Francesca Clapcich – 1000 Race

THE OCEAN RACE ATLANTIC

NEW YORK > LORIENT
START ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

RACE INFO

Skipper Francesca Clapcich (ITA/USA) will be joined by Alberto Bona (ITA), Elodie-Jane Mettraux (SUI), and Will Harris (GBR), with Julien Champolion (FRA) sailing as the team’s Onboard Reporter (OBR). The 3,200 nautical mile [3,452 mile | 5,556 kilometer] race will leave New York on September 1, and the lead boats are expected to arrive in the Brittany port of Lorient around September 8-10.

THE CREW

FRANCESCA CLAPCICH (ITA/USA)

She is one of the most versatile athletes in professional sailing. The first Italian ever to win The Ocean Race, she has competed in two Olympic classes representing Italy, in the Solitaire du Figaro, and the Women’s America’s Cup. Now leading Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing, she is building experience in the IMOCA Class as part of her long-term ambition to compete in the 2028 Vendée Globe.

ELODIE-JANE METTRAUX (SUI)

Elodie-Jane has established herself as one of the most experienced offshore racers of her generation. She has competed in two editions of The Ocean Race (2017-18 & 2022-23), gaining extensive experience in some of the toughest fully crewed races in the world. Known for her strong sail-handling and trimming skills, she has sailed thousands of offshore miles at the highest level and is widely respected for her versatility across major international sailing campaigns, most recently as part of UpWind by MerConcept, the all-female entry into the OceanFifty Series. A long-standing collaboration with Francesca makes her a key part of the crew.

JULIEN CHAMPOLION (FRA) OBR

Photographer and videographer Julien Champolion joins the team as Onboard Reporter. He studied cinema before turning to offshore sailing in 2021, then boarded Holcim-PRB for the 2023 round-the-world race, documenting the longest leg ever sailed in the event’s history. Combining filmmaking with offshore sailing experience, Julien brings every story from the water to life for audiences back home.

ALBERTO BONA (ITA)

Alberto is one of Italy’s leading offshore sailors. A graduate in philosophy, he began sailing competitively at a young age and gained recognition through events such as the Mini Transat before launching major ocean campaigns including the Class40 IBSA project. Known for his strong solo-sailing background and multiple Atlantic crossings, he brings valuable offshore experience to the crew. In 2026, Alberto joined Francesca’s project as co-skipper and sailing performance manager.

WILL HARRIS (GBR)

Will is a highly experienced IMOCA racer and a long-time co-skipper with Boris Herrmann at Team Malizia. He has competed in major IMOCA events around the world, including The Ocean Race 2022–23 and numerous transatlantic races. He has accumulated thousands of miles on modern foiling IMOCA and was part of the team that set the IMOCA 24-hour distance record in 2023. Harris also shares a strong recent history with Francesca, with the pair finishing second together in the 2025 Transat Café L’OR, giving the team valuable familiarity and trust onboard.