26 Jun 2017
First Central American and Caribbean Cup held in El Salvador
Seven nations competed in 14 boat classes over a three-day period. Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Saint Vincent and Grenadines lined up on this crater lake regatta course which had previously hosted FISA Camps and the Continental Qualification Regatta for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
The 14 boat classes included three junior events (two for men, one for women) six men’s events and five women’s events. Guatemala topped the medals table with nine gold medals, six silvers and four bronzes.
An initiative of the FISA Development Programme, the Central American and Caribbean Cup’s objective is to increase the competitive level of the rowers in the region and also serve as preparation for the Central American Games that will take place in Nicaragua in December of this year. For some young Honduran and Vincentian athletes, it was their first international regatta.
An umpire’s course was also organised alongside the regatta, allowing participants to practice what they had learned during racing.
The 2nd Central American and Caribbean Cup will take place in just a few months’ time from 20 to 22 October 2017 on Lake Amatitlan in Guatemala. The nations who competed in the first Cup have committed to participate again and additional nations are expected to enter as well.
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