10th edition of Ruta Maya kicks off in San Ignacio
The publicity says that it’s more than just a race … and that may be true. But as News 5’s Kendra Griffith reports from the banks of the Macal and Belize Rivers, this morning in Cayo, competition was king.
Kendra Griffith, Reporting
Race enthusiasts gathered on the Hawkesworth Bridge and banks of the Macal River in San Ignacio for the always dramatic start of La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge. The four-day, one hundred and seventy-five mile canoe race, first run in 1997, was the brainchild of Cayo businessmen looking for a way to market a new product.
Orlando Harrison, Chair, Ruta Maya Organising Cmte.
“Big H decided that we wanted to launch our Vida purified water and we were looking at ways on how to do it. We didn’t just want to put it on the market, so we thought about several things and the canoe race was what standed out at the time and we decided we would venture into it.”
Ten years later, it has grown into one of the most anticipated sporting events in the country, attracting die-hard fans and participants, such as Elvin Penner of Koop Sheet Metal.
Elvin Penner, Team Sponsor
“We actually are part of a group sponsorship this year again. We have the Belize Natural Energy Team with the guys that paddled for Pine Lumber for several years now; they are sponsored by Belize Natural Energy. We have the girl’s team, the Cruz girls that are sponsored by Koop Sheet. We have the mix team that is sponsored by Builder’s Hardware and then we have the dory team that is sponsored by Snickers, Victor L. Bryant and we are actually all working together.”
But every year sees an influx of newcomers looking for adventure and bragging rights.
Donnie Tun, Team Interrogators
“We’re been considering it since last year. I have been following it for ten years now and last year we got hyped up and we decided we were going this year. Also, there is a lot of people who don’t believe we can make it, so we’ve got to prove it to them.”
Ivor Zuniga, Interrogators
“Mostly we are taking it as a means of publicity. We are sponsored by the Central Statistical Office, which will become a statutory body in the first of April, and this is just a means of letting the public know what we are here for.”
Kendra Griffith
“How long have you all been training?”
Ivor Zuniga
“I would say about six weeks.”
Kendra Griffith
“What did that training entail?”
Ivor Zuniga
“It entailed some physical activity, running, getting in, first, physical shape and then getting on the river and getting in shape for this particular event.”
Jose Galvez, Sacred Heart
“We wanted to try out for an adventure and everything and besides Sacred Heart Junior College wasn’t giving in a team, so we decided as tradition, we wanted to get in Sacred Heart Junior College Ruta Maya.”
Kendra Griffith
“It’s a very gruelling race; do you think you have the stamina to complete it?”
Jose Galvez
“Definitely we have the stamina, if not we got ourselves some power bars to get us on the way.”
Kendra Griffith
“How long have you all been practicing?”
Jose Galvez
“It’s just been for about three weeks, but we’ve travelled very hard and we believe we can make it.”
By seven a.m., two hundred and seventy-nine men and women in ninety-three canoes and dories were lined up waiting for the starting signal … and they were off.
Kendra Griffith
“For the first leg of their journey, the paddlers will travel forty-nine miles to the Banana Bank Lodge.”
At four specific points along that route, the canoeists competed for station prizes. One of those spots was at the Baking Pot Ferry, where another crowd of cheerleaders emerged.
Spectator
“Today I am out here supporting U.B. This is the first time I’ve ever come to watch the race and I know its going to be a spectacular race.”
Kendra Griffith
“If I have it correctly, U.B. won last year in the intramural division. Do you think they are going to do it again this year?”
Spectator
“I have high hopes for U.B.”
Hope was also flying high for supporters of the Police Department’s Peppa Spray team.
Insp. Luis Castellanos, Police Dept.
“Well so far they are doing good. Last time we saw them by Trapiche area and they were doing good, are way up front. So now we are waiting to see how—this area here will tell us more or less how they stand.”
When the paddlers came into view, it was a close sprint between the Belize Bank and Belize Natural Energy for the prize. According to the time keepers, it went to the bankers. B.N.E. took second, while Ah Deh Yah Again and What was third. Peppa Spray clocked in at thirty-fourth, while C.S.O.’s Interrogators were thirty-eighth.
Five hours and forty-nine miles after the starting gun, came the final sprint of the day at the Banana Bank Lodge. Once again it was between Belize Bank and B.N.E. … and once again it went to Armin Lopez and Daniel and Amado Cruz of team Belize Bank.
Armin Lopez, Belize Bank
“I feel good and I know my friends feel good that we won the race.”
Kendra Griffith
“How was it this morning?”
Armin Lopez
“It was really rough. For a minute I thought that we were gonna tip over, it was hard. The starting was a mess there because, as usual, one you stay in the waves you get a chance to turn over.”
The Cruz brothers: Efrain, Elmer, and Felix, are paddlers for B.N.E.
Kendra Griffith
“How was the race?”
Efrain Cruz, Belize Natural Energy, 2nd
“It was tough.”
Kendra Griffith
“Why? What part?”
Efrain Cruz
“We got a lot of competition and the river is a little bit low, so it’s hard.”
Kendra Griffith
“You think you’ll be able to hold your own though?”
Efrain Cruz
“Yeah, we’ll try tomorrow.”
Taking third place were Jerry Rhaburn, Sheldon and Nalbert Seguro of team Fruta Bomba.
Jerry Rhaburn, Fruta Bomba, 3rd
“I am feeling really alright because with the training that I have I didn’t expect the finish like this. But my guys performed today and I am really happy about that.”
Kendra Griffith
“How often did you all train?”
Jerry Rhaburn
“I barely got two weeks of training?”
Kendra Griffith
“Really? How come?”
Jerry Rhaburn
“We got sponsored late and my guys were training, but I didn’t get to train, so I feel proud of what I did.”
Also feeling proud was Team Atlantic who made it to the lodge minus a teammate. Perla Gonzales is the San Ignacio branch manager.
Perla Gonzales, Mgr. Atla Bank, San Ignacio
“We’re very proud of our paddlers, they did good considering that only two of them ended this leg of the race. We are very proud of them. It takes a lot of resilience, a lot of courage to continue a race when you have lost one of your teammates. Keron is presently ill. It seems that he has chicken pox, so he may not be continuing the race. But once our two guys decide to continue we are there to support them.”
And according to team members Andres and Roberto Cabb, they have no intention of dropping out of the competition.
Roberto Cabb, Team Atlantic, 5th
“Tomorrow we’ll try to best again to keep it or come in first or try our best to come in first tomorrow.”
Kendra Griffith
“So you all are going to stay in, it’s not going to knock you out of the competition that there are only two of you left.”
Roberto Cabb
“No. We’ll still try to paddle hard tomorrow to bring in back the time that we’re at.”
With the first day under their belt, these paddlers are now looking forward to …
Armin Lopez
“I am going to find something to eat and something to drink and relax.”
Kendra Griffith
“At sixty-thirty tomorrow morning the canoeists will once again hit the river for a sixty-mile paddle to Bermudian Landing. Reporting from the Banana Bank Lodge, I am Kendra Griffith for Five.”
On Sunday the race finishes at Burrell Boom and on Monday morning the competition will conclude with a big party at the Belcan Bridge in Belize City.
