A rich program of events in 2023 celebrates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Yacht Club de Monaco by Prince Rainier III.

Chaired since 1984 by Prince Albert II of Monaco, this private club continues to honor its public service mandate by organizing world-class events. Its activities follow the path of the 'Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting' initiative, launched to position the Principality as a center of excellence in this sector.

The celebrations kicked off on Wednesday 11 January , with the 13th Monaco Optimist Team Race gathering the international elite of this discipline with 64 under 14 sailors from 16 nations to compete on the water. Victory for Croatia with a team of four young athletes from Sailing Club Uljanik of Pula who finished the 5 days of competition on top of the podium, ahead of the United States and Spain.

The spotlight is now shifting to one designs with the 10th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series ( February 2-5 ) and the 39th Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse (March 2-5). The best teams in the J/70 category, who train in the Principality, will meet again for Act III of the 10th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, a fixture by now on the calendar of international teams. Racing promises to be tight for the fleet, currently led by Ludovico Fassitelli of the YCM on Junda followed by Graeme Peterson (Moonlight II) and Stefano Roberti (Piccinina), also from the YCM.

The Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series season culminates for the J/70 class with the fourth and final act taking place on the same weekend as the 39th Primo Cup-Trophée Credit Suisse ( March 2-5 ) and will bring together Smeralda 888, Longtze Premier and RS 21. During the Monaco Ocean Week, organized by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco and the Monaco Science Centre, the YCM is responsible for the Nautical component focused on the protection of the oceans. There will be four appointments at the YCM on Thursday 23 March, starting with the 12th Environmental Symposium dedicated to the 10th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge on the theme 'Encouraging the Future for a more Sustainable Yachting', with the aim of promoting more sustainable yachting. It will then be the turn of the 27th Captains' Forum, which brings together owners, captains and leaders of the superyacht sector under the theme 'Superyacht Commitment: Management, Leadership & Mentoring'.

Following the successful Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous (next to be held at the YCM, 24-25 September 2023 ), M3 (Monaco Marina Management) launches the first ever Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous, a networking event continuing on Friday 24 March culminating with the Smart Innovative Yacht Awards. Supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Credit Suisse and the innovation specialists for a sustainable economy, Blumorpho facilitates exchanges between the entire ecosystem to make it more virtuous and promotes innovations that could bring major changes to the sector.

The 3rd YCM Explorer Awards for La Belle Classe Superyachts will take place on Thursday 23 March . Organized under the presidency of HSH Prince Albert II since 2019, it is dedicated to shipowners who stand out for their commitment to protecting the marine environment, both in the design of their yacht and in its navigation. Different categories of awards assigned by a Jury of professionals: Technology & Innovation, Mediation & Science, Adventure & Environmental Ethics. The Art de Vivre la Mer is the motto of the Yacht Club de Monaco. To illustrate this and to shine the spotlight on gourmet cuisine at sea as a further facet of the nautical professions, the YCM will organize the 4th edition of the Superyacht Chef competition on 30 March, with an international jury chaired by three-times-starred chef Yannick Alléno.