| Age | 37 (1/28/88) |
|---|---|
| Top performance | Winner of The Ocean Race with 11th Hour Racing Team in the last edition |
| Joined Imoca on | 2022 |
| Team | Team Francesca Clapcich Powered By 11th Hour Racing |
| Base | Lorient (FRANCE) |
| Commitment | BELONG BELIEVE ACHIEVE |
Francesca began sailing in her hometown of Trieste, Italy in 1999. After graduating from the Nautical Institute of Trieste and San Raffaele University with a Sport Science degree, she joined the Italian Air Force and served as a First Senior Airman.
A highly versatile sailor, she represented Italy at both the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, she has raced around the world twice, becoming the first Italian to ever win in the 50-year history of The Ocean Race in the 2022-23 edition, and in 2024 she represented the USA in the Puig Women’s America’s Cup. From February 2024-25, Francesca was also skipper of UpWind by MerConcept, the very first all-female team racing in the Ocean Fifty Series. In March 2024, Clapcich announced that, alongside Title Sponsor 11th Hour Racing, she will start her bid to enter the 2028 Vendée Globe - racing solo, non-stop around the world.
Team Francesca Clapcich will use the IMOCA campaign, Francesca’s experiences as a professional athlete, and the sport of sailing to contribute to tackling discrimination and climate change through education, advocacy, and collective action.
2021: La Solitaire du Figaro - 25th
2017-2018: The Ocean Race - 6th (Turn the Tide on Plastic)
2016: Olympic Games - 5th (49erFX)
2015: 49erFX World Champion, European Champion, and Italian Champion
2012: Olympic Games - 19th (Laser Radial)
| Name | MALIZIA - SEAEXPLORER |
|---|---|
| Sail number | MON 1297 |
| Architect | VPLP |
| Construction | 2022, Multiplast |
| Length | 18,28 m |
| Beam | NC |
| Draught | 4,5 m |
| Weight | NC |
| Mast height | 29 m |
| Mast type | Wing mast |
| Foils | Yes |
| Sail area max. | |
| Upwind | NC |
| Downwind | NC |
Double Olympian and round-the-world sailor, Francesca Clapcich, along with her Title Sponsor 11th Hour Racing, have announced their ambition to see the Italian American on the startline of the 2028 Vendée Globe. The race…
•••More boats, more sailors and more races – the 2023 IMOCA season was a blockbuster that was followed by fans all over the world, gripped by stories of sporting glory and occasional heartbreak from the men and women who sa…
•••Beyond the competition, The Ocean Race is an extraordinary human adventure. Six months on the move, punctuated by a magnificent competition at sea and the high points on land that have thrilled us all.
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