Participants paddle in the largest canoe race in Belize

The paddle across Belize officially kicked off the 9th of March weekend festivities and while we know where the race will end on Monday we do not know who will emerge victorious in this year’s La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge.  News Five is following the progress of the competition as paddlers sprint, pace and set time records in a bid to capture the coveted title.  Isani Cayetano was at the starting line in San Ignacio this morning and has the following story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

There we go. There goes the sounding horn and away they go. There are eighty-six teams and what they are currently doing, they are making their way to the wooden bridge which would be the site for the first station prize.

Jerry Rhaburn, Captain, Caves Branch

Jerry Rhaburn

“I win a lot of races in the States. I’ve never won the Ruta Maya before and this is one of the races I want to put underneath my belt and this year I’m going to work hard to do that.”

And work hard he certainly did; the Caves Branch team led by captain Jerry Rhaburn completed the first leg of the La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge in just under five and a half hours from its start in San Ignacio this morning.  The trio bested crowd favorite and current titleholder Belize Bank by approximately a minute while CPBL rounded off the top three teams.  Today’s forty-nine mile stage which culminated at Banana Bank saw the participation of eighty-six teams at kickoff.  Whether that number remains constant throughout the grueling journey to Belize City is yet to be seen as some teammates were already dropping out before finishing the day’s tourney.

Isani Cayetano

“You want to tell me my why you dropped out of the race here at Iguana Creek?”

Paddler, Koop Sheet Metal

“Because I was catching cramp from my belly and my leg.”

Isani Cayetano

“Were you given any kind of supplements on your way from the last location where they were giving out water and what have you?”

Paddler

“Yeah.”

Isani Cayetano

“How prepared were you for this race today?”

Paddler

“Well more or less good.”

Isani Cayetano

“How long have you been practicing?”

Paddler

“Well actually not for a long time but we were more or less ready.”

It has been over a decade and La Ruta Maya has seen remarkable growth since it first started in March 1998.

Orlando Harrison, Organizer, La Ruta Maya

“It’s getting where exactly we want it to be which is a fun race.  When we had a hundred and nine teams I think the notion was that we go for the money.  We realized that and we stepped back a moment and think about it and we said that’s not what we wanted.  What we want is a fun race where we can invite Belizeans from all over.”

The brainchild of Richard and Orlando Harrison, this annual water sport has become Belize’s Tour de France by canoe attracting locals and foreigners alike to compete for the highly sought-after title and cash prizes.

Isani Cayetano

What was the preparation like?  How many hours, how many days, how many weeks did you put in, in order to be where you are today?

Chris Guy, Captain, CPBL

“Actually I put in about three months weh woulda bring me ‘bout almost two hundred hours training for this one.  So I’m in pretty good shape me and my teammates them.”

For first-time participant Anthony Codd of team Gusano Rojo the race is a showcase of the body being used as the ultimate machine.

Anthony Codd, Team Gusano Rojo

“Actually we’ve been training on the weekends and we’re looking forward to make the best out of this race.  This is my first time in, my back paddler it’s not his first; he’s been in this from a very early age with his father and his family.  We have Adrian Williams also.  This is his first time and we hope to make the best out of it and see what we can do.”

Kent Herrera

But while Team Gusano Rojo competes in the Pleasure Category a fierce rivalry is brewing between onetime winner Citrus Products Belize Limited and reigning champions Belize Bank.  Kent Herrera of CPBL shares the desire of his team to return to glory.

Kent Herrera, CPBL

“Being the champs in 2008 and then losing it in 2009 there’s obviously this hungriness to get back in the championship circle.  I think the guys having lost it last year they are very determined to gain it back.”

In the height of that competitiveness both teams may have slept on the underdog which crept up from behind to snag today’s record.

The thirteenth annual La Ruta Maya Belize River challenge will end at the foot of the Belcan Bridge in Belize City on Monday.  Participants are vying for over forty thousand dollars in cash and station prizes.