OCEAN FIFTY
In 2024 & 2025, Francesca will race the Ocean Fifty trimaran UpWind by MerConcept - the first female skipper to lead a team in the international racing circuit in the 24-year history of the Ocean Fifty class.
In 2024, Ten fifty-foot trimarans will be racing in a five-Act series, including an East to West transatlantic race from Saint Pierre and Miquelon, the French archipelago south of Newfoundland, to Saint Brieuc, France.
Read on to find out more about this exciting offshore racing circuit.
Francesca Clapcich in front of the UpWind by MerConcept Ocean Fifty © D. Lupion | MerConceptThe Ocean Fifty Class
In 2000 a new class of boat was born - the Multi50 (renamed in 2021 to Ocean Fifty). Originally developed as a class for highly skilled amateur sailors, they competed in some of the major French offshore transatlantic races including the Route du Rhum, Transat Jacques Vabre, and Quebec St Malo race.
In 2015, the class turned professional, attracting a new level of sporting interest, and in 2021 it started its own racing circuit.
The Ocean Fifty trimarans are prototypes, which allows designers and builders to innovate within the framework of the Class rules. These are written to find the best compromise between the cost of building and equipping the boats, while pushing the sporting and technological advances while incorporating sustainability initiatives across the series.
There is the potential for a maximum number of boats in existence to be 12, with two new builds allowed each year, but only by those already members of the Class, and they must continue to participate in racing. Ten boats will race in 2024.
The Ocean Fifty trimaran
Maximum length: 15.24m/50ft
Maximum draught: 3.50m/11.48ft (from deck to waterline)
Maximum air draught: 23.77m/77.98ft (from top of the mast to waterline)
The Ocean Fifty allows a sail inventory of six sails - one mainsail, two downwind sails (spinnaker, gennaker, Code 0 etc), a J1, J2, and J3 (storm sail). The number of rudders and daggerboards is set to four and in 2017, one-design foils were allowed for the first time. All rigging and sail trims are manual - there are no electronic winches or hydraulics, autopilots are allowed, as well as stacking of the ballast.
The Ocean Fifty trimaran can be raced single-handed, double-handed, and with a crew of up to five.
The Ocean Fifty is controlled by the Class Rules, with a ‘Grandfathering Rule’, in place, which ensures that older boats do not need to make major changes to comply with updated rule changes: this avoids older boats from becoming obsolete, complying with the Class’s vision of longevity and sustainability.
The UpWind Ocean Fifty leaves the MerConcept shed © D. Lupion | MerConcept
The Skippers & Teams
The ten teams racing in 2024 include six experienced Ocean Fifty skippers, four rookies, and includes, for the very first time, a female skippe!
Luke Berry (FRA) - Le Rire Médecin-Lamotte
Laurent Bourguès (FRA) – Mon Bonnet Rose (formerly French Touch Oceans Club)
Fabrice Cahierc (FRA) – Réalités
Francesca Clapcich (ITA) – Upwind by MerConcept (formerly Les P’tits Doudous)
Baptiste Hulin (FRA) – Viabilis Océans
Erwan Le Roux (FRA) – Koesio
Matthieu Perraut (FRA) – Inter Invest (formerly Solidaires En Peloton 2023)
Christopher Pratt (FRA) - Wind of Trust - Fondation pour l’Enfance
Sébastien Rogues (FRA) – Primonial
Thibaut Vauchel-Camus (FRA) - Solidaires En Peloton
2024 racing schedule
The 2024 racing schedule has been announced and includes an east/west transatlantic race, three Grand Prix events, and one Mediterranean crossing.
Act 1: Saint-Malo, May 22-26
The Ocean Fiftys will be based from the Bas Sablons port and race both inshore and offshore for this inaugural event of the season.
Crew: five for inshore, three for offshore
Ranking: 9th /9
Act 2: Pornichet, La Baule, June 20-24
The ten teams will be based in Pornichet and racing in La Baule’s beautiful bay, a natural amphitheater for the on-water, short-course action, and a great start and finish for the 24 hour long coastal race at the weekend.
Crew: five for inshore, three for offshore
Ranking: 8th /10
Act 3: La Route des Terre-Neuvas, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon to Saint Quay Portrieux, Departure: August 17
After a transatlantic delivery in late July or early August, the teams will set off from the French archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, south of Newfoundland, for their Atlantic race. The teams will be racing as a crew of three sailors and one onboard reporter - and are anticipated to arrive in Saint Quay Portrieux, northern Brittany, France around August 23.
Crew: three and one OBR (not allowed to sail)
Act 4: Med Max Occitanie, Port-Camargue, France to Saïdia Resort, Morocco, Departure September 29, arrive October 3
It will be the first time the Ocean Fifty trimarans have visited Morocco, for this double-handed Mediterranean leg. Departing from Port Camargue, near Montpellier, the route takes the ten trimarans past Sicily and Ibiza on a non-stop 1,500 mile (2,414km) race.
Crew: five for the inshore racing, and double-handed for the offshore
Act 5: Saint Maxime, France, October 16-20
The final Act of the 2024 season will see the fleet race in the Gulf of Saint Tropez. The teams will be based in Saint Maxime, and there will be four days of racing action, both inshore and longer offshore courses.
Crew: five for inshore and three for offshore
The Ocean Fifty program brings an interesting mix of offshore events and inshore fast racing. It's going to be exciting putting together the different crew configurations to bring onboard the right skills, at the right time, for the right events!
Francesca Clapcich
