Issue 26 25 – Volume 9 – 2014 – Priceless Where Sold £100 $165 €125
lia The Player meets the lady behind Riva Yachts and finds out how she is continuing the legacy of over 170 years of nautical history. Lia lives and breathes Riva, which started life in 1842 under Pietro Riva but became a global entity in the 1950s when her father, Carlo, produced the distinctive wood paneled Riva runabout boats that have epitomised Italian chic and style to this day. With boats and all things water intrinsically placed in Lia Riva’s blood, it seemed only fitting for The Player’s Andie Jones to meet her at the Monaco Yacht Club and find out a little bit more about this charismatic business woman.
Water Baby Miss Riva grew up in the small Italian town of Sarnico, which is where Riva’s primary shipyard still functions today. “The house I
was born in was very close to the shipyard. I have been in the shipyard since I was very little so it’s always been familiar to me. Smelling the wood of the shipyard is my very
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first memory and I was very fond of water”, Miss Riva said. “I adore still now the water. When I was three I wanted to drive a boat. My father said yes of course you can drive the boat don’t worry! I always wanted to jump into the water; I was a little bit crazy as a child!” The Legacy of Riva “My father is a genius in his field”, Miss Riva told The Player. She explained that her grandfather was more involved in the engines, racing and speed side of the boats and competed in various championships. But it was her father that really sold the Riva brand. “My father said that racing is good, but
riva
it doesn’t make any money! So he changed his direction a little”, she said. “My father also invented a lot of things that didn’t exist in Monaco before. The pontoon in Monaco is the idea of my father so they could fit more boats in the marina. He knew the Prince and he asked him for permission”, Miss Riva explained. “Another idea of his was to expand the size of the Monaco tunnel so that boats could be transported through it when they are taken away during winter. They used dynamite to make the make the tunnel bigger. The glasses in the palace were shaking! This is a true story”. Italia to Monaco Miss Riva now calls Monaco home, but she started out a little closer to her roots. “I was living in Milan with my husband during the 70s and 80s and suddenly it was a difficult period in Italy with terrible things like kidnapping. We have three kids so we said, why don’t we go and live in Monaco and change our lifestyle, where it is safer? It was completely different but we loved it”, she said. Once living in Monaco, Miss Riva could stay closer to the yacht-industry and the Riva brand. “I started to take care of the PR and the yacht shows. It was very cool. I have always worked because always I have to be doing something”, she said.
Riva and Charity
Miss Riva uses her involvement in Riva Yachts to benefit various charitable events with the high society and Royals of Monaco. “The President of Monaco is a good friend of mine and we co-organised a 35th anniversary dinner in the Monaco tunnel that my father dug. For the charity auction, I donated a Vespa which was designed completely bespoke by Riva. An English lady won it for about 200,000 Euros and it only cost about 5,000 Euros to produce, but she wanted to do this for the charity”, she smiled. Firmly Philanthropic Her compassion and philanthropy has also taken Miss Riva around the world and she has one cause in particular very close to her heart. “I used to go out to the desert of Agadez in Niger with doctors who operated on the eyes” she explained. “There is a real problem with cataracts out there but it can be cured with a very simple operation. I found this so interesting and amazing. Because my life is so busy, if I can’t go and help personally, I will always send money”, Miss Riva added. Her compassion and philanthropy has also taken Miss Riva around the world and she has one cause in particular very close to her heart. “I used to go out to the desert of Agadez in Niger with doctors who operated
on the eyes” she explained. “There is a real problem with cataracts out there but it can
frequently visits museums and art fairs in her spare time.
loyalty to the Riva brand, Miss Riva is a wellrespected figure in the yacht industry and
be cured with a very simple operation. I found this so interesting and amazing. Because my life is so busy, if I can’t go and help personally, I will always send money”, Miss Riva added. An Eye for Art
A Different Path Being immersed in the yacht world since she was born, it might seem strange for Miss Riva to imagine doing anything else. When asked what alternative career she could see herself
beyond. “I think that in life it’s very important to cross opportunities and to put people in contact, because if you are in contact with the universe you can do anything”.
“My big passion is contemporary art. It has been a passion from since when I was a child. I was first attracted to artists like Matisse and Picasso from a very early age. Art is a passion and sometimes people ask me how
doing, she replied, “organising very exotic and strange travel experiences! I like to travel a lot. When I had much less work than I have now I used to organise trips for all my friends and they called me Lia Tours! We went to the
For more information on the Riva brand please contact: Monaco Boat Service
can you recognise or understand art? I always say, because you have to walk a lot and to see a lot”. She is heavily involved in the new Museum of Monaco Contemporary Art and
Maldives and other small islands. We went all over the world but all together and it was a lot of fun”, she added. By combining her personal passions and
8 Quai Antoine 1er 98000 Monaco +377 93 10 53 33 Or visit: www.riva-mbs.com
Hosted by Lia Riva, Monaco Boat Service Group and Yacht Club de Monaco, the seventh annual Riva race took place on the 5th and 6th September respectively. The historic sea racing competition included stops in Monaco, Cannes and St Tropez. with just enough time to jump into the Riva trophy 2014 Range Rover to reach the centre of the vil¬lage and then dress up for the special Brazilian Night festival. The next day was a morning of relaxed fun in Saint-Tropez. Brunch was organised in the
board some of the most famous Riva models, such as the Aquariva, Rivarama, Aquarama, Bahamas, Vintage Riva, Ariston and the
square outside the Riva offices and then it was straight back to Monte Carlo, to judge the contest of elegance.
beautiful Virtus “Cheyenne”, was Captain Mr Christophe Navarre, executive director of
A style contest celebrated later in the final round, with a gala cocktail in the enchanting
Moët Hennessy, sponsors of the event. Participants from Brazil, Japan, England and Italy, along with invited representatives
surroundings of the Yacht Club de Monaco, hosted on the terrace with lounge bar decorated in typical Riva style. The awards
from the press and sponsors such as Vertu, combined with Riva to represent a race full
ceremony was hosted by Lia Riva and Ferretti Group Ceo, Mr Galassi , with first prize going
of surprises, all culminating in Cannes with a mooring test won by Rivale “Vintag”. It was a perfect time to relax before
to Acqua Di Gioia Ariston, captained by Mr Fukuda. Next year’s event looks set to be a
heading to the beautiful Iles de Lérins,
firm favourite on the Riva calendar and
where each participating boat stopped for a picnic and a dip in the sea, a real Caribbean atmosphere ensued. After the short break, racers commenced
hopefully the Player will be entering our own boat. If you are interested in co sponsoring the Player with us you should contact The Player for more information at
the return leg to Saint-Tropez at full speed,
theplayer.co.uk
Images courtesy of Monaco Boat Service
After a briefing in the Riva tunnel and goody bags handed out by Miss Lia Riva, the premium race for Riva enthusiasts kicked off in true Monaco style. The first GO, with the assistance of the YCM, started from the port of Monaco with a destination of Cannes. On