Seventeen riders in Female Cross Country Cycling Classic
It’s been around for the past twenty years and the Female Cross Country Cycling Classic is now a tradition on Mothers’ Day. On Sunday, seventeen women will put aside their normal roles and responsibilities and mount their bikes to test their skills and endurance in a seventy-two mile journey. Modeled off the original Male Cross Country Cycling Classic, this evening the Cycling Association spearheaded the traditional parade through Belize City streets to sport the faces in this year’s race. While officials have been busy securing prizes, riders like 2005 champ, forty-three year old Anthea Sutherland and formidable contender Jane Usher, have been spending their time preparing for their biggest challenge – the foreign riders.
Anthea Sutherland, Cyclist
“I feel ok going into the event and I put in about three months training.”
Marion Ali
“How difficult will you think it will be for you to win?
“Well, the amount of foreigners weh they bring in, I noh really di pay dey no mind, I just wah start and finish, mek sure that I cross di line and do wah good job.”
Marion Ali
“You’re a former champ, right?”
Anthea Sutherland
“Yes, in 2005.”
Marion Ali
“Does this place an added burden on your shoulders? What’s the motivation behind it, you getting up everyday, practicing, training.”
Anthea Sutherland
“I motivate my own self, if I go deh out Sunday and I feel like I could go and run left yo, I wah do that. I just motivate myself.”
Jane Usher, Cyclist
“Naturally I’m a bit nervous but also excited, I feel more prepared than last year, so I’m hoping to do well.”
Marion Ali
“What makes you nervous?”
Jane Usher
“It’s just competition…always, before the game you always get a little bit nervous, I think it’s that.”
Marion Ali
“But you think you put in the amount of training that you will need to perform?”
Jane Usher
“Well, there’s no more time, so yes I think I have.”
Marion Ali
“So how do you balance your job, your training and your family, what’s that like?”
Jane Usher
“It’s definitely rough; you definitely have to give up a lot your other activities to put in the time on the bike, balance the work and the love of the sport.”
Marion Ali
“How much time you put in?”
Jane Usher
“I would say bout fifteen to eighteen hours a week maybe.”
Yvonne Robinson, Cycling Official
“Presently we have seventeen riders on the list, after the meeting this evening then they will confirm. Prizes; two thousand for first plus a trophy from SOL and then we have the garland from SOL Belize we have a special prize which is the queen of the hills, a total of seven hills from Cayo to here. The person that wins the most from the hill will get that prize, it’s a thousand dollars from SOL as well.”
Sutherland is riding with BTL’s Swoosh while Jane Usher is representing the Police Department. The race starts at eight-thirty at the Columbus Park in San Ignacio Town. It will end at the BTL Park on Newtown Barracks.
