Fans, Paddlers Clash with Proposed Ruta Maya Change
A major shake‑up is hitting one of Belize’s biggest sporting traditions. For nearly thirty years, the La Ruta Maya race has ended in downtown Belize City, where crowds line the riverbank and paddlers sprint to an electric finish. Now, a proposal to move the finale to the Grand Resort near Haulover Creek is stirring frustration. Paddlers say the new route raises safety concerns. Fans worry the city will lose its signature, high‑energy ending. And many are questioning why the change is being pushed at all. What seemed like a simple adjustment quickly turned into a heated debate over tradition and the future of the race. Paul Lopez has the details.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The plan to change the finish line for the twenty‑ninth La Ruta Maya is facing firm resistance from the Belize Canoe Association and race participants. On Wednesday, committee vice chair Roberto Harrison told News Five they’re already in talks to move the race’s final finish line to the Grand Resort.
Roberto Harrison
Roberto Harrison, Vice Chair, La Ruta Maya Committee
“We are considering that the race would end now at the Grand Resort, right there at the entrance of Haulover Creek. That itself would be a change of its own, because traditionally we have ended this race in Belize City, over the last twenty-nine years that we have held the race.”
Harrison says the push to move the finish line is about tightening security, arguing that the Civic Center is too open and hard to control. But paddlers say the bigger issue is safety on the water. The proposed spot sits near the estuary where the Belize River meets the Caribbean Sea, an area known for rough currents that shift with weather and time of day. A youth, family, or elderly team capsizing there could face real danger, and even seasoned paddlers struggle with strong undercurrents.
On the Phone: Elvin Penner, Vice President, Belize Canoe Association
“I have yet to hear the real reasons why they wanted to move that finishing line. It will bring about change, so there could be some real positive things that come about with change. Or it could be something that is not necessarily represent the best interest of the paddlers.”
Elvin Penner, vice president of the Belize Canoe Association, is questioning whether organizers are putting profits ahead of paddlers. He says the move raises worries about charging spectators an entrance fee at the new finish lines, something that isn’t possible at the Civic Center, an open public space where anyone can watch for free, even from the bridge. Penner also points out that the current finish is easy for city residents to access and sits on calm water, unlike the Grand Resort, which is farther out and harder for fans to reach.
On the Phone: Elvin Penner
“My speculations, my pure speculation, and I am not saving any words, cause I am disturbed, very disturbed about how things are running when it comes to the Ruta Maya, my take on it, but this is speculation, they cannot charge an entrance fee for people to go an finish the race at Belcan Bridge. There is no boundary, there is no gate. It is a free for all for whoever wants to go there.”
Paddlers are also questioning the move. Longtime paddler Carlos Linares says the move will strip fans of the thrilling city‑center finish they’ve come to love.
On the Phone: Carlos Linares, Participant, La Ruta Maya
“Like I said it is all about the tradition. Since La Ruta Maya started that is the ending point in Belize City. I remember clearly there was a time when they were building he Civic Center they could not end the race there and they still found a way to end it at the Swing Bridge. So there should not be any excuses why it cant end in Belize City. You witness the Ruta Maya for several years, you see the crowd that goes out there. That spot won’t even take half of the people that go out there and support the race. Nobody agrees, absolutely no paddler agrees and even the sponsors and stuff, like I said they are taking away the excitement of the last day.”
The Belize Coast Guard provides safety boats for the race. When we reached out to them today, we were told that they will be meeting with race organizers to finalize their safety measures. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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