Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing selects Società Nautica Pietas Julia as first grantee
by Francesca Clapcich 26 Sep 06:39 BST
Francesca Clapcich goes back to her home town of Trieste, Italy in September 2024 to visit her old sailing school © Giovanni Aiello / 11th Hour Racing
Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing has announced Società Nautica Pietas Julia (SNPJ) as the first recipient of its Believe, Belong, Achieve Grantee Program.
The grant will support SNPJ's Fair Winds for Youth program, a three-year initiative designed to develop youth competitive sailing in an inclusive, sustainable, and educational way.
For Francesca 'Frankie' Clapcich, this is a deeply personal collaboration. SNPJ is her home sailing club in Trieste, Italy, the place where she first stepped onboard a boat at the age of five. Now, after two Olympic Games, a groundbreaking victory in The Ocean Race with 11th Hour Racing, and her 2028 Vendée Globe campaign under way, Francesca is giving back to the community that set her international journey in motion. The award-winning club, which sits on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, is one of the oldest in Italy having been started in 1886; it now has over 400 members, an active racing community, and sailing school.
The Fair Winds for Youth program combines competitive sailing, environmental education, coach training, and professional pathways for young sailors. A central focus for the initiative is Vento Inclusivo, a pioneering program that welcomes children and teens with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities into SNPJ's summer sailing school, helping them find confidence, community, and connection with the sea.
Thanks to the support of 11th Hour Racing, this grant marks a significant step in Clapcich's Believe, Belong, Achieve (BBA) campaign, which seeks to include, inspire, and empower future generations, on the water and beyond. For the team, it represents more than financial support, it is a bridge between local action and global impact. By empowering children in Trieste to connect with the sea, embrace acceptance, develop confidence, and learn about ocean stewardship, Team Francesca Clapcich and SNPJ are building a model of inclusion and sustainability that will resonate far beyond the Gulf of Trieste.
Francesca Clapcich, Skipper of Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing, commented, "Providing this grant to the SNPJ feels like I am coming full circle. I started sailing at the club as a child, and it shaped who I am today, not just as an athlete, but as a person. With Fair Winds for Youth, we are opening the same doors for the next generation, while making sure that every child - no matter their background or ability - feels they belong. This is exactly what our Believe, Belong, Achieve campaign stands for and couldn't happen without the support of my sponsor, 11th Hour Racing."
"I am extremely pleased to announce this new collaboration between our association and Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing," commented Alberto Valenti, President of the SNPJ. "This relationship developed almost naturally because of the values we share: a common love for the ocean, sailing, and with a focus on young people and their passion for the sport. Both organizations are very committed to nature, the environment, and inclusion: this was the key factor and drive in this project.
"The icing on the cake was 'our very own' Francesca Clapcich, a young girl who was introduced to sailing at Pietas Julia, and now many years later, after reaching heights that were unimaginable at the beginning and achieving all the success and triumphs she deserved, she is still passionately and enthusiastically dedicated to her origins and continues to believe in Pietas Julia's potential for growth. We are proud of what she has done and continues to do," he concluded.
Giovanna Micol, Sports Director of SNPJ and Project Lead of Fair Winds for Youth said, "We are honored to be the first recipients of a grant from Francesca's team. With this support, we can strengthen Vento Inclusivo, expand opportunities for youth sailors, and connect sport with environmental responsibility. Francesca's journey shows our young sailors that if you can see it, you can be it, and together, we can build a future where sailing is truly for everyone."
Clapcich concluded: "I will be following the Fair Winds for Youth program closely as I start the long journey to the startline of the 2028 Vendée Globe. I'd encourage any organization looking to create long-term and tangible impact on their community to explore programs like this one led by the SNPJ. I hope it can inspire clubs and communities all around the world."