Trimaran IDEC, the memorable red maxi-trimaran boat that Frenchman Francis Joyon used to set a world record for sailing round the world in 2007/08 in 57 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes and 6 seconds, has been renamed after the hometown of Chinese sail boat racer Guo Chuan, who acquired the boat earlier this month.
The "Trimaran IDEC" or "Idec 2" will now be officially known as "Qingdao China." The skipper of Qingdao China, Guo, holds the world record for solo Class 40 monohull round the world sailing, which he set in 2012 after setting off from Qingdao and returning in 137 days, 20 hours, 1 minute and 57 seconds.
"I owe my sailing achievement to the support from Qingdao city and am proud of naming the Trimaran after my birthplace," explained Guo, who has a habit of naming his boats after his hometown Qingdao. In 2008, during the Beijing Olympics, he promoted Qingdao as a sailing venue using a boat that was also named after the city.
An official statement released by the authorities in Qingdao highlighted the importance of the renaming of Trimaran IDEC.
"Qingdao city hosted the sailing events of the 2008 Olympic Games. The naming of 'Qingdao China' is not only a great continuation of the Olympic legacy but also the city's contribution to China's sailing adventures."
Guo is set to make a remarkable journey on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and will also navigate across the Arctic later in the year. He has reportedly been training with Joyon in France since acquiring his trimaran boat.
"With the Qingdao boat becoming even bigger, so is Guo Chuan's ambition to his next sailing," Joyon remarked. "I am glad to see his skills are quickly growing to match his ambition."