Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing to set off on three-week long Changemakers Tour
Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing will kick off its very first Changemakers Tour on August 14, 2026. After a transatlantic crossing from France, the three-city journey down the U.S. East Coast will take the team from Boston, MA, to Newport, RI, and then New York City, visiting organizations and community groups advancing ocean health, inclusivity, and the sport of sailing. Five days after arriving in New York, on September 1, the team will set off on The Ocean Race Atlantic, the fully crewed race from the US city to Lorient, France.
Guided by the team's Believe Belong Achieve framework, Clapcich and her wider team will meet with students, sailors, and community members for sailing days, boat tours, ideas exchanges, speaking engagements, and career growth opportunities.
Clapcich commented, "The Changemakers Tour revolves around championing the people who are creating a positive impact in their communities. Every stop, from Boston to New York, we’ll have the chance to engage with really inspiring organizations, to listen to and learn from them, and also share a little more of our Believe, Belong, Achieve program"
“I’m excited to be meeting such a wide group of changemakers and sharing our passion and love for the ocean, and our love of sailing. The tour also means a lot to the team! It is a chance to work alongside communities and contribute to the change they're making in places we don't always get to reach. That is what makes this tour so meaningful, and I cannot wait to see where it takes us”
While in the US, Team Francesca Clapcich will also launch its very first Believe Belong Achieve Internship Program, welcoming three interns from Rocking the Boat, a long-standing grantee of 11th Hour Racing. The Bronx, NY-based nonprofit organization builds pride, purpose, and possibility through boatbuilding, rowing, and sailing. The interns will join the team in Newport, RI, gaining hands-on experience in professional offshore sailing, in the communications, technical, and operations teams.
"Rocking the Boat is thrilled to make the most of this latest opportunity from 11th Hour Racing. We know that the three interns will have an unforgettable experience with Team Francesca. We are already looking forward to the stories they will have to tell" said Adam Green, Chief Executive Officer of Rocking the Boat.
For Jade Adon, one of the three interns joining the team, the placement is already opening doors. "This internship is another door that Rocking the Boat has opened for me. I'm very excited to meet new people and feel what it's like to sail on an IMOCA!"
"We believe some of the most effective solutions for ocean health are already taking shape in communities around the world. Our role is to invest in the people and organizations driving that progress, helping connect, amplify, and accelerate their work," said Michelle Carnevale, president of 11th Hour Racing. "The Changemakers Tour brings together local leaders who are proving what's possible and uses the platform of sport to share their ideas with new audiences. We're proud to support Team Francesca in helping those stories inspire even greater action."
The Changemakers Tour has a packed itinerary for the Team Francesca crew, with the team visiting 11th Hour Racing grantees including Courageous Sailing, a Boston, MA based organization with a long history of promoting access to sailing, Community Boating Center of New Bedford where the young adults will have the chance to sail aboard the team's IMOCA, and a visit to the Billion Oyster Project on Governors Island in New York.
