Chinese skipper Guo Chuan poses for photo after finally crossing the finish line on the Bering Strait at 16.48 UTC on September 15. (Photo/Xinhua)
After 13 days' racing on the treacherous waters of the North East Passage for 3240nm, Qingdao China, led by Chinese skipper Guo Chuan, finally crossed the finish line on the Bering Strait at 16.48 UTC on September 15.
For the very first time in history, a racing trimaran sailed non-stop successfully through the Arctic Ocean Northeast passage from Murmansk to Bering Straits. Guo Chuan and his five crew from Germany, France and Russia made it!
Departing from Murmansk around noon of September 3, Qingdao China crossed the start line at 13.41 UTC and started the attempt to challenge the first non-stop sailing world record across Arctic Ocean North East Passage.
The start of the voyage was treacherous as strong wind was expected for the first three days and Guo Chuan decided to pilot the trimaran to a more southerly route into the Kara Sea. After sailing among growlers and icebergs across the Laptev Sea, the crew experienced the extreme coldness and gust on the East Siberia Sea. Sunshine welcomed them on the Chukchi Sea and it took them only over a day to reach the finish line between the Cape Dezhnev and the Big Diomede Island on the Bering Strait.
As soon as they crossed the finish line, all crew jumped with joy and proud. For celebration, they prepared a special ceremony. German crew Boris took out a white board and Guo Chuan wrote the historic moment onto it, "Arctic Ocean, Northeast passage, World Record, 15 September, 2015."
The Chinese skipper was so excited that he could not hold back his emotions. "I'm so on the top of the world. It's such an unbelievable moment. Even two months ago, I wouldn't have imagined I could have a moment like this. It is a moment that could only happen in a dream."
Looking back the 13 days' voyage, Guo said, "I feel very proud of myself and my crew. It is a challenging and tough journey, especially we were surrounded by ice and gusts under the extreme cold weather. The boat was bumping like roller-coaster sometimes and seemed totally out of control. For several times, when we were in a very difficult situation,I suspected whether we could go further. But thanks to our determination and all brave and excellent crew, we overcome the difficult time together and finally made it."
As a Chinese skipper leading five international crew, Guo said it was not only a special experience for him as a leader but also carries the symbolic significance of "peace and sport".
"This is an international team, our crew are from China, France, Germany and Russia. Obviously we come different cultures, but we still work together and made a great voyage successfully. As the only Chinese champion for 'Peace and Sport', I want to spread the peace message to more people. Now in the world, there are still nations at war, but we want to show to the people that people from diversified background can do things together."
Guo Chuan received the congratulations from Peace and Sport the first moment after crossing the finish line.
"No matter the difficulty of the journey through the wind and ice, you and your crew faced it all, showing commitment to your objectives, your passion and to the core values of sport. It is a true example for the world and I am very proud to count you among Peace and Sport's Champions for Peace," Joel Bouzou, chairman of Peace and Sport wrote in the congratulations letter to Guo Chuan.
Obviously it would be another exceptional achievement for Guo Chuan, who is the iconic face of Chinese offshore sailing.
Weather expert Christian Dumard said: "It was like the first race around the world or the first person to climb at the top of the Everest (Mount Qomolangma)."
