International yachting team sets world record
© RIA Novosti. Alexandr Kryazhev

International yachting team sets world record

A sailing trimaran has, for the first time in history, navigated the entire Northern Sea Route. The unique polar expedition, Qingdao-China, set off from Murmansk on September 3.

"Despite all the difficulties we had to face — the terrible northern storm, the treacherous floating icebergs, breakages, and even an accident that saw skipper Guo Chuan fall overboard after the boat hit an ice floe — we still made it on schedule," head of the expedition Sergei Nizovstev said as quoted by the Arctic-Info news agency.   

The expedition set a world record: they crossed the Russian part of the Arctic on a sailing boat and completed the Northern Sea Route in 12 days. The record was officially registered in the Provideniya Bay.

The trimaran will now sail to China, where it will end its journey in Qingdao in October.