Albert and Charlene launch 180km waterbike relay from Viareggio
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene sent competitors on a 180-kilometre Mediterranean waterbike relay from Viareggio to Monaco on Friday.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene were in Viareggio on Friday to officially start the latest Together Crossing challenge, a gruelling 180-kilometre waterbike relay across the Mediterranean finishing in Monaco. The event draws both professional athletes and committed amateur competitors into the same race, crossing open sea to reach the Principality.
The challenge is backed by two of Monaco's most prominent foundations: the Princess Charlene Foundation, whose water-safety mission underpins the event's ethos, and the Prince Albert II Foundation, which supports environmental and ocean causes. Together Crossing has become a fixture in the Principality's sporting calendar, combining physical endurance with the kind of cross-community spirit both foundations champion.
For Monaco residents and visitors along the port this weekend, the finish line arrival is worth watching. Competitors completing the full crossing will have paddled relay legs across the Ligurian Sea before reaching the waters off the Principality, making it one of the more demanding open-water events to conclude in Monaco each summer.