2016

14–16 July 2016 · Port Hercule, Monaco

Simplified to the “Monaco Solar Boat Challenge”, the 3rd edition brought together 15 teams from 6 nationalities. The Dutch Solar Boat team retained A-Class, and CLAFIS — racing under its new Victron Energy livery — kept the Open Class title for a third year running, with a new outright speed record. The closing days of the event were held in tribute to the victims of that week’s tragic events in Nice. Source: official YCM press release, 16 July 2016.

15

Competing teams

2

Classes

6

Nationalities

26.5kn

Speed record

NEWS

What marked this edition

Solar Impulse Mission Control tour

Participants toured the Monaco control centre for Bertrand Piccard’s round-the-world solar plane, ahead of its final circumnavigation stage.

New speed record: 49.10 km/h

CLAFIS Victron Energy Solar Boat Team, fresh off the World Cup title in the Netherlands, improved on 2015’s mark by 4.7 km/h — about 26.5 knots.

Dutch teams win both classes, 3rd year running

Clafis Victron Energy Solar Boat Team (Open) and Dutch Solar Boat (A-Class) both retained their titles.

Young Monegasques race too

Five students from the Lycée Technique et Hôtelier built and raced a kit boat as part of the Vripack Grand Prix, alongside the main Challenge.

Results & winners

🏆 Overall winner · 3rd edition highlight

Dutch Solar Boat (A-Class) and CLAFIS Victron Energy Solar Boat Team (Open Class) topped the general classification

A Class

Dutch Solar Boat

1200 pts

Open Class

CLAFIS Victron Energy Solar Boat Team

1200 pts · driver Gerhard van der Schaar

Other prizes

A-Class 2nd–3rd — Solar Team Sneek (825 pts), Sunflare Solarteam (652)

Open Class 2nd–3rd — TU Delft Solar Team (900 pts), DB-20 (619)

Vripack Grand Prix — Five Lycée Technique et Hôtelier students built a Vripack kit boat in under 5 days

2017 announced — Yacht Club de Monaco confirmed the new Monaco Offshore Solar Race for the following year

Gallery

Relive the edition

Technology spotlight

The 3rd edition’s headline number was on the water: CLAFIS Victron Energy Solar Boat Team’s 49.10 km/h run set a new outright speed record for the Challenge, a mark that would stand until Anvera Elab broke it in 2019. The event closed under the shadow of the Nice attacks earlier that week — the Friday parade became a tribute to the victims, with the international student teams reaffirming their shared commitment to building a better future together.

Explore another edition

From 2014 to today, browse every chapter of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.