THE BIG INTERVIEW. She brings a breath of fresh air to offshore racing. After shining in Olympic sailing and competing in two round-the-world crewed races, the 37-year-old Italian-American is establishing herself as a key player in the IMOCA class. Accustomed to top finishes since sailing aboard 11th Hour Racing, she fully intends to continue her impressive run in the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.
While the French public is just getting to know her, Francesca Clapcich is already a well-known figure on the docks. Her sporting credentials are undeniable: a two-time Olympian, she has already completed two round-the-world races with a crew and won The Ocean Race with 11th Hour Racing in 2022-2023. In 2024, she also represented the United States in the Women's America's Cup. Now, "Frankie" is the number one skipper of 11th Hour Racing. At the helm of the former Malizia (a VPLP design launched in 2022), she is racking up impressive results. Second in the Transat Café L'Or with Will Harris last year, Francesca made a name for herself this season in the Vendée Arctique solo race (5th) and then in The Ocean Race with a crew (2nd).
The sailor has the skills, the boat, and the experience to aim for a top-five finish in her first Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe. A mother of a young daughter, dividing her time between her home in Utah (USA) and Brittany where she trains, Francesca combines her professional career with her commitments. Through her powerful message ("Believe, Belong, Achieve"), she aims to be at the forefront of environmental issues, as well as inclusion and diversity. A committed and determined woman with whom the French are sure to connect.
You are currently leading the IMOCA Globe Series rankings. Is that important to you?
Of course, it's a great way to approach the Route du Rhum, but it wasn't a goal for me this season at all. I never imagined I'd find myself in this position. It's primarily a reflection of the incredible work done by my team, who have given their all this year. We've raced non-stop, and the boat has proven reliable: we've finished every race we've entered so far.
What does the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe represent for you?
I want to make this race the main objective of my season. The goal is to put everything I've learned so far into practice, try to achieve a really good performance, and then see how things develop. I don't feel a lot of pressure. I know the boat is very reliable and can be particularly fast in certain conditions. After all, it's my first Route du Rhum, and I don't have the experience of other skippers. But I know I can do well.
"The area in which I've made the most progress is my knowledge of the boat."
In terms of preparation, are you where you wanted to be?
I wish I had trained a bit more than I did. It's difficult to juggle everything in life. It's even more complicated when you have a child and want to spend time with them without missing any of their developmental milestones. You have to make choices. Even though we've run a lot this year, we haven't trained much. That said, I feel pretty well prepared mentally. I'm ready to start the race and do my best.
As a sailor, what have been your main improvements this season?
The area where I've made the most progress is my knowledge of the boat. I know how it reacts, which settings to use, and even which sails I need at any given moment. I'm certainly not the best at strategy, but I'm convinced I can get the most out of the boat, and that gives me a huge amount of confidence. I did a solo training run a few weeks ago in the United States. There were other boats around me with full crews, and they couldn't pull away from me.
"Now in the fleet, everyone is giving it their all."
Your boat is solid and reliable and can withstand difficult conditions. In fact, you're hoping for more challenging conditions to make a difference?
I'll take the conditions as they come. But stronger, more difficult conditions can be a double-edged sword. They might be favorable to my boat, certainly, but the risk of breaking something inevitably increases. I'm not going to put myself in difficult conditions just because my boat handles them better. Before you can win races, you have to finish them!
Do you feel you have closed the gap with the favorites?
It's difficult to know, as it all depends on a combination of many factors. Their boats are always perfectly prepared. Sam Goodchild (Macif Santé Prévoyance) is an exceptional skipper, and I think it's difficult to reach that level. You can feel that the way the fleet sails has changed. Now, everyone is going all out. And it's ruthless: if you can't keep up, you quickly find yourself at the back.
You're very involved outside of the races, particularly in organizing meetings with young people, instructor training courses, workshops... Do all these initiatives help you cope with the tough moments at sea? Yes, absolutely. It's very easy to give up when you're fighting alone. As soon as you step out of your comfort zone, as soon as things start to get more difficult, you're tempted to throw in the towel. But you become aware of your responsibility when you see all the people who are involved in your project. For them, you can't give up; you have to see it through. It's an immense source of motivation. And it's very powerful to feel that you're also carrying all that energy.