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54TH ERNEST HEMINGWAY INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
U.S. prevents its fishing enthusiasts
from participating
BY ORLANDO GOMEZ
BALADO
DESPITE the U.S. government’s fierce, unjust
opposition and blockade, one of the most important
sporting events of the Cuban calendar – the Ernest
Hemingway International Game Fishing Tournament – is
set to take place from June 3-6, involving 17 boats
with friends from six different countries competing.
According to a press statement by Commodore José M.
Díaz Escrich, director of Havana’s International
Hemingway Nautical Club, more than 2,000 sports
fishing enthusiasts received intimidating letters
from the Treasury Department this year.
This
further affects the competitions and friendships
between U.S. and Cuban practitioners of the sport
given that it is well known that the majority of
competitors arrive here from the United States.
“This tournament, although more modest than in
previous years when 50 vessels have participated,
will not be any less impressive or important. The
International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) has
already approved it as a qualifying event for the
final scoring of the sporting year,” affirmed Díaz
Escrich.
Communicating with Díaz Escrich, the international
nautical community has totally rejected the U.S.
government’s measures against Cuba and is demanding
that the island should be maintained as it is today:
the organizer of marvelous game fishing events and a
friend to the thousands of U.S. enthusiasts who have
visited the island over the years to take part in
fraternal competitions.
The
organizers of the current competition commented that
another two important events that traditionally take
place from the island each year – the International
Blue Marlin Fishing Tournament from September 20-25
and the International Wahoo Fishing Tournament from
November 8-12 – are set to take place in Cuba with,
as always, an open invitation to the worldwide
sports fishing community.
One
of the main reasons that these important fishing
events take place in the Cuban archipelago is for
the exceptional conditions provided by its
geographical position embracing the Atlantic Ocean,
the Gulf Stream and the Caribbean Sea as well as the
large and varied populations of game fish.
Besides this, the Marina Hemingway – to the
northeast of the Cuban capital – provides 400
moorings, over 180 with on-board facilities, and
more than 500 rooms in modern hotels in the Marina
area.
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