It all starts with the ocean.
We all start with the ocean.
“The ocean has given me so much in my life—my passion, my career, and a deep sense of purpose. It’s where I go to work most days, it's our life source, and it's the beating heart of our planet.
But it’s also fragile, and we are responsible for protecting it.
Every small action matters, from reducing plastic waste to advocating for making sustainable seafood choices to supporting ocean conservation efforts.
I want my daughter Harriet, her children, her grandchildren, and their grandchildren to also experience the beauty and power of the ocean and all that lives in it, just as I have.
Each of us must all do our part to keep it healthy."
– Francesca Clapcich
From growing up on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Trieste, Italy, to representing Italy in two Olympic Games, to becoming the first Italian to win The Ocean Race, Francesca Clapcich has led an extraordinary life.
And all of her sporting achievements have been carried by the ocean.
Because of this, Francesca is profoundly committed to promoting ocean health and actively supporting solutions to create positive change, a mission she actively pursues alongside her partner, 11th Hour Racing.
WHY OCEAN HEALTH MATTERS?
For Francesca the health of the ocean is paramount. This stems from:
A personal connection: her lifelong relationship with the sea has instilled a deep appreciation for its beauty and fragility.
A belief in environmental responsibility: recognizing the critical role the ocean plays in regulating our climate and supporting biodiversity, she is committed to combating pollution and promoting sustainable practices.
A commitment to educational outreach: engaging with communities who are impacted by sea-level rises and biodiversity changes, she takes a proactive role to support ocean conservation.
A recognition of the social and cultural benefits: humans can get so much from a healthy ocean, such as food, security, livelihoods, and recreational opportunities.
"We need to take significant, urgent action to improve the lives of billions of people: ocean health is public health. Through our Purpose Plan we aim to maximize our positive impact on people within our communities and beyond, and the planet, minimizing our footprint at every step. High emissions sees increased carbon uptake in the ocean, which brings more ocean acidifications and warming seas, sea levels rises, and biodiversity collapse. The clock is ticking but with action today, we can leave the ocean a better place for current and future generations.”
— Francesca Clapcich
It’s important we ‘walk the walk’ here at Team Francesca Clapcich!
So what do we do?
OUR ACTIONS
Sustainable operations: at a minimum we measure our impact - travel, waste, water consumption, energy etc - and reduce our usage wherever possible before we mitigate our unavoidable footprint. We refuse avoidable single-use plastics wherever possible and commit to working with our suppliers and partners to help them to reduce theirs as well. We have used The Sustainability Toolbox to put in place our Constitution and an environmental program that addresses our impact on the planet, and the ocean.
Mentorship and advocacy: we are developing a program to work with young sailors and community groups, advocating for inclusivity and environmental awareness within the sailing community.
Scientific Research: when we go racing, we’ll get involved with Citizen Science and collect data on ocean conditions, contributing valuable information to the scientific community.
Climate justice: Individuals and communities most affected by climate and ocean health impacts should be centred in the way we prepare for, respond to, and recover from them. We are developing an Advisory Group, a Storytelling Platform, and an Advocacy Playbook to elevate and integrate those voices into our work.
WHAT WE LOVE
When Francesca isn’t at sea, she is in the mountains - and these two watery worlds of hers are intrinsically intertwined.
Did you know that the ocean and mountains are like best friends in the world’s water cycle? When snow melts from mountain peaks, it flows into rivers that eventually reach the ocean. But here’s the cool part—the warm ocean helps create storms that bring fresh snow back to the mountains! It’s a never-ending cycle that keeps our planet balanced. But as the ocean gets warmer due to climate change, it messes with snowfall, which means fewer epic powder days for skiing and snowboarding. So, protecting the ocean also helps keep the mountains snowy - it’s a win win for everyone!
We love a fact!
Here’s Francesca’s Top Five Facts about the ocean.
The ocean produces most of Earth's oxygen
While terrestrial plants contribute to our oxygen supply, it's the ocean that generates about 70% of Earth's oxygen, thanks to marine plants like algae and phytoplankton. We need to keep it healthy so we can stay healthy!
1
The ocean houses Earth's longest mountain range
Beneath the waves lies the Mid-Ocean Ridge, the planet's longest mountain chain, that wraps around the globe like seams on a baseball for around 65,000 kilometers (over 40,000 miles!). This underwater range remains less explored than the surfaces of Venus or Mars.
Source: Trafalgar
2
The ocean Is home to the majority of Earth's life
A staggering 94% of Earth's living species are aquatic, showcasing the ocean's incredible biodiversity.
Source: Trafalgar
3
Protecting the ocean is a social justice issue too
The ocean is a crucial source of food, livelihoods, and cultural identity for millions of people, especially in coastal and island communities. However, climate change, pollution, and overfishing disproportionately impact marginalized communities that rely on the ocean for survival. Protecting ocean ecosystems is not just an environmental issue—it’s a social justice issue, ensuring that vulnerable populations maintain their rights to resources, food security, and sustainable economic opportunities.
Source: Ocean Conservancy
4
The Ocean's Depths Are Largely Unexplored
Despite covering over 70% of Earth's surface, more than 80% of the ocean remains unexplored and unmapped, holding mysteries yet to be discovered. Did you know that according to the Ocean Census 1-2 million species are currently estimated to live in the ocean, but only 240,000 have been discovered and named to date.
Source: National Geographic Kids & Ocean Census
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To learn more about what 11th Hour Racing is doing for the health of the ocean, check out their website here.
A huge thank you to our friends at Schmidt Ocean Institute for rights to use their images which were shared through a Creative Commons licence
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA