North Sails Named Official Apparel Supplier to Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing
by North Sails 23 Oct 2025 13:30 UTC
North Sails Named Official Apparel Supplier to Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing © 11th Hour Racing
North Sails Apparel, the clothing line created by the world's leading sailmaker, has partnered with Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing.
A highly versatile professional sailor, double Olympian and outdoor enthusiast, Francesca has set her ambitions on competing in the 2028 Vendée Globe, racing solo and non-stop around the planet. North Sails Apparel will be supporting her throughout, supplying her and her team with high-performance foul weather and all-weather sailing gear as well as stylish lifestyle clothing that channels the spirit of the ocean and is guided by the same values that drive the sailmaking business.
Nicolas Berenger, Head of Performance at North Sails Apparel, commented, "We share so many core values with Francesca: a passion for performance, a commitment to improving our impact on people and the planet, and a desire to take on bold challenges. We can't wait to see Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing proudly wearing the North Sails icon on the racetrack as we help this ambitious sailor and her crew achieve their goals on and off the water. I have no doubt Francesca is going to be a fantastic ambassador, and we're delighted to welcome her to the North Sails Apparel family."
The North Sails Apparel collections, launched in 1989, are a modern expression of a legacy built on innovation, performance and technical excellence. Inspired by the pioneering spirit of Lowell North, the brand extends the engineering excellence of North Sails into technical sailing gear and lifestyle collections designed for life on and off the water.
Francesca Clapcich has been a trailblazer in the professional sailing world. She has twice represented Italy at the Olympic Games, is a World Champion and European Champion, Italian Sailor of the Year, the first Italian to win The Ocean Race, has raced in the inaugural Puig Women's America's Cup and was the first Italian woman to compete in the notoriously challenging Solitaire du Figaro.
"North Sails Apparel represents everything we believe in as a team - innovation, performance, and responsibility. Every piece of gear is designed with purpose, shaped by experience on the water, and driven by the same commitment to excellence and respect for the ocean that guides my own journey. Having North Sails Apparel onboard isn't just about performance though, it's about a mutual partnership built on shared values and a vision for a better future for our sport and our planet."
In tandem with her competitive goals, Clapcich has designed the Believe, Belong, Achieve initiative, developed in partnership with 11th Hour Racing. This campaign promotes equity and belonging in sailing through education, advocacy, and collective action - from grassroots programs to elite competition.
North Sails Apparel is a certified B-Corp, manifesting the brand's commitment to respecting the highest standards of social and environmental performance. North Sails strives to be Ocean Positive and is continually seeking to improve its circularity: more than 90% of the lifestyle collection is made with responsibly sourced natural fibres or recycled synthetics while the Ocean, Offshore and Inshore face fabric is now 100% recycled nylon.
Powered by 11th Hour Racing, the Newport, Rhode Island-based organization that works to build healthy planetary systems and strong communities, Francesca's journey to the 2028 Vendée Globe start line will start on October 26th with the Transat Café L'OR.
Francesca will sail the IMOCA,11th Hour Racing (formerly Malizia-Seaexplorer), in the upcoming transatlantic race from Le Havre (France) to Martinique. Francesca and her team will benefit from the best foul weather gear on the planet. The kit includes the Ocean collection, the most breathable, waterproof and durable gear designed for extreme conditions, as well as items from the Offshore collection, which blends protection with lightweight comfort.