The Vendée Globe is as tough as it gets: solo, non-stop, around the planet, the Everest of offshore racing. And Clapcich, the first Italian to win The Ocean Race, is stepping up to one of the sport’s biggest arenas, transitioning from fully crewed campaigns to the unforgiving world of single-handed IMOCA racing.
To fast-track her learning curve, Clapcich has secured Malizia-Seaexplorer, the IMOCA that Germany's Boris Herrmann sailed around the world in the 2024 Vendée Globe. The plan? Base the campaign in Lorient, France, the heart of offshore sailing, and embed Team Malizia as a technical partner to help get her up to speed in the IMOCA class.
“For this first attempt at the Vendée Globe, I need a boat that has proven itself to be fast and reliable,” said Clapcich. “Team Malizia knows the boat inside and out and will set me up in the best possible way for this immersion into solo offshore racing.”
The long road to the 2028 start line begins immediately. Clapcich will need to qualify through the IMOCA Globe Series, a challenging mix of solo, double-handed, and crewed races leading up to the big one. Her first race at the helm of Malizia-Seaexplorer? The Transat Café L’Or – a transatlantic sprint from Le Havre to Martinique (formerly the Transat Jacques Vabre) in October 2025,
Beyond just racing, Clapcich is using this campaign to push for change in offshore sailing. Through her Believe, Belong, Achieve initiative, she’s tackling issues of equity, inclusion, and opportunity in the sport. The program includes research partnerships with Leeds Beckett University, peer-to-peer workshops, and advocacy efforts aimed at shifting mindsets at the highest levels of sailing.
“Belief and belonging bring better performance for everyone—for each of us individually and also for teams,” Clapcich explained. “Alongside my sporting campaign, I’m working with scientists, experts, and creative partners to open doors for others in the sport.”
Clapcich isn’t new to breaking boundaries. She’s represented Italy at the Olympics, raced twice around the world, and taken on the America’s Cup. But this is different. Solo offshore racing is brutal, relentless, and mentally exhausting. The Vendée Globe will test everything—her skills, resilience, and ability to navigate 80+ days alone at sea.
For 11th Hour Racing, this isn’t just about backing a world-class sailor—it’s about shifting the culture of offshore sailing. Jeremy Pochman, CEO of 11th Hour Racing, summed it up:
“Francesca doesn’t just race—she leads. Her commitment to advancing equity and sustainability aligns perfectly with our mission. We’re not just backing a sailor; we’re supporting a movement.”
With Malizia-Seaexplorer in her sights, a world-class technical team behind her, and a mission beyond the racecourse, Francesca Clapcich is all in. The next three and a half years will be about training, learning, and pushing limits—all leading to the Vendée Globe start line in 2028.
If she achieves that goal – and we are very much betting that she will – it will become the first person in the world to compete in sailing's‘Big Four’ events: the Olympics, the America’s Cup, The Ocean Race, and the Vendée Globe.
