La Ruta Maya 2024 Kicks Off With A Splash  

This morning, the twenty-seventh annual Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge commenced with much fanfare in the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio. Over the course of four days, sixty-seven paddlers will compete against each other and the currents, as they race one hundred and eighty miles to Belize City’s BelCan Bridge on Monday. This year, hundreds of supporters eagerly await to see who will take home the prize in the event that is recognized for its ability to bring people together. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

This morning, the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio were alive with activity as people from all over the country gathered to secure their spots on the banks of the Macal River for the perfect view of the 2024 La Ruta Maya River Challenge. This year boasted a large turnout, as sixty-seven teams would be vying to be the first to cross the finish line on Monday. The race began at its usual starting point, at the Hawkesworth Bridge in San Ignacio where it journeyed down the Macal River to Banana Bank. Among this year’s competitors are returning champs Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb, who stated they were felling the pressure.

 

Britney Gordon

“So you guys are the returning champs. How do you feel about that?”

 

Daniel Cruz, Paddler, Slim & Trim Like Guava Limb
“Well, we feel, proud and pressured, right? Because, you know, they will want to win us and we have to try defend it.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And are you confident that you and your team will be able to pull it off today?”

 

Daniel Cruz

“First God, yes.”

 

Fellow Guava Limb team member, Andres Cabb stated that they have put in about four months of training and plan to recite a prayer before the race to prepare.

 

Andres Cabb, Paddler, Slim & Trim Like Guava Limb

“Well right now we just did, we’ll do a prayer and then we’ll get in the water. Warm up. So we don’t stretch no muscle when we start.”

 

As one of Belize’s biggest events of the year, the race garners a lot of tourist attraction to San Ignacio. Visitors from all over the country travel to witness and participate in the activities. We spoke with first team manger of the first time competitors, the Panthers, Jim Berriman, who is a past paddler himself.  Berriman stated that the team is representing BATSUB and while, they did not have a lot of time to prepare, they are excited to participate.

 

Jim Berriman, Team Manager, Panthers Team

“They’ve done a few training sessions only two training sessions actually. First one was about twelve miles, second one was thirty-seven, so they’re not the most experienced, but we’re here to take part.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Alright, so are you guys confident in your performance today?”

 

Jim Berriman

“Oh yes, very confident. I think we’ve got a good chance of the win. Yeah, we’ve been eyeing the trophy up, so yeah, definitely.”

 

The race not only exists to garner tourist attention, but it brings attention to the cultural and environmental significance of the river. Event organizer, Roberto Harrison, highlighted the significance of these aspects to us.

 

Britney Gordon

“This event started as a way to get people of San Ignacio together to have an event for the long weekend. How has the event elevated itself since its beginning?”

 

Roberto Harisson, Event Organizer, La Ruta Maya

“First of all, we were looking at something to replace the one day event, the ninth of March, the Baron Bless Day. Normally, small events happening, but nothing much and at the rest of the day and the rest of the weekend. So we coined the idea of putting something that would be more than just San Ignacio. And we came up and finally agreed that we would try this for the event. It’s been a very trying thing over, over the years because initially we looked at promoting not only the race as a sport, but looking at the culture the different communities along this river. There’s a history behind this river.”

 

Harrison explained that there are several key factors to consider when highlighting the importance of the river, historical, environmental and cultural.

 

Roberto Harrison
“It was the business highway for people from San Ignacio to Belize city and Belize city to San Ignacio, we look at the environmental side because then, and now there’s quite a bit of difference in the banks of the river. So we wanted to look at how we can promote or create that awareness to replenish some of the green in the riverbanks. And we also look at the historical aspect because, again, history has it that this river was used by the Mayas to transport food from up Belize down or down Belize and up to San Ignacio. We looked at the communities themselves during the logging period where we knew that those communities were significant on how the goods were transported up on the road. So we look at the race in three parts; environment, history, and the culture of the river itself.”

 

Typical for the race is the overturning of canoes, as paddlers battle with the currents rushing against them. One team that encountered this setback was the Belize Coast Guard, which still managed to place third, despite the initial drawback at the start of the race.

 

Wilberto Daniels, Captain, Belize Coast Guard Team

“We placed top three today. Unfortunately we had a bad start and that’s the consequences of a bad start, right? But as a team captain, I’m always, my job is to keep the motivation high in my boat. So that managed to pick up back a momentum and start closing back the gap on the other teams. And today was one of the hardest day ever in my years of pulling La Ruta Maya, we really work hard today. Maybe if we had a little more time, maybe we would have closed the gap a little more, but yeah that’s a part of race. And we still have three more days and anything can happen in a race.”

 

The race ended with a close call as returning champs Guava Limb finished with a point five second lead over Team Lucas Oil Male, which encountered an obstacle just before the finish line. We checked in with today’s victors post-win for an update.

 

Britney Gordon

“So you just finished the race and you came in first place. How are you feeling?”

 

Andres Cabb

“First of all, I want to give thanks to God and that have given the opportunity to win the race. And we’re feeling tired and well, we are feeling tired but happy at the same time.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Do you feel that this win has eased some of the anxiety as the returning champs? “

 

Javier Guardado, Captain, Slim & Trim Like Guava Limb Team
“Well, I guess so. So like we want today so tomorrow maybe will be a better day for us.”

 

The feelings of the paddlers may be mixed, but the race has only just begun and that coveted title is still up for grabs. Britney Gordon for News Five.