Regatta Cuba-USA

In a more friendly than competitive activity, Cubans sailing ships beat the Americans in the "Havana Challenge" Regatta, to be held until next 21st in waters off the Havana's Malecon seafront.

The Americans arrived last Saturday to the island from Key West, Florida, after Washington granted their permission for the first time in 15 years, to dock in Cuban ports.

In the competition, beautiful for its color and meaning, involved 5 Cuban ships and 4 from the States, all Hobbie Cats type, which toured 3 miles on a calm sea under a blazing sun, which did not frighten the public that packed the capital's coast.

The show was organized by the Cuba's Hemingway International Nautical Club (CNIH) along with the Yacht Club, and Sailing Center of Key West, Florida.

The Hobbie Cats came to Cuba with about 15 support vessels, and for the event traveled to the island nearly a hundred Americans, including Key West Mayor, Craig Cates, and the sailors Joe Weatherby and George Bellenger, who also participated in the 1st Regatta of this kind held in 2000 in the Caribbean nation.

This Wednesday's scheduled covers a nautical stop of 2 schooners that mimic old ships, which also came from Key West, which sail carrying the flags of the two countries escorted by sailboats and motorboats, which will return to the northern nation on Thursday.

Next week will take place in Havana other nautical event, the "Bone Island" regatta organized by Cuba in conjunction with the Yacht Club of Sarasota, Florida, and with the participation of 4 US ships.

Boxing
The boxing team Mexico's Los Guerreros surprisingly included 3 rookies in the quintet that will face Cuba's Los Domadores on Thursday and Friday in the semifinal of the World Series of Boxing to be held at the Havana's Sports City Coliseum.

The Mexicans surprisingly won 6-4 to favorite Azerbaijan's Baku Fires, runners-up last season; however, Cubans and Mexicans already faced off in the group stage, with clear triumph of Cuba 8-2.

The other semifinal will be played between Kazakhstan and Russia, while the final will be between the winners and will be in Dubai on June 11th and 12th. Cuba debuted in WSB last year and won the final against Azerbaijan.

 Chess
Cuban GM Leinier Dominguez faces this Wednesday the Israeli veteran and also GM Boris Guelfand in the 6th round of the Chess Grand Prix underway in the Russian city of Khanty Mansiysk.

Leinier, who will use black pieces against Gelfand, so far unbeaten in the lid after finishing tied with the Dutch GM Anish Giri in the 5th round on Tuesday, shows 3 points and owns 2nd place, behind the Italian GM Fabiano Caruana.

 Badminton
The Cuban Osleni Guerrero will debut on Thursday against Mexican Antonio Ocegueda, at the International Badminton of Trinidad and Tobago, which takes place in the neighboring Caribbean nation from this Wednesday until Saturday.

The Cuban, 50th in world rankings, is the tournament seeded 2, behind the Israeli Misha Zilberman, who appears as the favorite of the contest for his position 43rd in the world list.

The Cuban, best player in the Americas today, will firstly face off Mexican Ocegueda, and if he wins, will rival the winner of the Hungarian Rudolf Dellenbach and Italian Giovanni Greco.

For his part, the Israeli Zilberman, will debut against Mexican Luis Ramón Garrido, in a fair that presents only the 2 best players from Latin-America, Cuban Guerrero, and American Bjorn Seguin, 77th of the world rankings.

This will be the 4th event of the year for Osleni after winning the Giraldilla of Havana, and the International Open of Chile, and being eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Peru Open.