THE QUIET JOYS OF GIRL POWER

FROM ARTHAUD TO METTRAUX: THE ERA OF THE PIONEERS

Soon, it will be spoken of as a bygone era. A time when women were a rare sight on the docks, often dismissed and not always taken seriously. Florence Arthaud, still the only woman to have won the Route du Rhum (in 1990), once wrote: « Being the only woman always put me in competition with the others and I had to endure some of the worst attacks. » More than a quarter of a century later, the reality on the pontoons is very different, and the 2026 Vendée Arctique is one of the clearest illustrations of that progress. 

It took time for attitudes to evolve. The place of women in offshore racing owes much to the courage and determination of pioneers who established themselves through talent and performance. Following in Florence Arthaud’s wake came the legendary Tracy Edwards, who assembled the first all-female crew to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race. The Vendée Globe has also helped propel female sailors into the spotlight. Catherine Chabaud and Isabelle Autissier were the first women to take on the challenge (1996–1997), before Ellen MacArthur came within touching distance of victory, remaining the only woman ever to stand on the podium (2000–2001). In the last two editions of the race (2020–2021 and 2024–2025), six women took the start.

Gradually, the performances have continued to improve. Clarisse Crémer became the fastest woman ever to sail around the world in 2020 (87 days and 2 hours) before Justine Mettraux lowered the benchmark to 76 days and 1 hour two years ago.

« What has changed is that we now have competitive projects. »
— Justine Mettraux

Shortly before the last Vendée Globe, Samantha Davies also made her mark by finishing on the podium of The
Transat CIC (3rd). This latest edition of the Vendée Arctique follows that same momentum, with Bonafous, Dorange and Clapcich all approaching the race with genuine ambition.

THREE SAILORS DETERMINED TO DELIVER

All three have already demonstrated the extent of their talent. During her first season aboard Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner, Élodie Bonafous finished second in the Course des Caps and won the Rolex Fastnet Race last year. Francesca Clapcich made headlines by completing the podium in the Transat Café L’Or (3rd) alongside Will Harris. Violette Dorange, meanwhile, secured an impressive third place in the 1000 Race at the start of the season.

« There is always a certain pride in breaking through at the highest level as a woman. »
— Élodie Bonafous

Élodie Bonafous is nevertheless keen to point out that she is “not in favour of distinguishing women from men either”. Both Élodie and Violette belong to a generation that has always grown up with female sailors competing at the highest level. Francesca, who competed in two Olympic Games campaigns (2012 and 2016), has also spent her career in mixed environments. Their motivation is simple: they enter races to perform.

Élodie Bonafous is nevertheless keen to point out that she is “not in favour of distinguishing women from men either”. Both Élodie and Violette belong to a generation that has always grown up with female sailors competing at the highest level. Francesca, who competed in two Olympic Games campaigns (2012 and 2016), has also spent her career in mixed environments. Their motivation is simple: they enter races to perform. Un stage à Port-La-Forêt pour peaufiner la préparation

A TRAINING CAMP IN PORT-LA-FORÊT TO FINE-TUNE PREPARATIONS

Before the start of the season, the three sailors came together at the beginning of April for a week-long training camp in Port-La-Forêt.

“Having three women on the water, training against each other, supporting one another and sharing debriefs in such a collaborative environment was fantastic.”
— Francesca Clapcich (11th Hour Racing)

Everything is now in place for them to be fully prepared when the race starts on Sunday 7 June, ready to battle in the Far North and follow in the wake of all those women who have helped shape offshore racing history. Find the full skipper profiles and all the latest news from the Vendée Arctique 2026 on the official website.