BELIZE CITY, Tues. Aug. 3, 2021– In memory of Mrs. Bernice Wade, the family, headed by sons Dwayne, Jerome and Elston, hosted the 2nd annual cycling races in Bermudian Landing on Sunday, August 1st.
It was a lovely day for racing and the turnout was great, with over 100 riders.
The first race included both the Elites and Junior Categories, where Derrick Chavarria, a 17-year-old Junior rider, broke away solo with less than 6 miles to the tape, winning the entire race in solo fashion. However, since double dipping was not allowed, he could only collect the 1st Place Junior Prize and not the Elite Prize. Meanwhile, coming in over a minute later in the Elite Category were Jyven Gonzalez, Joshua Fuller, Byron Pope, Joslyn Chavarría, Jr., and Carlton Robinson, Jr.
In the Weekend Warriors “C” Category, it was the female Junior Rider, Gabriel Gabourel who embarrassed the field by taking 1st Place, while Alicia Thompson also took the 1st Female Prize as the only female who battled it out with the men today.
In the main event, a field of over 60 Weekend Warriors battled it out in the “A” & “B” Categories. Each complete lap on the course was 12.5 miles, and for 3 laps it seemed no one could break away from the field until the final lap, when 5 of the thoroughbreds got away. This took care of the entire Podium, with Kenroy “Smokes” Gladden taking the big “W,” followed by Heno Moreira, Bob Gabourel, Sherwin Roca and Preston Martinez.
Less than 30 seconds later, the chase group, which had dwindled down to about 25 remaining riders, many who were “B” Category and whose 5 prizes were still on the table, came in for the sprint. After 50 miles of hard racing, as they took the final curve with 150 meters to the finish line all hell broke loose, as the massive sprint started. It was those who had the legs and guts to maneuver through some very small crevices that came out on top. At the tape it was Kenny “Kuchin” Gooding of Santino’s taking the big “W,” followed closely by his teammate Santino the Chief, who also got a special prize for the 2nd year in a row for the Oldest Rider. Filling out the Podium were Kenneth Butler, Ryan Willoughby and Amilcar Canul.
After that it was prize presentations and some nice food and drinks sponsored by the Wade Family. Thus ended another glorious Sunday in one of the lovely villages of this wonderful Jewel of ours.
Hasta the next report, amigos y amigas!
(AMANDALA SPORTS Ed. Note: This year’s annual Beverly Wade Memorial Cycling Races of Sunday, August 1, have coincided with the first official Emancipation Day in Belize.)