Invitation to participate in the 60th “Ernest Hemingway” Billfish Fishing Tournament
This year 2010 will be witness of a new celebration of the “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament, which is celebrated in the waters that surround Havana since 60 years ago. These waters were chosen by Ernest Hemingway for his fishing journeys since the thirties.
As in previous years, Commodore Escrich, Representative of the International Game Fish Association, invites all anglers to meeting on this May 24th at the headquarters of Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba, to begin the activities of the event with the Captains´ Meeting of the oldest billfish fishing tournament in the world.
On Tuesday 25th, fishing journeys will begin until Saturday 29th Thursday 27th will be the lay day. On Saturday night, the award ceremony and farewell party with dinner and cultural show included will take place.
IGFA rules govern the tournament and tag & release method is applied. Teams should carry their camera. If there are no photos, there are no points. The line allowed for the tournament is 50 pounds. The Jury from the Cuban Sport Fishing Federation will take irrevocable decisions regarding the validation of captures.
In this sport fishing event, the three teams with more points accumulated, the first capture of the tournament, and the biggest dolphin are awarded.
Those who are interested on participating can go in their own boats or rent them in Marina Hemingway.
The registration will be 450 CUC (563 American dollars) per team from 1 to 3 anglers and 100 CUC per an additional angler (125 American dollars). Those who arrive in their own boats will have free mooring in Marina Hemingway, invitation for the welcoming cocktail, awarding ceremony and closing dinner for all the team members. If you rent one boat, you will also have highly qualified crew, fishing tackle, baits, fuel and snack.
Those interested on accommodation, can book in at Acuario hotel, located in Marina Hemingway, or at other hotels in Havana, headquarters of the event.
Commodore Escrich works for the 60th “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament to be a special occasion to highlight the life and work of this distinguished American writer, who lived in Cuba more than 20 years and where he wrote his more outstanding works such as “The Old Man and the Sea”.
To Cubans, Hemingway is a symbol of friendly relations between the peoples of Cuba and United States. They remember him with great tender and preserve the places that the famous American writer used to visit, such as “Floridita”, bar of the best daiquiri in Havana; “La Bodeguita del Medio”, where he enjoyed his mojito; “La Terraza” restaurant, where he used to meet with Gregorio Fuentes, his inseparable Captain of “Pilar”; as well as his house in “Vigia” country estate, which is Museo Hemingway today. There he had at his feet Havana and the Gulf Stream, which is witness of the capture of billfishes and dolphins.
In order to bear in mind the memory of Hemingway, Commodore Escrich has organized several activities that will take place during the week of the tournament.
60th “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament Collective exhibition
Works, specially made for the occasion, of young plastic artists, will be exhibited.
Sport journalism meeting about the Tournament
Photography exhibition about the Tournament
50th anniversary of the meeting between Ernest Hemingway and Fidel Castro
Movie images of Hemingway in “Vigía” country estate to mark the fact of being awarded the Nobel Prize for his work “The Old Man and the Sea”, as well as his meeting with Fidel Castro will be presented.
It is expected that the prestige of the 60th “Ernest Hemingway” International Billfish Fishing Tournament Collective exhibition will be enhanced by the presence of notable figures, such as relatives of Hemingway, experts in life and work of the distinguished writer, as well as Hellen Peel and Rob Kramer, presidents of The Billfish Foundation and IGFA, respectively. They were invited by Commodore during his recent visit to Florida, to deliver workshops and lectures about sport fishing.