About Francesca
Francesca Clapcich is a dual Italian–American sailor and trailblazing queer athlete whose career spans two Olympic Games, offshore racing, and groundbreaking leadership in the sport. She made history as the first Italian to win The Ocean Race and is now preparing for one of sailing’s toughest challenges — the 2028 solo Vendée Globe.
Based in Utah with her wife, Olympic sailor Sally Barkow, and their daughter Harriet, Francesca brings together her love of the sea, the mountains, and queer community. Beyond sailing, she’s a ski instructor, strength coach, and volunteer EMT.
Through her “Believe, Belong, Achieve” campaign, Francesca works to make sailing more inclusive, visible, and sustainable. As a queer athlete and advocate, she uses her voice to open doors, challenge sexism and queerphobia, and show that everyone deserves a place in the outdoors.
Early life
Francesca Clapcich grew up in Trieste, Italy, a border city shaped by Italian, Slovenian, and Austrian cultures—and by a huge sailing community. With more than 20 sailing clubs lining the coast, she started sailing at 5–6 years old, spending summers on her family’s small boat and finding friendship, freedom, and belonging on the water.
Although her first dream was to become a World Cup skier, distance from the mountains meant she trained mostly on weekends. Sailing became the more accessible path—and eventually her refuge. When her father became ill and later passed away, the sailing club offered a place of support, routine, and escape, nurturing both her healing and her competitive drive.
She attended a nautical high school and then studied sports science, grounding her athletic life in both technical and scientific knowledge. She also served nine years in the Italian Air Force’s elite athlete program, further shaping her discipline and commitment.
From these beginnings—a child of the mountains and the sea, shaped by community, grief, and possibility—Francesca’s journey into elite outdoor sport began.
Sailing Career & Achievements
Interview excerpts about identity, community & belonging
Q: You live in Utah now — a place with a huge outdoor culture. How does queerness show up there?
Francesca: I see representation growing, even in the outdoor world. We have events like Gay Ski Week, and I’m part of the Park City LGBTQ+ Task Force. It’s amazing to show that there is space for everybody outdoors. From the outside the outdoor and sailing worlds can look intimidating, but it’s not as scary as it seems. There aren’t many out people in sailing, even though I know we are many. There’s still this stigma that being out might cost you sponsorships or respect. So I try to show, simply by existing in my sport, that it’s totally fine.
Q: You speak a lot about belonging. What does that mean in the context of sailing?
Francesca: Sailing is still very exclusive. Expensive, membership-based, and often inaccessible. I used to focus only on performance, but now I want to race with purpose.
That’s why we created the Believe. Belong. Achieve. campaign. It’s about showing that people perform best when they can be themselves — when they feel seen, heard, and respected. Our team is intentionally diverse, and we run workshops and studies on belonging. We want to shift the culture from the grassroots level upward. It will take time, but we’re trying.
Q: You’re active in the local LGBTQ+ community. How did that start?
Francesca: I moved to Park City and was looking for my own community. I reached out to Summit Pride and asked how I could help. Now I volunteer on the task force — organizing Pride Month, doing advocacy at the state capitol, fundraising, helping create safe spaces. The political climate is tough for LGBTQ+ people, so if you have a voice, you should use it.
Q: Why is being out important — especially in a sport like sailing?
Francesca: Visibility matters. Growing up in Italy, I didn’t have many queer role models in sailing. It felt lonely. If you don’t feel safe in a room, you won’t come out — safety is the first step. Sailing still has a “boys’ club” vibe: beers, bar talk, stereotypes. But belonging grows when people feel safe to be themselves.
I’m lucky — I never lost opportunities for being gay. But I know that’s rare. So I feel a responsibility to use my platform. Young queer athletes shouldn’t have to suffer because they’re hiding who they are.
“I spent years trying to fit into sailing. Now I work to make sailing fit more people.”
