The Cuban national rowing team has pulled out of this year’s Windermere Cup, Washington announced Tuesday, but the Huskies will face the Russian men and Cambridge women for the 30th year of Seattle’s banner rowing regatta.
Cuba canceled its planned trip to the United States — one of the first by a Cuban national sports team since the countries re-established diplomatic relations in July 2015 — to focus on its training for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, UW crew coach Michael Callahan said.
“We completely understand Cuba’s desire to focus on the upcoming Olympic Games,” he said.