La Ruta Maya River Challenge

[Stokke]

I guess this would categorize as news, since it's a multi-national event. I'm wondering if there are going to be any photos online covering the La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge. This is such a cool event, what with the different skill levels of participants, from the experienced competitors to those just in it for the fun and challenge of it. 179 miles is a long way to paddle. I hope the weather co-operates. If anyone knows of photos of this years event, I'd like to see the links posted. I think maybe other people would too. Kurt

[Zelda]

to get you in the mood, while you wait for THIS year's events, here's a thread on the 2008 Ruta Maya, which includes pix and links to stories:

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=614&hilit=Ruta+Maya

[Zelda]

and here's some on 2009's race:

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1707&p=16390&hilit=Ruta+Maya#p16390

[Miss Kenni]

I'll be watching. Kenni

[Stokke]

Thanx! Looks like a blast! I wouldn't mind participating once I get settled there ; maybe with some others near my own age. I wonder if I had a canoe or kayak shipped there after residency if there still would be a duty on it. I've read that there shouldn't be, but who knows. I've also got a 12 foot aluminum boat & tilt trailer with a 15 hp outboard that would probably fit nicely in a container, otherwise I'll have to sell it.

[Zelda]

the rules say you can bring stuff in after achieving residency.

on the QRP thingamajigger, it's immediate, as soon as approval rolls in, after income is documented, and forms filled out.

with regular residency, it's a much more complicated thing.

you need to have someone stable and trustworthy back stateside to store the boat, and help with the transport details, because getting all the i's dotted, and the t's crossed (police records, doctor checks, blood tests, land ownership verification, bank balances vouched for, finding a sponsor, and so forth) can take many months.

if there's an election during the process, that can screw things up too, as there's a changing of the guard at Immigration.

never forget, it AIN'T in their interests to get your residence approved in a timely fashion, since they're collecting your monthly VISA cash... <snickers>

so yeah, if there's folks left behind you can RELY on (for two years or more!) then by all means, bring the boat, amen !!

PS: see ya soon, Miss Kenni...

[Stokke]

Thankfully, someone stable and trustworthy back stateside won't be an issue or worry for us as we both have willing family members. As the reality of our plans begins to sink in with them though, I hear them sometimes trying to discourage us. Some have expressed jealousy or craziness on our part, or a bunch of "what if's" disaster scenarios--as if we hadn't thought of them ourselves. Oh well. The pluses outweigh the minuses to us. Such as being able to watch the La Ruta in person The forecast is looking good for it.

[Stokke]

According to Love FM:

WIN BELIZE BEMBES PARTICIPATE IN LA RUTA MAYA
Mar 4, 2010
The 13th annual La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge gets underway tomorrow
morning at seven o’clock from under the Hawsworth Bridge in San Ignacio.
Over 49 teams have registered to be a part of this four day event. One team
that will be participating in the mixed category is the WIN-Belize Bembes.
Love News spoke to Florence Goldson of WIN Belize.

Florence Goldson; WIN Belize

“The theme for this year’s Women’s Month is ‘Celebrating Achievements;
Overcoming Challenges and Breaking Barriers’ and we thought a great way to
portray that theme would be to participate in the La Ruta Maya River
Challenge. Symbolically what we are doing is showing the challenges that
women have to overcome daily and it is our way of being in support of
women. We chose the name WIN-Belize Bembes because bembe women are fierce;
not afraid of challenges and ready to fight for what they believe in. We
are inspired by women like Regina Martinez who started the Belizean Women’s
Movement. The theme is a mixed team so it is two men and one woman who will
be on the theme. That was deliberate because we believe that men and women
need to work together in order to end violence against women and in order
to ensure that women’s equality is gained.”

The La Ruta Maya River Belize River Challenge is a 179 miles long race that
started back in 1998. Organizers say prizes for this year’s competition add
up to about 40 thousand dollars. Love FM will provide coverage of the 13th
annual La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge.

The theme is a mixed team so it is two men and one woman

EH? WHAA? Why not 3 WOMEN, if they're so damn fierce!?

That was deliberate because we believe that men and women need to work together in order to end violence against women and in order
to ensure that women’s equality is gained.

What's with the 2 men--unless they're just token representatives, maybe without paddles? I mean, with just ONE fierce bembe woman she should be able to create a rooster tail on the water! Those two men without a doubt would be cringing and clinging onto the sides of the canoe, hanging on for dear life as her paddle became a blur of motion, I would think...Hell, with 3 "fierce" women, they'd probably have to call the event off & just concede victory!

[Miss Kenni]

Actually, I'm pretty sure I saw at least one 3-woman team pass by here today. They weren't in the front of the pack, but they weren't last, either. Nor did they go bottom-up on the rapids, like a couple of the all- or majority-male teams did ...

Although I must also say that the regulars must have learned something last year, because overall there were a lot fewer turnovers this year. Only two that I saw, and one near-miss, compared to about 7 last year. Kenni

[Zelda]

ooooops !! SPLASH !!