Francesca Clapcich and William Harris (11th Hour Racing) 2nd in Transat Café L'or IMOCA division
by Transat Café L'OR 7 Nov 07:37 PST
7 November 2025
Italian-American Francesca 'Frankie' Clapcich and Briton Will Harris sailed to an outstanding second place in the TRANSAT CAFÉ l'OR Le Havre Normandie's 18 boat IMOCA fleet when they brought 11th Hour Racing a full speed through the finish line off Martinique's Fort-de-France towards the end of a beautiful, breezy Caribbean morning.
Taking the gun for second place at 11.02 am the duo set an elapsed time of 12 days 1 hour 32 minutes 46 seconds, and finish 5 hrs and 47 minutes after the IMOCA race winners Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière on Charal.
It is a remarkable achievement for past World and European champion in the 49erFX Olympic skiff class, Clapcich on the first race skippering her own 11th Hour backed programme with which she is aiming for the 2028 Vendée Globe solo race around the world.
Clapcich, 37, has already raced around the world twice, winning 2023's The Ocean Race, the crewed round the world winner. Second position is the most notable finish by a female IMOCA racer on this classic Transatlantic since Ellen MacArthur finished second with Roland Jourdain into Salvador de Bahia, Brazil in 2005.
The duo led on the passage round the Canary Islands but Charal escaped in the trade winds, showing their speed advantage. After a consistent, intense duel with the MACIF Santé Prévoyance pair, Brit Sam Goodchild and French counterpart Loïs Berrehar.
Clapcich and Harris took over second place yesterday around midday and had managed to extend slightly by this morning's final finish line.
*subject to jury confirmation
Find out more at www.transatcafelor.org and track the fleet here.