jetty again with Force India beside her. Incongruous sight of a dozen portaloos being hauled off yesterday - apparently they’d had a party with 600 guests the night before and didn’t want them using the ships toilets! Out at sea, the new 85m Cakewalk (above) is the most impressive…

Here are the big photos, new all-on-one page format this year - you do have broadband, don’t you? - enjoy!

PS A couple of pics from Cannes, which finished last week thrown in (Sea Shepherd and Octopus), plus a couple of Katara, which also visited Monaco fairly recently.

Copyright: monacoeye • September 2010 • Monaco • Do not copy without permission.

Monday: Port Hercule is starting to fill up with yachts for the 2010 Monaco Yacht Show, which runs from 22-25 September.

Check out a preview of many of the yachts here.

Saturday: Large photos start here - many more to come…



Tuesday:

The 2010 Monaco Yacht Show ended on a tragic note, as a 28-year-old British sailor from Perini Navi superyacht Burrasca, fell overboard from his RIB tender after colliding at speed with 31-metre sailing yacht Fado, which was at anchor off the Sporting d’Eté in Monaco.

The accident happened at about 10.30 pm on Saturday night, a few hours after the show had ended, as many yachts had already started to leave.

After an intensive search, divers had been unable to find him by Sunday night. Read More...

Copyright: NT/monacoeye • Monaco, June 2010 • Do not copy without permission

The line up for this year’s Monaco Rendezvous, captured here outside the port, by NT last week. Go, 4H, Icon, Trident, Happy Days, Sea Force One, Blue Eyes, Ingot, Galactica, Millenium, Phocea, Linda Lou and H2ome participated …

Photos copyright: LM/monacoeye • La Maddalena, June 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Some beautiful shots of the Mascalzone Latino Audi boat in the Louis Vuitton Trophy sent in by Leandro.

The next LV Trophy event is in Dubai in November 2010.
Read More...

All photos on this page copyrighted: NT/monacoeye • Monaco, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

“Jenson what took you so long?”

Above, Lewis Hamilton stands on his car for photos after a decent finish in Q3, assuring himself of 5th place on the grid, and looks over at Button arriving in 8th place (back right).

Force India, below, the popular new Mangusta 165…


Photos copyright: monacoeye • Monaco, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

The James Bond themed Quantum of Solace, ex Midlandia…


Photos copyright: monacoeye • Monaco, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Looks like the official Jenson Button yacht …


Photos copyright: monacoeye • Monaco, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

At least someone’s got their priorities right. Friday night is party night for the Virgin Racing crew on entrepreneur Richard Branson’s new catamaran, Necker Belle. A couple of hard working team members let their hair down and take a few Carlsberg-fuelled holiday snaps on the bouncy castle. Boss of the year, surely!


Photos copyright: monacoeye • Monaco, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission Read More...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Monte Carlo Tennis Masters 14 April 2010 • Do not copy without permission

The Monaco season has finally got under way with the 2010 Monte Carlo Tennis Masters, after what seems like a protracted winter. But the sun was shining yesterday as Nadal and co warmed up on the back courts of the Monte Carlo Country Club. Any tennis buffs out there? Other than Nadal, I have no idea who this latest bunch of tennis players are… Please leave answers below in comments!

Only one month to go before this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, most of the stands are up already. Flavio Briatore’s Force Blue is currently in port on the T jetty, although he’s currently facing a three year suspension from Formula One for “match-fixing”. Nomad arrived a couple of days ago …



And what’s going on here…?



Read More...

A few shots below from the Genoa Boat Show which follows the Cannes and Monaco Shows in October…

Photos: monacoeye • Monaco • September 2009

Sunday: All the yachts have left. Many photos to still upload. Here's a night shot from Saturday.

Wednesday: Day One - seemed busy for a Wednesday. Yachts have been sold… the largest reported so far is Boadicea.

Monday: The Monaco Yacht Show is fast approaching. The port is half full already.

The show runs from the 23rd to 26th September 2009 - opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

There are 100 yachts on display in Port Hercule, from 25 to 90 metres, with 40 new builds.

There are stands for 500 companies in yacht-related businesses - including everything from paint finishes to table settings.

This is the tag link on this site for yachts appearing at this year's Monaco Yacht Show: MYS 2009. Entries will be updated as the show progresses.

Photos: NT • 6 September 2009 • Larvotto Beach, Monaco

To those about to dive, I salute you! The Monaco Triathlon started early on Sunday morning at 7.30 a.m. with the swim event. NT has sent in a superb set of photos. I'll say no more, click through the links to see the action…

Many of the yachts which previously might have moored offshore during the Monaco Yacht Show will this year be relocated to St Jean.

Brokers found the bad weather last year made it very difficult to for them to shuttle clients out to their yachts.

So they are staging a concurrent event entitled The MYBA Selection.

It runs from 25th to 27th September 2009 and will include yachts such as the 26m motor yacht Catriel, the 75 m SY Phocea and 57m SY Montigne from Aegean Yachts.

A list of yachts (updated nearer the event) on this site can be found here: MYBA Selection 2009.

HSH Prince Albert of Monaco • 5 July 2009 • La Turbie

Photos: monacoeye

Prince Albert, a former Olympic medallist, got involved in the two opening stages, by awarding the prizes for Stage One and riding in front of the cyclists on Stage Two in the open-top Tour de France car.

He looked like he was having fun !

Photos: monacoeye • 5 July 2009 • La Turbie

Tour de France leaders (top) and peloton (bottom) arrive in La Turbie. The 8.5 km of road from Monaco took 15 minutes and involved a climb of 491 metres from sea-level.

Cyclist Lance Armstrong • 2009 Tour de France, Monaco.

Photos: monacoeye • Monaco • 4 July 2009

The return of Lance Armstrong to the Tour with Astana, after a four year absence, is the story dominating the French news.

Here he is hurtling up Boulevard du Jardin Exotique on the Stage 1 time trial. He put in a respectable performance, finishing 10th fastest. Cancellara, Contador and Bradley Wiggins were 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

The French TV commentator begrudgingly conceded that Lance looks like he is still a force to be reckoned with!

Whatever the establishment may think, the public are well behind him. Everywhere he goes he is preceded by cheering crowds and followed by a large press pack.

Cyclist Mark Cavendish (middle row, 2nd from right) laps Monaco with his Columbia Tour de France team-mates.

Photo: monacoeye • 2 July 2009 • Monaco

British Olympic gold-medallist Mark Cavendish won the second, Monaco - Brignoles, stage of the Tour de France, in a sprint finish, on Sunday.

He went on to win the third stage through the Camargues to La Grande Motte, on Monday, and currently wears the Green Jersey, as points leader.

Swiss Cyclist Fabian Cancellara • Tour de France - Stage 1 - Monaco 2009

Photo: AW • Monaco • 4th July 2009

Fabian Cancellara made a good start to this year's Tour de France by winning the Yellow Jersey in Saturday's Monaco-Monaco Stage.

Teams, TV crews and the whole Tour de France shebang have been streaming into the principality this week in the build up to the Grand Depart of the Tour de France, which this year starts in Monaco, this Saturday, 4th July 2009.

We crossed the Cofidis team near Sainte Agnes on Thursday afternoon. Incredibly in the near 30 degree heat, having climbed 950 metres from Monaco, the team looked very relaxed, hadn't broken a sweat, were chatting merrily and said hello as they passed !

Two to three hundred thousand people are expected to visit Monaco for the event. There are a few new yachts around. The recently launched CRN Tacanuyaso MS is berthed under Fort Antoine. Al Mirqab and A have been sailing along the coast nearby.

The route for Saturday's Monaco-Monaco 15 km Stage 1 is: Port, Casino, Princess Charlotte, Jardin Exotique, back above Monaco along Moyenne Corniche to Bon Voyage, down past Tennis, Larvotto, back to Port.

The first rider leaves at 4 pm on this time trial and is expected to take 20 minutes to complete the circuit. Cyclists then leave every minute until 7 pm. The "Caravan" (free key-rings etc) leaves at 1.30 p.m. *

*These times are taken from the official Tour de France website, but it seems they have started a little earlier than scheduled…

Sunday's Stage 2 is much longer: 187 km Monaco - Brignoles, via Nice, Grasse, Fayence and Draguignan, starting at 12.20 in the Place du Casino.

Photos: monacoeye - KH - NT • Monaco Grand Prix • May 2009

There was a good turnout for this year's Grand Prix. Stands seemed full and many yachts turned up for the event, despite the credit crisis. Although there seemed fewer sponsored charter parties than last year.

One car manufacturer had apparently downsized from a 115 metre yacht to one a quarter of the size. Conspicuous by its absence was any sign of Roman Abramovich's fleet. But some regulars like Rahal and Kogo were not going to miss the fun.

Nice Airport, which is usually heaving with Cannes-bound Parisian party people, seemed eerily quiet mid-week. Some usually highly-coveted apartments overlooking the track, which can be let out by locals for five figure sums for the weekend (paying several months' rent!), went unbooked …

NT spotted the Queen's cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, who later presented the cup to Jenson Button, hopping off to Blue Bird in Talitha's Chris Craft tender with Nick Edmiston before the race. Blue Bird and the Talitha tender flew the White Ensign. KH glimpsed Prince Albert being ushered onto one of the yachts on Saturday night. Dilbar visited on Thursday but departed before the race.

Utopia, Nero, Talitha, Aviva, Princess Mariana, Siren, Siran and Fortunate Sun dominated the skyline outside the port. Inside the port Indian Empress, Ronin, Lionheart, Addiction, Annaeva, Kogo, Phoenix and Alfa Nero were some of the big yachts moored on the jetties. The Hugo Boss 20m Open 60, usually skippered by Alex Thomson, was zipping around below the Oceanographic Museum. Larger photos here.

Monday: All the boats have now departed, just as the sunshine reappeared ! Most will be preparing their annual migration to Fort Lauderdale and the Caribbean for the winter. Many photos still to upload - bear with us, it'll take a couple of weeks to sort through them all…

Saturday update: Anastasia and Oasis under the casino, with the two CRNs Maraya and Romance behind. Out at sea Stargate and Alfa Nero stand out. That's Xanadu, the new Andrew Winch designed Benetti, behind Alfa Nero. At night, the underwater lighting systems put on quite a show…









Thursday Update: Beautiful weather today - all the boats are safely in the port with a few dozen offshore, including Alfa Nero and Stargate. An excellent day for visiting the show … ! The Red Arrows caught everyone by surprise, captured below by NT.






Tuesday Update: There were extraordinary scenes in Port Hercule today as three yachts found themselves in difficulty while trying to pull into their berths for the yacht show due to very strong winds. Photos below …

First the handsome new 53 m Vinydrea tried to squeeze into an impossibly small gap between Martha Ann and another medium sized yacht in very strong winds. Each time she approached the yacht she swung round 90 degrees from the force of the wind, with her side thrusters seemingly on full power. Having come perilously close to many of the other yachts surrounding her in the crowded port, she eventually gave up on that space, and opted for a larger space on the other side.

Meanwhile Harle was following from behind. Also unable to hold her position, she seemed to be blown very close to a ferry moored on the large jetty, before abandoning her attempt and beating a hasty retreat into the open water.

A little later Macalulu tried to enter the port, obviously tired of being buffeted by the strong winds out at sea. She seemed to be able to hold her course until a strong wind picked up as she entered the port and she ended up with one anchor stuck round the wrong side of her bow. She was thus also forced back out to open sea … !

The wind has dropped a little now, but the skies are still overcast…







Sunday Update: The Yacht Show preliminaries started on Saturday, with yachts taking their places on the central T jetty and most regular residents vacating their places on the Quai des Etats Unis.

Weather terrible - black skies and rain - let's hope it clears up when it all kicks off on Wednesday. With credit markets frozen and worldwide financial gloom and doom will anyone be buying yachts this week ?

The 2008 Monaco Yacht Show runs from Wednesday 24th to 27th of September 2008.

We'll be uploading photos, as weather and time permit, over the next week or two…

Photos: Tatiana Hughes • Monaco Amber Fashion Show • 23 May 2008

Fashion photographer Tatiana Hughes has sent in this superb set of photos from the star-studded Amber Fashion exclusive fashion show and party last night, held at the Amber Lounge in Monaco.

This benefit for the Elton John Aids Foundation, was hosted by David Furnish and featured fashion lines by Elizabeth Hurley, Petra Ecclestone, and couturier Isabell Kristensen, with jewellery by Chopard and shoes by Jimmy Choo.

Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen were among those modelling the menswear, while Prince Albert, Liz Hurley, Naomi Campbell, Bernie Ecclestone, Vijay Mallya, Flavio Briatore, Lakshmi Mittal and many other top personalities from Formula One looked on.

Vijay Mallya donated one week's use of his yacht Indian Empress, including fuel and catering, to the charity auction. Although he suggested one million euros would be a fair price (€800,000 is the charter price), it was eventually bid up to €300,000 - what a bargain !

The Cannes Film Festival is now in full swing. As the week progresses yachts will zip up the coast to Monaco in time for the Grand Prix on Sunday. This nice set of photos, taken by Alexia on Sunday, show a busy waterfront and some of the behind-the-scenes action.

The shot that really captures the moment is #3: Linda Evangelista leaving the artists' entrance and getting into a courtesy car, while in the top corner of the picture, police are greeting each other, in typical Gallic fashion, still proudly clutching their Indiana Jones hats, distributed earlier at the Crystal Skull Premiere ! (thx Albert for star ID)

The top blue hulled yacht with the red funnel is the recent conversion Harmony II. Roberto Cavalli's RC is in the same shot to the right beside the lighthouse…

Photos: AW • Cannes Film Festival • 18 May 2008

Our sister site holiday.monacoeye.com has been revamped and relaunched in time for the holiday season. It's an unofficial guide to Monaco for tourists planning on spending a day or two in Monaco or visiting Monte Carlo for the F1 Grand Prix. …

Although some sections still need some work, categories include the Aquarium and Oceanographic Museum, Jardin Exotique or Cactus Garden, Monaco Grand Prix F1, Monte Carlo Rally (needs updating) Beaches including the Larvotto, Cathedral and Palace, Monte Carlo Open Tennis Masters (needs updating), a few photos of Prince Albert of Monaco, Monte Carlo Casino (needs updating), Transport from Nice to Monaco and in Monaco, and Monaco Maps including a Monaco Hotel Map and Monaco Grand Prix Map.

We hope you find the site useful!

Monaco hosts a biannual Classic Yacht event, before every other Monaco Yacht Show. This year it will take place again, and starts tomorrow 10th September, finishing on Sunday 16th September.

Three broad classes are represented:

• Classic sailing yachts, from 20 to 60 m in length, both racers and cruisers. These masterpieces of wood and brass invariably have fascinating stories to tell of inspired designers, famous races, illustrious owners, or miraculous restorations.

• Classic motor yachts, from 25 to 70 m in length. Look out for the yellow funnels.

• Classic runarounds and racers, less than 16 m in length.

Placements and inspections are from Monday to Wednesday. Regularity tests and regattas run from Thursday to Sunday.

Christina O and SS Delphine, a little big for the classes but joining in anyway, have already arrived. SS Delphine will be hosting the Nuit du Yachting "Sea Personality" Gala Award Ceremony on Friday 14th.

2005 attendees included Atlantide and Over the Rainbow in the motor section, and Creole and Shamrock in the sail class. R/S Eden ex Fulmara, pictured above arriving with Christina O this evening, will certainly garner some attention this year, given the scale and ambition of her redesign.

If you can't make Classic Week, you get a second chance to catch up with most of the sailing boats at the Voiles de Saint Tropez, which starts on the 1st of October.

Went down to "Le Jumping" for the first time this year and loved it. Of all Monaco's myriad events this seems the most relaxed and entertaining. Largely because these one-horsepower engines are mostly silent and look at you with those wonderful eyes as they walk past. Bring back the horse !!

Photos: monacoeye • Monaco • July 2007

The annual Showboats International awards kicks off on Wednesday in Monaco. The first yacht to line up on the Quai des Etats Unis in Monaco on Monday was Linda Lou, the 58m from Lürssen delivered late 2006. Warren Yachts S86, a winner last year, was also present. Katharine from Trinity arrived, then Lady Anne from Amels and Alysia. On Tuesday Ambrosia arrived, followed by Lady Kathryn III and Floridian. On Wednesday Triton, Northern Light and Magic…

On the quay a few Rollers and an interesting prototype two-man sub named The Aviator, which can be flown like a plane underwater. The pilot told me it has been tested to 500m and should reach 1000m. The price tag of $200 million, will be beyond most budgets, but you'll be pleased to learn it can be chartered. On the Aviator site you can see it on expedition with the yacht Coral Island off Mexico in November 2006.

Christophe Oliva sent in this great set of photos of the teams preparing for the Louis Vuitton Cup, the qualifier to the America's Cup, in Valencia. Having now won the Louis Vuitton challenge, New Zealand will be racing against Alinghi in the best of 9 races starting on 23rd June and finishing on 9th July. The Auld Mug was first raced for around the Isle of Wight in 1851. This year marks the 32nd America's Cup. Each boat is 85 ft long or 24 m.

Could Lewis Hamilton bring off the impossible and win the Monaco Grand Prix in his first year? He knows the track having won here in Formula 3 & GP2. The pressure will be on his McLaren teammate Alonso to prove himself the better driver, and the two Ferraris are hardly likely to sit back and watch.

The stands are up, the roads have been resurfaced, the cameras are in place and the yachts have arrived. In great numbers. Amevi, Kismet and Ferdy are all new launches. Princess Mariana, Indian Empress, World is Not Enough and Floridian are also here with literally dozens of others. Racing starts on Thursday with the main event on Sunday. I'll try to add to the album in the next few days.

Also we have confirmation that Aurora has been renamed Aurore. The World is Not Enough is now just World is not Enough. Zaza is now Elle. Princess Elena has had a refit and now has a blue hull.

The 60th Cannes Film Festival opened on Wednesday and runs from 16th to 27th May 2007. It's one of the top yacht destinations, with media companies chartering many yachts and others just coming for the parties. Who was the mystery starlet (above) posing briefly at the Palais des Festivals, on Thursday? Yachts attending included the Perini twins Selene and Santa Maria, Polar Star, Montkaj, Tatoosh, Lady Moura, Sarah and a strange prototype called Proteus.

In May it's one event after another. Here's a shot of the Monaco Flower Show on the Casino Terrace …

Photo: monacoeye • Monaco • 13 May 2007

Bob's been busy at St Barths Bucket… Directly below are most of the entrants for this famous regatta which took place from the 29th March to 1st April 2007. Too many to list on the front page so they continue on to the May archive. Below that are more yachts from St Barths mostly taken around the event… Kaori came first in the overall rankings, in front of Avalon and Windcrest.

Photos: Robert Paylor • St Barths Bucket • 1 April 2007

Event: Monaco Top Marques 2007 - mostly supercars

Photo: monacoeye • Monaco • April 2007

The Nice Yacht Show finished today. The show concentrates on smaller boats. I've posted a few models below - details to follow.

Photo: monacoeye • 25 March 2007 • Nice

Port Hercule was gripped by rally fever today as French hero Sébastien Loeb snatched the first rally of the WRC 2007 season in style. Citroen swept the board with rising star Dani Sordo taking second place. The Monte Carlo Rally is mostly raced over Friday and Saturday in the mountains a few hours' drive behind Monaco. But exceptionally this year, today, Sunday, a short final special stage was held around Port Hercule on the lower half of the Grand Prix circuit. Sébastien Loeb is something of a modern rally phenomenon having won the WRC championship for the last three years running, with Monegasque co-driver Daniel Elena. The rally doesn't attract the yacht crowd like the Grand Prix, but local yachts such as Atlantis II and Moneikos can be seen behind the track. I caught up with Loeb, Sordo and the Citroen team at the famous Rascasse restaurant just after Loeb had won the final stage and then again for the prize-giving ceremony…

Saint Tropez - the small fishing village made famous by Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s - hosts the 8th Voiles de Saint Tropez regattas this week. Both modern and classic yachts come to St Tropez for this event.

Photos from the event start here and will be added to…

Wednesday update: Regattas cancelled because of too much wind (!) so I concentrated my lens on the smaller details of the classic yachts. I've now had a go answering the quiz I set yesterday - i.e. which yachts are in the picture below. They are the distinctive and decorative carved or painted arrow ends, reeds or finials that finish the line that runs along the hulls of classic yachts. So far from left :

Top row:

1: Cambria
2: Milena
3: Sunshine
4: Moonbeam
5: Belle Aventure
6: Veronique
7: Radha
8:
9:
10: Tiziana
11: Cintra
12: Cintra
13: Mariella
14: Esterel
15: Lelantina
16: Ivanhoe

Bottom row:

1: Seven Seas
2: Adria
3: Lulworth
4: Altair
5: Mariette
6: Sylphe
7: Lucia
8: Velsheda
9: Eilidh
10: Windrose
11: Havsörnen ?
12: Djinn
13: Stormy Weather ?
14: Annagine

The 2006 Monaco Yacht Show started on Wednesday, in case you didn't know… This year the monacoeye.com MYS 2006 album is in large format.

Update Tuesday: All the yachts are here - the port is buzzing with yachts and yacht people. Quite a few outside too. Maltese Falcon came in first thing this morning and docked beside Mirabella V inside the old port. The last to come in tonight was Ambrosia then surprise arrival Northern Star which docked on the big jetty beside Atlantis and Lionheart. Baglietto Annamia came in today too (not on list) - didn't stay. Loads more photos. Added to the album today and will be adding more tomorrow once I've uploaded today's batch.

Update Wednesday: Too busy taking in the show today, and taking photos to finish the new pages. More should be up tomorrow.

Update Thursday: Big upload of 30 new photos of the show: Annamia, Atmosphere, Azimut 105, Balaju, Be Cool, Black Gold, Bliss, Diamond Forever, Drumbeat, Haida G, Indian Princess, Islander, Let's Dream, Life Style, Lionheart, Lulworth, Pershing 90 & 115, Pink Gin, Sea Wish, Silver Tip, Mediterraneo, Windrose and Y II. They're all in the album - many more to follow…

Postcript Tuesday: most photos have now been uploaded. Over 35 yachts launched this year - over 100 photos. Still working on tenders. Full list here. Album starts here. Individual entries to follow.

Today is the start of the 2006 Women's World Aquabike Championship. The championship will be held outside the port, off the new jetty, which has purpose built terraces to accommodate spectators. I believe this is the first time they will have been used for a sporting event. The championship runs over the whole weekend starting 4.30 pm today and it's free to watch. One of the stars to watch out for is Anastasia Potanina.

Once again Monaco is hosting the Supercup Final - a match played between the winners of the European Champions League and the UEFA Cup. Last year a selection of Abramovich's yachts accompanied CSKA Moscow, who ended up losing to Liverpool. This year it's a an entirely Spanish derby between Seville and Barça, home to footballer of the year Ronaldinho. Fans from both ends of Spain have been arriving in their thousands bedecked in their team's regalia. Many have disembarked from cruise ships, which are lining up outside the port. A few Spanish yachts have been spotted thus far including Paz, now sporting the Perini logo, which was absent last year.

Update: Seville won 3-0 !

The 17th Annual ShowBoats International Awards will be held this Thursday, June 22.

Alysia, Ambrosia and Zoom Zoom Zoom can be seen here alongside the Quai des Etas Unis.

Wednesday, Quai des Etats Unis: Paladin, Shadow Marine, Alysia, Galaxy, Ambrosia, Zoom Zoom Zoom, Magic, Lady Kathryn III, Nina J, Milk and Honey, Ubiquitous and S87 from Warren Yachts.

Elsewhere: Mustang Sally, Ohana, Java, Sai Ram and a mystery Amels (below) which I need help IDing - unless of course its Malibu from the other side…

Not much wind for the regatta today.
Can anyone help me by identifying the sails above?

Here's a photo of the Half Ironman Monaco Triathlon 2005 which took place on Sunday.
I have many more if anyone is interested but will only post them if I get specific requests as I've run out of server space.

The YCM's annual yacht show is only a couple of weeks away and the tents are already going up on the Darse Nord and Darse Sud.
I'm hoping to get a few decent shots.
With a bit of luck I'll be able to add Haida G, Leander G, Solemar, the new 61m Feadship Blue Moon and the new 62m Oceanco Lady Christina to the index, as they should all be making an appearance.