RECORD-KEY WEST/HAVANA German Roger Kluh sets powerboat speed record between Key West and Havana

Record ID: 145479

  • Title: RECORD-KEY WEST/HAVANA German Roger Kluh sets powerboat speed record between Key West and Havana
  • Date: 1st August 2015
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (AUGUST 1, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POWERBOAT APPROACHING HAVANA BAY POWER BOAT APPROACHING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OTELO MARTÍNEZ, CUBAN MARATHON RUNNER, SAYING: "They should continue having more regattas. They should continue having more competitions to break time records like they're doing now from Key West to Havana. They should continue doing more things,
  • Embargoed: 16th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5HEY2TICORU2ZXY1HNP6JCIHQ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: German powerboater Roger Kluh arrived in Havana, Cuba from Key West in under 2 hours, setting a new speed record for an event that last took place 57 years ago.
    Kluh and his crew traversed the 100 miles (160 kilometres) between Key West and Havana in about 1 hour and 45 minutes, easily beating the 6 hour 23 minute record set by an American in 1958.
    Hundreds of Cubans gathered in Havana's famed malecon to watch the German businessman and sports enthusiast arrive aboard his orange Apache Star speedboat.
    Kluh's voyage follows a historic agreement in December between U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, aimed at normalizing ties between the two former Cold War rivals.
    Cuban marathon runner Otelo Martinez said he hoped this was the beginning of a new era of sporting events between the two countries.
    "They should continue having more regattas. They should continue having more competitions to break time records like they're doing now from Key West to Havana. They should continue doing more things, this will make the friendship between the people of the U.S. and the people of Cuba grow," he said.
    Kluh's wife, Coco Turkie, said he hoped to use his love of the sport in a meaningful way.
    "For him, he will set a new sign of freedom between those two countries and for him it's something very, very special. The whole world knows about the political situation and he wants to bring a new attention to it and do something very special with this," she said as she waited for her husband to arrive.
    Kluh has said he tried to make the trip before December's change in policy, but had been unable to secure permission.
    The event drew dozens of onlookers who had never seen nor heard the roar of a speed boat.
    "Above all, to me, the sound of the motor sounds like it's coming from a space ship. I don't know; it's very impressive," said dancer Victor Bailio Perez.
    Speed boat competitions from Key West to Havana were halted 57 years ago as the two countries distanced themselves from each other during the Cold War.
    The last speed record between the two points was set in 1958 and was recognized at the time as the longest power boating race of the time, according to the American Power Boat Association.
    The recent eased travel restrictions could make future speedboating trips between the two countries more feasible.
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