For most, it was a weekend of rest and spiritual replenishment, for others a time of devout worship, and for a few a time of tragedy as there were killings and road traffic accidents. We'll have all that coming up in the news, but we begin with the story of this year's Cross Country.
It is Belize's biggest sporting event but for the past three years the Cross Country Cycling Classic has been a source of national malaise since 2001 foreign cycles have rode away with the garland. But that four year losing streak changed in dramatic fashion on Saturday when a Belizean cyclist took back the garland. Here's the story.
Keith Swift Reporting, [keithkswift@gmail.com]
It was raining but a wet morning was no deterrent as at 6 am on Saturday 119 cyclists lined up and set out on the ride of their lives. It was the 78th Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic, a grueling 144-mile long race into the history books.
After 5 hours our coverage picks up at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex for the finish. There we met hundreds of Belizeans in the bleachers and dozens more outside the stadium. It was a powerful show of patriotism as fans flew flags, chanted; and everyone including Belize City Mayor Zenaida Moya and former Sports Minister Cordel Hyde had one refrain.
Zenaida Moya,
"To tell the truth I am tired of seeing foreigners win and as nationalists we want our own to win so I am out here to ensure that I give my extra little prayers to hope that a Belizean wins."
Hon. Cordel Hyde,
"It's about Belize man and hopefully a Belizean wins."
Keith Swift,
How important is it for you as a Belizean for a Belizean to win this race?
Hon. Cordel Hyde,
"Bwoy its very very important, its been a while since we won so we're looking forward to a Belizean winning today."
Omar "Maito" Perdomo,
"Its so important to me today. I am trying a traditional old thing that Mr. Alvarez told me which is to smoke a cigar before the race and a Belizean will come in first."
The hunger for a hero was fed minutes later fuel when Shane Vasquez comfortably rode into the stadium, unaccompanied. With two laps to go, he was at least half a minute in front of his chase group, and a swells of cold seed swept across
the stadium and probably the nation when it became apparent that this Cayo boy would finally bring the garland back home.
And though the chase group might have tried, victory was in the clutches of Vasquez. He had a 35 second lead on them when he breezed across the finish line to uproarious applause and genuine nationalist exuberation.
[Shane Crossing Finishing Line and Crowd Cheering]
Shane Vasquez, 2006 Cross Country Champ
"To be honest that really felt great. I really wanted a Belizean to win today and after all the hard work we have done made Belize came up first in this race."
Paul Flowers, LOVE Fm
"You did the official salute coming down and with the thunder of the crowd how did that feel?"
Shane Vasquez,
"That was great; that felt really great. The reaction of the crowd, it was nice. I felt really great. I felt so great that my team came out winning the race for the country and for me its something that Belize should really be proud of because we hadn't won the race for quite some time and its great that we won it today."
While Vasquez was modest, by the decree of fans in the stadium he was declared a national hero for not only winning the race but for restoring pride to Belize in the country's most important sporting event.
[Vasquez Waving Flag to Supporters in Bleach)
Vasquez was the hero for a day, he beat out a Mexican and Guatemalan as well as well as fellow Cayo boy, 17 year old Giovanno Choto. Choto and his older brother dominated the first leg of the race and the teenager still finished fourth.
Keith Swift,
So this is your first cross country?
Giovanni Choto, 4th Place
"Yes first big Cross Country yes."
Keith Swift,
How was it?
Giovanni Choto,
"It felt nice, I liked it because like how it was my first one I wanted
to do good."
Another notable finisher is Leslie Sanchez who finished in eight place. He also placed eighth last year.
Leslie Sanchez, 8th Place
"The race was a very difficult race due to the weather today. We started with a lot of spills and so forth but I just tried to get out of some of the spills. Actually I got into one of them but I quickly got on my bike and started to chase down."
Keith Swift,
I remember interviewing you last year. How does this compare?
Leslie Sanchez,
"Last year I was eighth again so I don't what is it with this eight. That is the lucky number man."
Lucky eight for Lovell and an unlucky race for last year's winner William Elliston. He was one of the men to beat this year but he never even made it to the finish line. He showed us why.
William Elliston, 2005 Champ
"Coming back around mile 39, once the rain had started up again and made the Western Highway slick and a couple of guys went down in front of me and I kind of had nowhere to go but into them. That did some damage to my bike and I got run into by a bunch of guys and I suffered some bruises and unfortunately couldn't continue."
But the good news of that day was that for the first time in 4 years a Belizean won the garland. Shane left with a bounty of prizes; he had more trophies than he could handle. But those trophies were no match for this 500-pound bull which was donated by the UDP's Belize Rural North Standard Bearer Edmund Castro. The bull was there on Saturday which left us with only one question for Shane.
Keith Swift,
So what are you going to with the bull?
Shane Vasquez,
"That bull will be for my team to decide, the management of my team. Those guys will deal with that stuff. I am just glad that I won the race and the prize wasn't the thing that I was looking for, it was just the winning for the country of Belize."
And like Shane, for most Belizeans, it wasn't about the prize - it was about the pride.
Shane Vasquez finished the race in 5 hours, 58 minutes, and 14 seconds. That's ten minutes more than the record of 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 52 seconds which was set by Chris Harkey in 2004. Vasquez placed second in the 2004 race.
Shane Vasquez finished the race in 5:58:14. That's ten minutes more than the record of 5:48:52, which was set by Chris Harkey in 2004. Vasquez placed second in the 2004 race. This year he was followed 35 seconds later by Jose Robles from Mexico, Luis Santizo from Guatemala, and of course Giovanni Choto in fourth place. 119 cyclists started the race but only 102 finished. Ernest "Jawmaine" Meighan, who was the last Belizean to win prior to Vasquez, finished the race in 79th place.
