Champion canoeist recounts experience in U.S.
You may remember his face from all the Ruta Maya canoe races he’s won over the years; but make no mistake, Alex Lisbey is just reaching his peak. During the summer Lisbey took flight to conquer canoeists in the United States, and guess what? He did it. Lisbey is a three-time champion in the Texas State Races where he took top honours in the men’s, mixed and solo categories. This morning Lisbey stopped by News 5 to tell us how he did it.
Alex Lisbey, International Canoe Champion
“At first I just try to relax a lot, not getting very nervous and just think about what I was gonna do. And when the time came that I had to go and race, I just told the guy that we were gonna go hard and try to win.”
Janelle Chanona
“Was the environment much different from what you’re used to in Belize?”
Alex Lisbey
“No, it was almost the same, it’s hot weather… I didn’t expect to do so well because I heard that the guys up there are very tough and I’ve never raced in a two man canoe before, so I thought it was gonna be a little bit tough.”
But believe it or not, Lisbey isn’t about to take a break any time soon. Oh, no. He and about thirty other daredevils are in intense preparation for the second annual Belize Extreme Canoe Adventure race. Timed to coincide with a full moon, paddlers will journey from San Ignacio to Belize City in one sitting. According to organizer Julian Sherrard…
Julian Sherrard, Race Organiser
“Canoeing is wonderful in that anybody can do it if they have the proper category or division to compete in. You can have young children racing, or just out there enjoying; you can have old people out there paddling away at their own pace. And as long as they are competing in their own category, then they’ll be able to feel that they’re getting something done, they’re accomplishing something.”
“The paddlers themselves say that this is an easier race to accomplish. It’s nineteen hours and change non-stop, you don’t get cold. You start of, you go, you get tired, you get your second wind, you keep one going, the moonlight is up to guide you through the night, you get into Bermudian Landing around five in the morning, and you paddle into Belize City, you get in about eleven, eleven-thirty depending on the height of the river.”
“The paddlers need the support of the public. And the fans, we want to get more fans involved, so if you can make the little sacrifice, our paddlers are making the sacrifice, so come on out and enjoy yourself.”
The race is set to start on Saturday, September thirteenth at four in the afternoon, with an expected arrival time at the Belcan Bridge in Belize City around ten-forty-five the next morning. The Belize Extreme Canoe Adventure Race is sponsored by Belikin Beer.
