The third UIM Awards Giving Gala was unquestionably a great success. An impressive event, organized at Le Sporting de Monte Carlo, with more than 400 guests, which included World Champions, national authorities, celebrities and VIP’s. The happening started with a Press Conference at Salle des Palmiers, attended by media representatives from all over the world, followed by the official Gala Dinner Awards Ceremony at the superb Salle des Etoiles.
55 UIM World Champions from more than twenty different nations had the opportunity to step on this prestigious arena and get their well deserved honours.
During the Gala the 2011 UIM Environmental Award Winner (Azimut Yachts, Magellano 50) and the three UIM Special Mentions (Mercury Racing, Frauscher shipyard and Planet Solar Project) received their extraordinary trophies. This year the Stefano Casiraghi (Class 1 Offshore World Champion in 1989) Memorial Trophy was awarded to Saeed Hareb from Dubai, President of the UAE Marine Sports Federation and for 25 years driving force behind the successful Dubai Powerboating activities.
The environmental efforts of the UIM Promoters for Class 1, Powerboat P1 and Class 3-225 were acknowledged at the Press Conference with the ‘UIM Green Diploma’ in recognition of the excellence in development and application of environmentally friendly technologies and of the appreciated efforts for greening our Sport.
Russia has been the real hero of the 2011 UIM World Champions Awards Gala with over 18 titles conquered by its pilots followed by U.S.A., Canada and France. The UIM President Raffaele Chiulli, at the end of the press conference, stated: ‘the UIM Awards Giving Gala which I have proudly created 3 years ago has now become an impressive gathering event for our whole Sport’s community, partners, sponsors and stakeholders and it is also a fantastic opportunity to show our progresses on key aspects such as Safety, Environment and Youth Development’.
