Costa Maya Pageant contestants presented
In other pageant news, although the Costa Maya Festival does not officially begin until next week in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, on Monday the contestants for the festival’s pageant were introduced at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City. Janelle Chanona was there.
It has opened the International Costa Maya Festival for the past four years. After all, nothing else draws a bigger crowd than five beautiful young women wearing swimsuits. But while the delegates say they just want to have fun, they are all hoping to win.
Q: “How many other pageants have you participated in?”
Tesla Maria Gun, Miss Honduras
“Now?”
Q: “Yes, before coming here?”
Tesla Maria Gun
“Twenty-three.”
Q: “Twenty-three, wow! And you won all of them?”
Tesla Maria Gun
“Yes.”
Ana Beatriz Gonzalez, Miss Guatemala
“I’m expecting to have fun; to know my other friends, to get to know other people; to get to know Belize and San Pedro because I wasn’t here before. I’m kind of nervous but I think I can do it.”
Vanya Diane Vasquez, Miss San Pedro
“Well to be honest with you, at first I was quite reluctant because I didn’t have much time to prepare and what not. But the people especially have convinced me, the people at San Pedro. And so I’m here and proud to be here. I’m glad I decided to do this.”
Astrid Ramirez, Miss Costa Maya International 1998-1999
“I already told them that here in Belize, the best thing you can do is have fun, enjoy the beauty of your beaches, your islands; so have fun and relax and enjoy and, I don’t know, prepare for the best.”
Festival manager Gach Guerrero explains why the pageant was added to the festival.
Gach Guerrero, Festival Manager
“The whole idea of the pageant is that we thought if we have an international pageant then we can promote Belize more. The girls can go back to their countries and say nice things about Belize. This is the fourth year and I think it’s doing real good because we have good reviews from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras already. The pageant directors from that country have called already and they are always looking forward for the Costa Maya Pageant.”
Patty Arceo, Area Representative
“Costa Maya Festival: the reason we brought it into Belize City because we wanted to move what is perceived as just San Pedro to come into the city and from the city it transcends to the rest of the country. This is part of us promoting our country in tourism.”
Q: “What can you say to the people who are thinking, I don’t think I’m going to go? What do you say to them?”
Gach Guerrero
“I would tell them to stop thinking and start packing.”
And while organizers hope more than three thousand Belizeans will be arriving in San Pedro by the boatload, they are also praying that bad weather will not make a repeat performance. Will this possible contestant make the delegates even more nervous?
Marisela Eugenia Godoy, Miss El Salvador
“Yes, I’m a little nervous but I hope to do the best and come out the winner. I believe that the most important thing about this contest is to be there for each other, to enjoy and to have the best out of the contest.”
Denise Zarahid Guzman, Miss Mexico
“What I really like about it is that I am going to share a lot of moments with the girls. I am going to have fun and I hope everything goes well. I’m just really excited about being in a pageant like this.”
But the burning question of the night was how in the world do they dance in those shoes?
Tesla Maria Gun
“No, it doesn’t hurt. It’s really easy. No, it’s really easy.”
Marisela Eugenia Godoy
“No, it’s not difficult.”
Ana Beatriz Gonzalez
“No, I’m already used to it so no problem.”
Q: “Any problem, Ms. Belize?”
Vanya Diane Vasquez
“No problem.”
Denise Zarahid Guzman, Miss Mexico
“It’s very tiring but when I get tired I’ll just take them off and dance.”
Vanya Diane Vasquez
“Maybe tomorrow we’ll feel the pain.”
And I can guarantee you that when I get done dancing cumba, punta and merengue at the eighth annual Costa Maya Festival, I will also be feeling pain, but enjoying it. Janelle Chanona for News Five.
The festival organizers hope that next year other countries like Cuba and Puerto Rico will send representatives to participate in the pageant. The Costa Maya Festival begins the 17 of August and ends on the 22nd. Belize night is on Saturday the 21st with performances by Gilharry Seven and the Belize Dance Company.
