IDEC SPORT, a passion for sport
IDEC SPORT is a separate entity, the sporting arm of the IDEC GROUP, which brings together all the partnerships under a single banner. While Patrice Lafargue expresses his keen passion for motor racing, his competitive streak has meant that he has also invested in other sports, such as football with the National League 2 team, Blois Football 41, and in rugby in the Top 14 with the Aviron Bayonnais and the USON Nevers and in basketball with the Lyon ASVEL women’s team.
However, the main partnership for IDEC Sport has existed for more than sixteen years, in sailing with the famous yachtsman, Francis Joyon. Initially a sponsor like any other, Patrice Lafargue took a liking for the man with the weather beaten face and soon became headline sponsor for Francis Joyon’s various boats. This partnership, which developed into a very close friendship, has been crowned with success, as the current IDEC SPORT maxi-trimaran is the holder of the Jules Verne Trophy (crewed round the world record achieved in 2017 in 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes) and in 2018 Francis Joyon won the solo Route du Rhum (St-Malo – Pointe-à-Pitre) after an incredible duel with François Gabart. The two men gave it their all during a ten-hour rounding of the island of Guadeloupe and found themselves side by side with less than five miles to go to the finish. In the end, it was Francis Joyon who dealt best with this match race smashing the race record after 7 days 14 hours and 21 minutes.
IDEC SPORT is proud to be represented this year by the talented disabled sportswoman, Marie-Amélie Le Fur. Four times world athletics champion and twice paralympic champion, the 30-year old sportswoman continues to add to her list of successes and the work she does with federations and associations for causes that she considers to be important. In 2019, she has become the sport and health ambassador for the IDEC GROUP. This partnership came about quite naturally around sporting values that are shared by IDEC and Marie-Amélie Le Fur.
