Cycling, billiards top weekend sports
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and we’re pushing another fresh portion of Sports Monday. In 2003 the Santino Cycle Classic has evolved into a 4-day, four-stage race that got off on Friday September the fifth to culminated on September tenth with the criterium ride around the Regent and Albert Streets here in Belize City.
We open at the start of stage one Friday morning where all three categories of riders are jumbled together to make this ride from Belize City to Hattieville. And well, they’re off on a thirty-four mile ride.
At the finish line, Quinton Hamilton takes out Mateo Cruz to take the big W with blazing speed. Teddy Vasquez and Juan Gonzalez finished third and fourth respectively.
So we go to the start of stage two on Saturday, which features a fifty-mile ride from Belize City through Burrell Boom and back to the city.
Around the curve to the finish line at Georgie August on the Western Highway, Ernest “Dangalang” Thurton pulls out the afterburners to grab the W away from Preston Martinez–Ernest Meighan picks up third; Ariel Rosado and Barney Brown rounds out the top five in that order.
Meanwhile folks, in the stage three road race from Belmopan to Belize City, the Golden One Jawmeighan decides to fly above the pack as he solo flights towards Belize City.
The fans are anxiously awaiting primetime at the Yabra Green when the solitary figure of Ernest Meighan zooms in to focus as he strikes for the W in uncontested fashion.
But hold everything?this is not supposed to happen, but Ray Cattouse wins the sprint for second place as Charlie Lewis pulls up third, forcing Mateo Cruz into fourth, while Teddy Vasquez rounds out the top five. Cattouse and Lewis ride in the Master’s category, that they can take the Elite is something for the cycling community to ponder.
Ernest Meighan, Winner, Stage 3
“Down the stretch I realised it was drizzling a little bit and it was kinda cool at the end. But running twelve miles alone, you’re gonna feel a real heat because it’s just me against the wind. So it was kinda hard, but I got my team, who is three to four guys who is real up front in the top five position, so if they do ketch me, you still have a guy who can probably win the sprint and take over the lead. So running out there just help to set my team in a more top five position.”
“Going into the criterium, in the curve, that’s what I got advantage over the guys, so going into the criterium is probably going to be easy for me.”
So after three stages of the Tour de Santino, Ernest Meighan leads the Elites with eighty-one points, Mateo Cruz has sixty-eight and Teddy Vasquez twenty-five. At the Junior class the leader is Brandon Cattouse with eighty-two, Marlon Castillo shows eighty and Keith Enright third with sixty-one. At the Master’s level Ray Cattouse is boss with one hundred and sixteen points, followed by Charlie Lewis with seventy-seven. Major George Lovell of the B.D.F. has sixty-four points at third place in the standings.
Of course folks, the Santino tour concludes on September tenth with the monster criterium ride around the Albert and Regent Streets. So look out for excitement.
In billiards news, the Challengers Sports Club of P.G. walked away with the two thousand dollars prize money in the National Guinness Eight Ball Pool Tournament by shocking Catt’s place last night in a wicked 3-2 final score.
Austin Ramclam beat Larry Lisbey 4-1, A. Borland edged Al Brown 4-3. And in the money game Isaac Ranguy ran over Renan Briceño 4-2 to give the Challengers the 3-2 big W. We say congratulations to Punta Gorda.
In basketball news, the Belize Basketball Association has issued out the names of those receiving individual awards from regular season play.
Damon Lanier of Orange Walk had five point nine assists to lead the league. Team mate Kirk “Shabba” Smith leads in the rebounds department with and average of ten point eight. Darwin Carter led the league in scoring with a twenty-three point six average and Raider teammate Kevin Seroki averaged three point seven steals per game to lead the regular season play.
Game three of the championship series between B.T.L. Nets and comes up Tuesday night. The Raiders going in with a commanding 2-zip lead.
Turning to the football scene, Regent’s Cup play over the weekend saw Sagitun and Kulture Yabra of Belize City settle for a controversial scoreless draw at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium Saturday night.
At Dangriga Builder’s Hardware Bandits and Griga United also battled to a scoreless stalemate, while the slide for the Seahawks continued at San Pedro as they were sunk by a 2-1 score from Real Verdes on Sunday.
And out at Toledo Union Field, Juventus rebounded from two straight losses by beating the host team Jacintoville United 2-1.
Hey folks, that’s our show for this weekend. We remind you that this weekend is the mighty Lion Man Triathlon, and of course the big contest of bodybuilding, featuring people like Nembhard. Nembhard “the statistician” is back in town looking to reclaim lost glory. He goes up against the three gold medal winners, Dillon Jones, Edwin Ramirez and of course Deon Danderson. Make sure you keep those dates open.
That’s it for now, we thank our cameramen for their great work over the weekend, Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.
