Скачать или смотреть U.S. boats in Havana for historical race

A score of crafts with some 100 United States staff members arrived in Havana on Saturday for the amateur race Havana Challenge, the first one in 15 years thanks to the permission of Washington.

“The importance of the event for us is that, like I have said on several occasions, it is the best gift for the 23rd anniversary of our club. It is also necessary to point out that it has been the first nautical event to be carried out in Cuba after Cuban and U.S. leaders declared to resume ties in December,” said José Miguel Díaz Escrich, commodore of the Nautical International Club Hemingway, west of Havana, where the U.S. ships docked.

The Havana Challenge was inaugurated in 2000, but put on shelf ever since for the U.S. contestants could not secure nod from their government.

Five 16-foot catamarans and 14 light boats for support started out early from the town of Key West, Florida, and finally parked at the jetty of the club by sunset.

“In my opinion, this it is an open door for other events. Traditionally Pensacola Yacht Club and Saint Petersburg Yacht Club came to the Tournament of Fishing Hemingway that will be carried out next week, and you will be allowed to see bigger participation of North American,” said U.S. organizer George Bellenger.

Five Cuban teams and five U.S. ones will compete on Tuesday and the U.S. fleet will return to their homeland on Thursday.