Results from Havana?

[Robert Smith]

Anyone know where I might find results from today's World Cup women's foil event in Havana? The FIE seems to be days behind, nahouw.net the same. My daughter's there fencing her first World Cup; but if I wait for news from her, it won't be until the weekend.

To generalize a little, is there any consistently timely source for results from FIE events?

[Phrogger]

There are some results from Havana posted on the FIE website here, under "Latest Results."
I doubt they are posted daily but probably you will see results there within a week.

I am assuming American athletes may not attend sporting events in Cuba. If this is true, is this a major disadvantage or simply a minor inconvenience?

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Phrogger

There are some results from Havana posted on the FIE website here, under "Latest Results."
I doubt they are posted daily but probably you will see results there within a week.

I am assuming American athletes may not attend sporting events in Cuba. If this is true, is this a major disadvantage or simply a minor inconvenience?

Havana MF results:


22 8 GETZ Kurt USA 07.06.88 07061988000

34 4 MEINHARDT Gerek USA 27.07.90 27071990000

36 4 HORANYI Andras USA 27.06.86 27061986000



etc etc

[Phrogger]

Originally Posted by downunder

Havana MF results:

22 8 GETZ Kurt USA 07.06.88 07061988000

34 4 MEINHARDT Gerek USA 27.07.90 27071990000

36 4 HORANYI Andras USA 27.06.86 27061986000

Interesting...so there is a loophole to the travel ban? I mean, I thought even politicians aren't allowed to go there on official business.

[KD5MDK]

Yet we keep hearing reports from US reporters...

I've seen people on here talk about the difficulty they've had with the Cuban Convertible Peso.

[NNR]

In fact, US athletes can go to Cuba to compete - there has been a World Cup there for many years and we've always participated. My daughter went one year and it is a real trial. The treasury department issues the travel waiver, and inevitably does so at the very last minute and limits the cadre in a rather arbitrary fashion. Then, one must fly there from either Canada or Mexico, adding innumerable hours to the trip, pay for all hotels through Canadian travel agent and ask that their passport not be stamped upon exit, making return to US considerably faster. All that said, it was a terrific experience - the people there are wonderful, and hopefully, visiting will loosen up with changes to the government on both sides.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Phrogger

Interesting...so there is a loophole to the travel ban? I mean, I thought even politicians aren't allowed to go there on official business.

From wikipedia:

"United States nationals can circumvent the ban by traveling to Cuba from a different country (such as Mexico, The Bahamas or Canada), as Cuban immigration authorities do not stamp passports. "

[Phrogger]

Originally Posted by downunder

From wikipedia:
"United States nationals can circumvent the ban by traveling to Cuba from a different country (such as Mexico, The Bahamas or Canada), as Cuban immigration authorities do not stamp passports. "

I don't think I'd try that unless I had a reeeeeeeally good reason.

From the U. S. State Department Website:
"The Regulations require that persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction be licensed to engage in any travel-related transactions pursuant to travel to, from, and within Cuba. Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. U.S. law enforcement authorities have increased enforcement of these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of Treasury regulations could face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States."

And here's the specific loophole I was wondering about, from the same source:

"Amateur or semi-professional athletes or teams traveling to participate in Cuba in an athletic competition held under the auspices of the relevant international sports federation. The athletes must have been selected for the competition by the relevant U.S. sports federation, and the competition must be one that is open for attendance, and in relevant situations participation, by the Cuban people."

[oiuyt]

Originally Posted by Phrogger

And here's the specific loophole I was wondering about, from the same source:

"Amateur or semi-professional athletes or teams traveling to participate in Cuba in an athletic competition held under the auspices of the relevant international sports federation. The athletes must have been selected for the competition by the relevant U.S. sports federation, and the competition must be one that is open for attendance, and in relevant situations participation, by the Cuban people."

I wouldn't call that a loophole, more an exception.

It requires specific pre-approval from the US Treasury Department, which US Fencing can (and does) request. There are frequently severe limits on the number of non-athletes in the travel party. My understanding is that the process is highly non-transparent, can take a very long time, and sometimes isn't concluded until immediately prior to the travel taking place (depending on how long the Treasury decides to just sit on things).

-B

[wbowman]

A former clubmate of mine went to a couple of World Cups in Havana some years ago, and had to travel via somewhere else in the Caribbean. Don't know if that was just being sneaky, or simply a matter of the available air travel.

Interestingly, he said when he arrived he was given a card entitling him to free medical care, if needed, while he was in Cuba.

[KD5MDK]

There are no flights from the US to Cuba, so he had to connect through somewhere.

[sheck]

Back in 1998 I flew to Cuba for a WC via Cancun (others flew via Canada). I received a small blue card (no stamping of passport) from the USFA (Russell Wilson) that was taken upon arrival in Cuba. When I returned from Cancun to the US and I didn't say I was in Cuba. Another major issue was money. US credit cards,tc and bank cards didn't work so you had to bring cash. Not sure if this is still the case.

[NNR]

As of last year, you still could not use US credit cards.

[the highlander]

Originally Posted by Robert Smith

Anyone know where I might find results from today's World Cup women's foil event in Havana? The FIE seems to be days behind, nahouw.net the same. My daughter's there fencing her first World Cup; but if I wait for news from her, it won't be until the weekend.

To generalize a little, is there any consistently timely source for results from FIE events?

Results are now posted on the FIE website.

[nahouw]

Originally Posted by oiuyt

I wouldn't call that a loophole, more an exception.

It requires specific pre-approval from the US Treasury Department, which US Fencing can (and does) request. There are frequently severe limits on the number of non-athletes in the travel party. My understanding is that the process is highly non-transparent, can take a very long time, and sometimes isn't concluded until immediately prior to the travel taking place (depending on how long the Treasury decides to just sit on things).

I've attended the Havana World Cup for many years, and all I needed under the regulations for the general license was a letter from the USFA that I was selected for the competition and the letter of invitation from the Cuban fencing federation in order to be permitted travel through a third party country under a regular Cuban tourist visa purchased at the airport.

There are direct flights from either New York or Miami, however, to board those flights, you require under the regulations a specific license via the treasury department, and those must be obtained in advance of 45 days prior to your departure.

I used a travel agent either in Canada or the Bahamas to assist me, and considering the hotel cost for the two extra days required in either Nassau, Toronto or Cancun, it was cheaper and easier than the cost of the direct flights from New York or Miami, the extra cost of the visa via the Treasury department as opposed to the regular tourist visa and all the red tape and time via the Treasury department.

[erooMynohtnA]

So I guess what we're all saying here is vote Obama to end the embargo.

[HDG]

Originally Posted by erooMynohtnA

So I guess what we're all saying here is vote Obama to end the embargo.

Shhhhh. Talk like that will cost him South Florida…

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Robert Smith

Anyone know where I might find results from today's World Cup women's foil event in Havana? The FIE seems to be days behind, nahouw.net the same. My daughter's there fencing her first World Cup; but if I wait for news from her, it won't be until the weekend.

To generalize a little, is there any consistently timely source for results from FIE events?

looks like she had a tough time of it. Only one win in the poules.

[Robert Smith]

Ya, not the best of results. But it was her first WC, so I don't think she was expecting too much. Still, a long way to go to fence 30 points. Only two out of six Canadians made it out of pools, and both of those went out in the first round of DEs. World domination could take longer than we were expecting... months, even.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Originally Posted by downunder

looks like she had a tough time of it. Only one win in the poules.

Is there website somewhere for these results?