Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb crossing the finish line by the Belcan Bridge in Belize City on Monday, March 10, 2025 – Photo Credit: Belikin Beer
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge Committee is reportedly still reviewing whether this year’s race will end at The Grand Resort by the Haulover Bridge, despite earlier public statements suggesting the change had already been approved.
Love FM — which is at the center of the organizing committee — first aired comments from Vice Chair Roberto Harrison indicating that the finish line had already been moved. Harrison told the station, “This year, again, because of the different constructions that are going on, and other activities, we have made a decision to end the race at the Grand Resort by Haulover area.”
However, in a later interview with News 5 Live, Harrison clarified that the decision is not final, saying the committee is still assessing security and crowd‑control concerns. He explained that the Civic Center area, where the race has traditionally ended, is too open and difficult to secure, and no suitable alternative within Belize City has yet been identified.
The Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge — which runs this year from March 6–9 — is an independent event and has never been organized by the Belize Canoe Association (BCA). Still, most of the paddlers who compete are BCA members.
The race is powered by its main sponsor, Belikin, and guided by the longstanding involvement of the Harrison family of Cayo, co‑founders of the event and integral members of the committee since its inception.
BCA Vice President Elvin Penner told News 5 Live that paddlers are concerned about losing the iconic final stretch through the Belize City channel, which has often determined the winner since the race began in 1998. The heavy water, he said, is where “you separate the men from the boys.” Penner added that the race must keep paddlers and sponsors at its core, noting that teams rely on sponsors to cover the ten to fifteen thousand dollars it takes to compete.
The defending champions, Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb, return after a commanding 2025 performance that secured their third consecutive title. The trio — Javier Guardado, Daniel Cruz Jr., and Andres Cabb Jr. — overcame a three‑second deficit to Memory Lane Global Missions in the final stage, powering through the Belize City channel to claim the Kinich Ahau trophy permanently.
The stages for the 2026 race are:
Day 1:
San Ignacio → Banana Bank
Day 2:
Banana Bank → Double Head Cabbage
Day 3:
Double Head Cabbage → Burrell Boom
Day 4:
Burrell Boom → (Proposed) Grand Resort by the Haulover Bridge
The post Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge Committee makes conflicting announcements Finish Line; defending champions Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb eye 4th title appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb crossing the finish line by the Belcan Bridge in Belize City on Monday, March 10, 2025 – Photo Credit: Belikin Beer By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge Committee is reportedly still reviewing whether this year’s race will end at The Grand Resort by the Haulover
The post Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge Committee makes conflicting announcements Finish Line; defending champions Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb eye 4th title appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
