Lancia has entered into a partnership project with the prestigious Yacht Club de Monaco the agreement will enable Lancia to be accredited in the high-profile nautical world and to increase its visibility among the enthusiasts worldwide.

Lancia has entered the International nautical world with a partnership project with the prestigious Yacht Club de Monaco. The partnership project was presented in the Monegasque Headquarters and will extend for a term of three years associating Lancia with the initiatives launched by the Principality's Yacht Club, well known throughout the world as being one of the historical Yachting capitals. The Yacht Club de Monaco has inspired numerous sporting and social initiatives to enhance the nautical tradition making the Yacht Club a pro-active player on the international nautical scene and a highly desirable point of arrival for the numerous yacht owners who strive to become members.

The partnership agreement will enable Lancia to be accredited in the high-profile nautical world and to increase its visibility among the enthusiasts worldwide. The association with the Monegasque club originates from a natural sharing of style between two players.

Before the current multi-year agreement Lancia and the Yacht Club de Monaco had had the opportunity of working together during specific events which placed a strong emphasis on the values of nautical tradition, like the Monaco Class Week and the Soirée “La Belle Classe” (Beautiful Class), initiatives in harmony with the same values pursued by Lancia in the car world.

Lancia cars will always be the Yacht Club's official means of transport during the next three years and will be available for guests during major events, in addition, the Yacht Club will be the privileged operating centre for the previews of Lancia cars in the Principality, starting with the Lancia Delta and the most recent version of the Lancia Phedra people carrier.

“We are very pleased and proud about this partnership with a prestigious car manufacturer, such as Lancia, with which we share mutual values of tradition, elegance, excellence and performance... these values represent the fundamental principles of the philosophy promoted by the Yacht Club de Monaco. Today we gather again two entities which have already been living important moments together. The story between Monaco and Lancia started in 1925 when a Lancia Lambda competed for the first time in the Montecarlo Rally, passing the finish line on the Monaco harbour in second position. Lancia has won many times in the Principality, thus creating its prestige and winning international recognition. Then Lancia extended its universe to motoryachting competition. During the 60's and 70's, three points powerboats were run by the V6 engine of the Lancia Flaminia, giving birth to the Lancia Class. A success story and a collaboration which have contributed to tighten the links between Lancia and the Principality," commented Bernard d’Alessandri, General Secretary of YCM.

“We have transformed our presence in the nautical world from occasional to on-going, because we noted great interest and widespread appreciation for the previous initiatives," added Sergio Munaò, Lancia BTL Communication Manager, “Our experience has started with the Yacht Club de Monaco and considering the successes achieved, we will continue with them and extend our role and visibility. Today, we also welcome the arrival of the winners of the first stage of the Lancia VMV Cup here in Monte Carlo, the motorboat competition reserved for the most representative boatyards and the crews which are best able to manage their boats in a difficult endurance race. We also take this opportunity to thank them for joining Lancia and for having shared our projects and values."

Raffaello Porro, Lancia External Relations Manager stated: “We are celebrating this agreement by displaying the new Lancia Delta as an absolute preview for the Principality and in advance of the international presentation in June. Not only can we promote our cars from this prestigious international stage, but we can also consolidate and extend the values interpreted by our brand and which attracted us to the Yacht Club de Monaco: elegance, class, tradition and craftsmanship. We have admired this institution of the yachting world from the very beginning, an organisation that knows how to combine a passion for elegance and a strong character on land and in the sea with an extra delta.”

The Yacht Club de Monaco, heir to a long maritime tradition

It is no mere chance that the Principality has become one of the capitals of international yachting for over a century. Monaco has the advantage of a real legitimate claim demonstrated throughout the course of a full century. The first regattas were raced in the Monegasque bay in 1862, followed by the formation of Société des Régates in 1888 with the mission of “developing, encouraging and serving to promote the Principality in the Yachting field”. The end of the XIX century raised Monaco to the elite ranks of international yachting, where the major players from the world of finance, industry and entertainment meet regularly, encouraged by Prince Albert I, nicknamed the “Oceanographer Prince”. 1904 saw the start of the first international trials ‘canots automobiles’ (motorboats) at Port Hercule, concurrent with the creation of combustion engines. All the large sale and motor powered yachts agreed to meet to be the privileged spectators of this exclusive rally. Monaco quickly became the centre of the world of innovation and fashionable nautical sports. There is an entire dynasty of the Grimaldi family from Honoré II, Admiral of the French fleet, to HSH Prince Albert II, who accepted the presidency in 1984, perpetuating this tradition of a Principality dedicated to the sea.

First of all, the Yacht Club de Monaco represents a history of men, energies, commitment, which have strived to maintain the traditions alive over the decades and to announce the significant moments associated with the nautical world. Today, the Yacht Club de Monaco's prestigious Club House has more than 800 members, distributed among 44 nationalities.

A sporting and maritime vocation

The Yacht Club de Monaco has always been a major player in the most prestigious sporting events: ranging from the participation of the Monegasque crew Munegu in the Monaco-New-York transat in 1985, with Bernard d’Alessandri as helmsman, to the Merit Cup captained by Grant Dalton that came 2nd in the Whitbread Round of the 97/98, World race, to the organisation of the J/24 and Star class European Championships.

The entire international yachting elite meet every year, in early February, to participate in the First Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse that has opened the Mediterranean's nautical season for more than 25 years. One design class boat trials or also the Palermo - Monte Carlo, a 500-mile long race between Palermo and the Principality of Monaco, which quickly became one of the most important rendezvous among the high-sea regattas in the Mediterranean.

Regattas indeed, but also motor boating: the Principality of Monaco (Principauté de Monaco) is indisputably “the motor boating basin”, since Port Hercule was the birthplace of the first international ‘canots automobiles’ meetings (steam powered and then motor powered speedboats) more than one hundred years ago. Monaco has never ceased to be at the cutting edge of motor boating innovations with the chattering sound of combustion engines and the theatre for the trials of Mercedes, Lancia, Peugeot or Delahaye engines. Today, the Yacht Club de Monaco perpetuates this tradition by welcoming a large number of motor boating trials every year, like the Riva Art Trophy or the Monaco-Viareggio-Monaco event.

An exclusive venue dedicated to the great nautical scenario

The Yacht Club has a privileged position in the world's great international nautical scenario and groups together the most prestigious private yachts in the world under its burgee (about one quarter of the largest yachts, more than 60 metres long are registered under the Monegasque flag).

The YCM has entrusted Lord Norman Foster and his design office Foster and Partners, the initiator of “High Tech” architecture and the author of architectural works acknowledged throughout the world, with the creation of a new Club-House being one of the major players and fully aware of a sector that is developing strongly and feeling the need to keep in step with events and the expectations of the international yachting community. This building will be situated opposite the new dam's counter-cast structure and will have the appearance of a ship, with five decks which will terminate in a cascade towards the sea, just like the decks of a super-yacht. This building is foreseen to accommodate the largest of the mega-yachts, and will be characterised with both cutting edge aesthetics, but above all will incorporate the best solutions in terms of environmental sustainability features. The completion date is foreseen for 2012.

Monaco, the capital of traditional Yachting

The Yacht Club de Monaco is also the owner of Tuiga, a fore and aft cutter dating from the 1909 and has the benefit of five years experience gained in its capacity as founder and coordinator of the Prada Challenge for Classic Yachts and the founder of the Monaco Classic Week from 1994, which unites the ‘canots automobiles’ (motorboats), the Period and Classic sailing ships and the Period motor-yachts every two years. Today, the Monegasque Club pursues a policy to favour protecting the maritime heritage, by establishing “La Belle Classe” (Beautiful Class), a club dedicated to the owners of Period yachts, with the aim of preserving and promoting classic Yachting. The club's mission: to foster loyalty and encourage owners to preserve the heritage, to respect the nautical etiquette and the environment, to enhance high-quality craftsmanship, in order to transmit an invaluable cultural heritage to future generations, as well as a certain art of experiencing the sea.

Tuiga, its first 100 years

Next year, in particular, Lancia will participate in the celebrations organised for the Tuiga centenary, the Yacht Club de Monaco's famous ensign ship and that represents the Yacht Club in the main international events. The centenary of Tuiga will be a year-long event and will attract the attention of sailing boat enthusiasts throughout the world.

Tuiga was bought by the Yacht Club de Monaco, mindful and proud of this splendid boat that expresses the matchless nautical tradition of classical sailboats. Tuiga is a 15-metres IR designed by William Fife in1909, the most prestigious Scottish naval architect. Those who go on board Tuiga share the same passion expressed by the Chairman of the Yacht club de Monaco, HSH Prince Albert. HSH Prince Albert has often taken the boat's helm personally, like the famous navigator Eric Tabarly who considered the Tuiga to be "one of the most beautiful boats in the world".

And this centenary will be celebrated from 16th to 20th September 2009 to coincide with an exceptional Monaco Classic Week. Transferring maritime heritage, respecting naval etiquette and protecting the sea and its eco-system, three values which will be repeated unceasingly throughout the celebrations organised on an exceptional stage, which will include the revisitation of 100 years of history, passion and innovation, a unique event, on the quayside and in the water.