Clapcich first woman to win IMOCA Globe Series

Francesca Clapcich has won the 2026 IMOCA Globe Series, the first time a woman has been crowned champion of the class.

The Italian-American sailor secured the title with eighth place in the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, the notoriously challenging transatlantic sprint. That left her 36 points clear of two-time previous winner Sam Goodchild (GBR/FRA), with Elodie Bonafous (FRA) third on 388 points.

A debut season that delivered

2026 was Clapcich's first full season on the IMOCA circuit. She opened with fifth in the solo 1000 Race, followed by another fifth in the solo Vendée Arctique.

The Ocean Race Atlantic, from New York to Lorient, was the only crewed race of the year. Clapcich led an international, 50/50 gender-balanced crew to second place. Alberto Bona, Elodie-Jane Mettraux and Will Harris sailed with her, and Julien Champolion was the onboard reporter.

Arriving at the pontoons in Guadeloupe, Clapcich reflected on what the title means.

"It's the first time that a woman has won the IMOCA Globe Series and I'm super proud of that achievement and it just showcases what women's sport is really about these days," she said. "And Elodie (Bonafous) did an incredible race in the IMOCAs and she's on the podium for the Route du Rhum - these are all incredible achievements. It just goes to show how important women's sport is, and that thanks to the investment there is in women's sport from organizations like 11th Hour Racing just what we are able to get out of it and achieve."

Antoine Mermod, President of the IMOCA Class, said: "Given the talent that Francesca has demonstrated so far in the Class, I have no doubt she will be a top competitor in the seasons to come. To have two women on the IMOCA Globe Series podium this year, I hope acts as an inspiration to others for many years to come."

The previous best result by a woman in the championship was third, achieved by Justine Mettraux (SUI) in 2024.

From The Ocean Race to the Vendée Globe

Clapcich first raced in the IMOCA fleet in 2022, when she sailed with 11th Hour Racing Team to victory in The Ocean Race 2022-23, becoming the first Italian to lift the trophy.

Born in Trieste, she competed at two Olympic Games, in 2012 and 2016, before moving into offshore sailing. She raced The Ocean Race 2017-18 with Turn the Tide on Plastic, then took on the solo 2021 Solitaire du Figaro, finishing 25th.

In early 2025, Clapcich and title sponsor 11th Hour Racing announced her ambition to compete in the 2028 Vendée Globe. She bought Boris Herrmann's VPLP-designed Malizia - Seaexplorer, now renamed 11th Hour Racing. Her first race of the 2025 season was the double-handed Transat Café L'OR with Will Harris (GBR), where they finished second.

"Our background naturally leans toward crewed racing," said Jérémy Pochman, co-founder and CEO of 11th Hour Racing. "But Francesca has the Vendée Globe in her DNA. Ultimately, this is an exceptional opportunity for us to evolve within the French ecosystem, which is at the forefront of this field. It is up to us to identify best practices and bring them back to the United States."

How the championship works

Championship standings are based on the total points earned from race results. Each event is assigned a grade of 1, 2, 3 or 4, which acts as a multiplier. Only round-the-world races count as grade 1.

Source: The Ocean Race

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