Francesca Clapcich is definitely one of the most fortunate sailors these days. The 37-year-old Italian, who lives in the USA, has found one of the best sponsors in 11th Hour Racing and has just bought a racing yacht for the Vendée Globe 2028. Not just any yacht, but Boris Herrmann’s Malizia Seaexplorer.
The former Olympian, who competed in the Laser Radial in London in 2012 and in the 49FX in Rio in 2016, switched to offshore sailing in 2018. She took part in two Ocean Race campaigns and most recently in the 2024 Women’s America’s Cup with Team American Magic.
Now she is starting her own Vendée Globe campaign with big social goals. In an interview with float, she talks about her new project.
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... and openly readable for everyone. Support us now as a 💙 float friend to keep it that way. Your contribution makes float strong. I'm in!float: Francesca, I imagine that you are feeling quite fortunate right now, correct?
Francesca Clapcich: Oh, yes! I feel really privileged. The sponsorship and the purchase of the boat are special moments. The purchase of the Maliza was a very good decision. It is a sturdy and strong boat for the southern ocean, for big waves and strong winds. It will make my attempt of the first Vendée Globe much „easier“. It’s a safer decision for me. It’s already complicated enough. That’s why we started the conversation last year and ended up buying the boat.
January 2024 11th Hour Racing announced that they will be your sponsor. The organisation from the USA will support your initiative for more social awareness in sailing. What does that mean?
I think 11th Hour Racing wanted someone with a lot of passion for the project over all. Someone who performs well on the water but at the same time is putting a lot of energy on the work off the water. They are keen to be represented by someone like me. For me it’s a big honor. I’m 37 and I had to wait until now to have a big sponsor that is really supporting me personally.
100 percent support
It’s been worth to wait! I’m glad to have this partner who is trying to find solutions for the industry to do better. Things have been moving so fast for me personally. We started the collaboration last year and in one year we just announced an Imoca project.
Francesca Clapcich © Eloi Stichelbaut - polaRYSE
Which is the role that they are playing in this?
They will be my title sponsor, committed to be funding and supporting the campaign 100 percent. This doesn’t happen so often. Normally you have various sponsors supporting you. For me the collaboration with 11th Hour is very comfortable. It’s a non profit organization with tons of work in ocean health, like environmental sustainability and now they are expanding more in the social aspects. I’m excited to do it together with them.
Can you explain these social aspects?
It’s based on the work they have already done. There is a big tendency to talk about the oceans, the climate change and plastic in the environment. Often we forget that all this is connected to the people.
When we talk about the oceans there is a full maritime community that gets affected so much by ocean health. Normally those who get affected most have the weakest voice, that one that have never been asked what the solution could be. For me it was an eye opener when I was Rio for the Olympics in 2016 seeing how much issues the city has and that those who were affected weren’t involved in finding solutions.
Believe, belong, achieve
We cannot afford anymore to treat this big issue in little boxes. We need to think in a way bigger. Including people and industries in finding solutions.
What is your idea to work in this?
For example: Even in the sailing industry we don’t have a lot of diversity included in our sport. In our team we want to start doing different hiring and getting access to different communities. If we just offer jobs to our friends because its the only people we trust in, we are missing talents probably.
