Chinese mariner Guo Chuan receives legendary maxi trimaran IDEC from French voyager

PARIS - Skipper Guo Chuan, the world solo circumnavigation record holder of Class 40 monohull from China, received the world famous IDEC maxi trimaran at the Mecca of offshore sailing in West France's La Trinite sur Mer on Sunday.

Guo Chuan

In a simple ceremony, Chairman of IDEC Group Patrice Lafargue and the maxi trimaran's former skipper Francis Joyon handed it over to Guo Chuan. The boat will be renamed later this month as Qingdao, after the Chinese eastern coastal city in Shandong Province where the new boat owner is based.

Guo set up a new world record in April 2013 by completing a 21,600nm solo non-stop circumnavigation in a Class 40 boat over 138 days. Receiving the IDEC maxi trimaran from his French counterpart marks the first milestone of his new adventures in preparation.

The 50-year-old Chinese has been planning to conquer a new routine of the Maritime Silk Road later this year, following Zheng He's footprints 610 years ago in commanding expeditionary voyages after navigating across the Arctic Ocean for new record.

"I am proud to receive this legendary boat," he said. "While changing my boat from a small one to this jumbo, I, myself, have grown from a solo skipper to the skipper of a trimaran. Our next target needs also to be more ambitious and exciting."

The IDEC Maxi Trimaran is famous not only for its simplicity, efficiency and solidness, but for one of the most prestigious world records created by Captain Joyon, who piloted it to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation voyage in just 57 days 13 hours 34 minutes and 6 seconds in 2008.

Before the handover ceremony, Guo has already spent a few days of training on the trimaran in La Trinite sur Mer, where he used to train for his solo world challenge since 2007.

He fondly recalled his earlier acquaintance with the super trimaran eight years ago and said: "I often came to enjoy the moment of looking at this trimaran and had no idea one day I would become her skipper. I believe la Trinite sur Mer is my lucky place; and today I have my lucky boat."

Guo Chuan will continue training in the coming weeks with Joyon, who's positive about Guo Chuan's new adventure.

"I have been sailing with Guo in the last couple of days. He is a good learner as well as a good sailor. I am sure this trimaran will be in his safe hands. And I wish him fair winds for his new challenge," said the Frenchman.