Team Malizia: Frankie's sailing premiere on "Malizia" - "Mamma mia, so much space!"

New season, new races, new crew: Team Malizia has started training for the highlight of the year. In France, Boris Herrmann's racing team is preparing for an exciting sailing season, sometimes alone and offshore, sometimes close to the coast and with other teams. The Course des Caps starts on 29 June with crews of four.

New race for familiar challengers

Twelve Imocas are registered for the new 2000 nautical mile race around the British Isles. One of them is Boris Herrmann's "Malizia Seaexplorer" alongside Charlie Dalin's "Macif Santé Prévoyance" and Justine Mettraux with "Teamwork - Team Snef". However, Herrmann himself will not be contesting the course of the cap.

The crew will be skippered by 31-year-old Briton Will Harris. Francesca Clapcich, who will take over the boat in the autumn after the Ocean Race Europe as the new skipper with plenty of backing from 11th Hour Racing as well as future technical support from Team Malizia, will also be on board for the Course des Caps, as will Cole Brauer, Julien Villion and Flore Hartout as onboard reporters.

Francesca Clapcich is getting to know her boat for the Vendée Globe 2028 for the first time on the water these days. In the latest Malizia clip, the 2023 Ocean Race winner talks about how she is experiencing this familiarisation phase: "I came with my family this morning because I wanted them to see the boat too. I feel very special. I don't think it happens every day that you can visualise the Vendée Globe like this. With an incredible machine. And a really, really nice team in the background."

"Frankie's" premiere cruise with "Malizia

Below deck, Francesca Clapcich was also impressed by the spaciousness of Boris Herrmann's "Malizia - Seaexplorer". She said: "Mamma mia, so much space!" Immediately afterwards, she noted: "Comfort is important." With the Malizia training programme, Clapcich has opened a new chapter in her career after taking part in two Olympic Games, competing in the Women's America's Cup and winning the Ocean Race as part of the team.

The professional sailor, who was born and raised in Italy and now lives in the USA, said: "This is my first time on 'Malizia'. Very, very exciting! I'm getting to know the boat. It's really nice to sail with everyone on board. Will knows the boat very well and the Boat Captain Stu is with us, teaching us all the secrets. We are learning every day."

I think we have the best job in the world." Francesca Clapcich

In addition to Boris Herrmann, Will Harris and Francesca Clapcich, Cole Brauer, Team Banque Populaires skipper Loïs Berrehar, Julien Villion and Flore Hartout as well as other Malizia team members were and are involved in the series of training sessions that have now begun.

In between, however, Boris Herrmann and his core team are also sought-after guests and marine advocates in Nice and Monaco. The new research vessel "Malizia - Explorer" will be christened there on 6 June - as part of the One Ocean Science Congress, for which Boris Herrmann is acting as ambassador, and the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3, 9 to 13 June).

Commitment to the blue planet

Team Malizia also wants to use the good opportunities to present the new flagship, its research projects and opportunities in the scientific environment. "It's ten days for the ocean and we're all fully committed," said Team Malizia in a statement on the Mediterranean Summit "for our blue planet". Click here for the extensive Preview of the Nice and Monaco programme under the sign of the oceans and the schedule.

"Learning the Ropes" - this is how (cheerfully) training with Team Malizia works: