Francesca Clapcich Ready to Race to the Arctic

© Julien Champolion - polaRYSE / 11th Hour Racing

Francesca Clapcich will line up for the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d'Olonne on Sunday June 7, start scheduled around 1pm. The race sends the IMOCA fleet north from Les Sables d'Olonne to the Arctic Circle, 66 degrees north, and back, with no fixed waypoint to round. Skippers are free to cross the Arctic Circle at any longitude they choose, making it one of the most strategically open courses in offshore racing.

Francesca Clapcich: "The next race is the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d'Olonne, and it's a really interesting one. We'll be racing all the way to the Arctic Circle, 66 degrees north, somewhere I've never been before. There's no specific waypoint to reach. You just need to find the best strategy to get to the Arctic Circle, cross it at any longitude, and come back to Les Sables d'Olonne. The course is completely open, something pretty new in offshore racing, and it means the tactical game between skippers will stay open right to the end. This boat is made for big waves and strong winds, so I want to push it and find out what it can do."