In 1842 Lake D’Iseo is hit by a storm which wrecks all the fishing boats and damages them beyond repair. A talented young carpenter accomplishes the near impossible by repairing the boats. This work of his helps him gain appreciation and admiration of the people and encourages him to open a shipyard. Thus begins Pierto Riva’s journey into the boating industry and today, 170 years later the company still stands as one of the most decorated and celebrated brands in the history of boating. Riva is a part of the Ferretti Group and produces one of the best luxury fiberglass yachts in the world.
From June 29th – July 1st several events were held to mark the 170th anniversary of Riva and also to unveil the latest super yacht by Riva that is a perfect blend of the rich legacy and modern technology. The Cote D’ Azur was a marvelous setting for the presentation of the latest model of the Riva open range, The new 63’ Virtus and the celebration of the 170th anniversary of the brand.
The events dedicated to Riva started with the presentation of the boat to the international sales network and to the customers of the brand. On Friday 29th the guests of the gala dinner had the opportunity to admire, during an amazing world preview, the 63’ Virtus at the St. Tropez dike, the same location of the sea trials of the following day. All guests had the opportunity to discover the details of the new open range.
Riva 63’ closed the Aquarama Parade in Montecarlo on the 30th June. This event symbolically represented the union between the past and the near future of the brand. The parade was organized by the Monaco Boat Service, the historical Riva dealer in the Principality of Monaco, with the objective of tracing the 50 years of the model that made Riva a world icon. 63′ Virtus has been designed as a sporty yacht, created for owners wishing to experience the sea first hand.
Riva reinterprets the concept of an open yacht with a model featuring a typical Mediterranean style which maintains the unmistakable elegance of all the shipyard’s model. The press conference was held in the marvelous setting of the Monaco Yacht Club on 2nd July. On this occasion, the new model has officially been presented and tested by a lot of journalists.
There have been many unforgettable moments, such as: the “Riva Trophy”, an annual competition dedicated to Riva owners, that took place on the Monte Carlo – St. Tropez route on 29th and 30th June and the evening party to celebrate the 90-year-old engineer Carlo Riva, who remembered some of the most important stages of the Riva brand.
Riva is known to be an energetic brand and is always coming up with unique innovations. Its energy and strength have carried the brand all along and will continue to do so in the coming years as well.
Compiled by Vignesh Iyer.