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Prince Albert hosts event in support of RCYC's Cork300

November 10th, 2019 7:11 AM

By Siobhan Cronin

Colin Morehead, chairman of Cork300 with Prince Albert of Monaco and Pat Farnan, RCYC admiral, at the event in Monaco last weekend. (Photo: Martin Messmer)

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Film star Grace Kelly's son Prince Albert of Monaco hosted a special event for organisers of the Cork300 to show his support for the upcoming series of events due to take place next year. 

FILM star Grace Kelly’s son Prince Albert of Monaco hosted a special event for organisers of the Cork300 to show his support for the upcoming series of events due to take place next year. 

Its twin club, the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, which is the oldest yacht club in the world, will celebrate its 300th anniversary with an exciting series of events on and off the water across Cork harbour next summer, looking back at the origins of where sailing began. 

The historic celebrations will shine a light on the heritage of sailing and will serve as a significant milestone for the sailing community worldwide.

Yacht Club de Monaco, which is the only club in the world twinned with the Royal Cork Yacht Club, will help promote the Cork300 event series, both within Monaco, and internationally. It will also participate in a number of events in Cork next year.

The Monaco club is also advising Cork300 organisers on exciting events like the International Powerboat Festival, which will mark the 117th anniversary to the day of the world’s first inter-nation powerboat event, which was organised by the British Automobile Club and hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club in 1903. 

As part of this challenge, a modern fleet of endurance offshore racing boats will compete for the honour of being crowned UIM Offshore Marathon World Champion as they race out from Cork and around the iconic Fastnet Rock in West Cork before returning to Crosshaven. Sailors from Monaco are also expected to attend the Royal Cork Fleet Review and Parade of Sail in Cobh, which will take place on July 12th, and will participate in a Wild Atlantic Way cruise along the West coast of Cork and Kerry, also in July. 

Many Yacht Club de Monaco sailors will also stay on for the famous Volvo Cork Week and the Three Championship Weeks in August.

Prince Albert is the son of Prince Rainier of Monaco and the actress Grace Kelly, who later became Princess of Monaco, but tragically died after a car crash in 1982.

Recently it was announced that Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, has graciously donated a specially commissioned trophy for a unique race from Cowes in the UK to Cork to celebrate Cork300.

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