Female Cross Country set for Sunday
While many Belizean mothers will be relaxing on Sunday, others will be busting a sweat in the eighteenth edition of the Female Cross Country. News Five’s James Adderley reports.
James Adderley, Reporting
Mother’s Day comes this Sunday, May thirteenth and with it comes the eighteenth running of the annual female cross country cycle classic, a gruelling journey that begins around 8:30 Sunday morning and leaves San Ignacio town to finish seventy-miles later at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex here in Belize City.
A record twenty-two riders are suiting up for this year’s prestigious win sponsored by SOL, which includes foreign competitors from three different countries. The appearance of seven international riders on the scene has very little effect on newcomer Jamie Lee Usher who has this perspective in her very first cross country try.
Jamie Lee Usher, Cyclist
“I feel like all the women out there bring a different quality that you have to look out for. We have about fourteen or fifteen Belizean women riding and we pass each other on the road, so I know that we are all training. But I like to think of myself as the person I will be competing against because it’s only my second race, so I haven’t gotten a chance to see how far I can push myself, I will be the person trying to beat myself out there.”
Of course the defending champion Gina Lovell tells how good last year’s victory felt.
Gina Lovell, Defending Champion
“It felt really, really good, surprising, surprise myself. I felt confident and last year it was my grandmother that I actually won it for and of course my mom.”
Looking at this year’s ride, Gina says:
Gina Lovell
“This year for the Belizeans it will be Shalini Zabaneh and her team-mates. Actually we have nine foreigners and I don’t know what they are capable of, but only for the Belizean side I am confident that Shalini Zabaneh’s team will be my challenge this year.”
In 1997 Fiona Humes took this title simply by finishing the course after being the only female participant.
Fiona Humes, Winner 1997
“I completed the course and I felt good, but I don’t consider myself winning one of the cross country. … I think my chance is very good because some time you could be in top shape, but when they say, bam, you don’t know what will be the outcome. I will just have to be alert, very alert and if there is a break just work and when it comes down to the track the best woman will just win.”
Now meet Shantae Morrison, who has three years of racing experience and expects to challenge for the title in 2007.
Shantae Morrison, Cyclist
“I feel that I am fully prepared to challenge everybody or anybody who comes for this year 2007 cross country.”
James Adderley
“And what are the attributes that are in your favour?”
Shantae Morrison
“Well I consider myself a very good pacer, so if the foreigners that are coming in are able to take the pace very hard or heavy, then I believe that I am going to be able to hold.”
This cyclist certainly welcomes the participating of foreign riders.
Shantae Morrison
“I really believe that cycling needs to step up. I went to El Salvador and I saw a different type of cycling and I really want to embrace that and I believe the foreigners coming in will really bring that out.”
James Adderley
“How important is a win in this sport at this level in this race for Shantae Morrison?”
Shantae Morrison
“Well I need to get myself on that record so that when we see the record years from now at least I have a 2007 cross country champ under my belt.”
In the meantime, no preview would be complete without a word from perennial contender Marinette Flowers who won this title in 2001 and 2003.
Marinette Flowers, 2001/2003 Winner
“Right about now I think I am always in some form. But going out there, me alone as a female, have no one to help me, go out there work hard every race, it’s a little hard for me. But we have competitors here, we have people that are gonna ride and want to win and foreigners. I don’t know what kind of shape they are in, so I will use them to the best of my ability coming Sunday on Mother’s Day.”
Speaking about the foreign competitors, she had this to say.
Marinette Flowers
“I don’t know what kind of shape they are in, to be honest with you. We heard talking that some of them are in very good shape and some of them in some races that they had in El Salvador where Gina and Shalini race with them, some of the girls come in the top ten and if you come in the top ten in those races you are in very good form. But then, we are going away, so right about now if we want to represent Belize we can’t watch people coming in here. If we want to represent Belize, then we got to represent our self here because we go outside and represent our self. We just can’t look and say American, foreigners, Mexicans are coming in Belize, they are not going to win. No, we are not looking at that direction, we are looking at the best ability for us females. The best thing for us to happen is race against someone before we go outside and take part in something that we don’t know anything about.”
And so the countdown continues to blast off Sunday morning and some people insist newcomer Kaya Cattouse will be taking this one this time. Of course we were unable to speak to her, but we certainly wish her luck.
What we do know is that this Mother’s Day will bring good, clean entertainment to the nation by females on a day we pay tribute to all the mothers of the world. There will be all day entertainment at the Marion Jones, so make sure join the excitement. Reporting for News Five, I am James Adderley.
