Monte Carlo

Friends board a Riva boat in Monte Carlo, Monaco, 1975.What do Brigitte Bardot, Anita Ekberg, Kirk Douglas, Richard Burton, and Sophia Loren have in common? Answer: they were all devotees of the Riva speedboats of the 1950s and 60s. Adding George Clooney, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Justin Timberlake, Monica Bellucci and many more to that list.The Riva Tritone was founded in 1842. Riva first became associated with glamour in the 1920s, moving from transportation into the far sexier realm of speedboats, winning national and international competitions throughout the 20s and 30s. Carlo Riva took over the family firm in the 1950s, kicking off a golden age of boat design that established the distinctive polished hull, lithe lines and chrome de­tailing that has become as synonymous with the Venice waterways as the gon­dola. From 1950 until 1964, the Tritone was the most prestigious boat in Riva’s line-up, with twin engines and tanks large enough for it to be a serious sea-crui­ser, respected and coveted throughout the Mediterranean.