La Ruta Maya

File:2016 La Ruta Maya 1.jpg

The Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge is an annual 4-day canoe marathon held in Belize. It is considered the biggest sporting event in the country, and typically attracts thousands of spectators.{{cite web|last1=Peddicord|first1=Kathleen|title=La Ruta Maya – One of the World's Toughest and Most Historic River Races|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-peddicord/la-ruta-mayaone-of-the-wo_b_6652828.html|website=The Huffington Post|accessdate=March 4, 2016|date=February 11, 2015}} The course runs from the Hawkesworth Bridge in San Ignacio to the Belcan Bridge in Belize City, a distance of {{convert|180|mi|km}}. It is held each year in March and is scheduled to coincide with the weekend of Baron Bliss Day.{{cite news|title=La Ruta Maya begins on traditional Baron Bliss Day|url=http://amandala.com.bz/news/la-ruta-maya-begins-on-traditional-baron-bliss-day/|accessdate=March 9, 2016|work=Amadala|date=March 9, 2012}}

History

The event was first proposed by Richard Harrison, a Belizean investor, as a way to promote a new brand of bottled water. Harrison put together a committee to organize the event and found additional sponsors for services and prizes. Although the original purpose of the race was commercial, Harrison also saw it as an opportunity to raise awareness about the environment and the history and culture of the Belize River. The first race included 31 teams and was won by the Hobb brothers from Bullet Tree Falls.{{cite web|last1=Harrison|first1=Richard|title=The History of La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge|url=https://www.belizehub.com/the-history-of-la-ruta-maya-belize-river-challenge/|website=Belize Hub|accessdate=25 March 2018}} About 50 teams now compete each year.

Results

Year	Winning team	Total time	References
class="wikitable sortable"
1998	Snooty Fox	20:50:58	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 1998 – 2000\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/1998-1999/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
1999	Cheers	22:01:15	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 1998 – 2000\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/1998-1999/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2000	Black Rock	22:31:56	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 1998 – 2000\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/1998-1999/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2001	Koop Sheet Metal	20:13:56	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2001 – 2005\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2000-2005/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2002	Koop Sheet Metal	18:17:37	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2001 – 2005\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2000-2005/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2003	The H Team	19:15:23	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2001 – 2005\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2000-2005/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2004	Quality Poultry		{{cite news\|title=Quality Poultry wins 7th annual La Ruta Maya River Race\|url=http://www.sanpedrosun.com/old/04-092.html\|accessdate=March 8, 2016\|work=The San Pedro Sun\|date=March 11, 2004}}
2005	Com Get Mi (Big H)	19:19:10	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2001 – 2005\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2000-2005/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2006	Belize Bank	17:50:23	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2006 – 2010\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2006-2010/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2007	Belize Bank	17:55:34	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2006 – 2010\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2006-2010/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2008	CPBL Caribbean Pride	17:22:33	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2006 – 2010\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2006-2010/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2009	Belize Bank – Tek it Back	17:54:05	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2006 – 2010\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2006-2010/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2010	Ziprider	18:41:07	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2006 – 2010\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2006-2010/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2011	Ziprider	18:00:04	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2011 – 2015\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2011-2015/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}{{cite news\|title=Team Ziprider wins 14th Annual La Ruta Maya River Challenge\|url=http://guardian.bz/archives/2947-team-ziprider-wins-14th-annual-la-ruta-maya-river-challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016\|work=The Guardian\|date=March 10, 2011\|location=Belize\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309132531/http://guardian.bz/archives/2947-team-ziprider-wins-14th-annual-la-ruta-maya-river-challenge\|archive-date=March 9, 2016\|url-status=dead}}
2012	Belize Bank Bulldogs	16:36:03	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2011 – 2015\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2011-2015/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}{{cite news\|title=Belize Bank Bulldogs win the 15th La Ruta Maya River Challenge\|url=http://www.sanpedrosun.com/sports/2012/03/14/belize-bank-bulldogs-win-the15th-la-ruta-maya-river-challenge/\|accessdate=March 8, 2016\|work=The San Pedro Sun\|date=March 14, 2012}}
2013	Belize Bank Bulldogs	18:31:21	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2011 – 2015\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2011-2015/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}{{cite news\|title=Belize Bank Bulldogs defend title at the 15th annual La Ruta Maya River Challenge\|url=http://www.sanpedrosun.com/sports/2013/03/12/belize-bank-bulldogs-defend-title-at-the-15th-annual-la-ruta-maya-river-challenge/\|accessdate=March 8, 2016\|work=The San Pedro Sun\|date=March 12, 2013}}
2014	Belize Bank Bulldogs	17:25:13	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2011 – 2015\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2011-2015/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}{{cite news\|title=View The Results of The 2014 Belikin La Ruta Maya\|url=http://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2014/03/11/view-results-2014-belikin-la-ruta-maya/\|accessdate=March 8, 2016\|work=Breaking Belize News\|publisher=Belize Media Group\|date=March 11, 2014}}
2015	BTL Cobb's Arm	17:35:27	{{cite web\|title=Winner's Circle: 2011 – 2015\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/2011-2015/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}{{cite news\|title=BTL Cobb’s Arm Takes the 2015 La Ruta Maya River Challenge\|url=http://www.sanpedrosun.com/entertainment/2015/03/12/btl-cobbs-arm-takes-the-2015-la-ruta-maya-river-challenge/\|accessdate=March 8, 2016\|work=The San Pedro Sun\|date=March 12, 2015}}
2016	Koop Sheet Metal	17:08:46	{{cite web\|title=La Ruta Maya 2016 Overall Results\|url=http://www.larutamaya.bz/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Belikin-La-Ruta-Maya-2016-Overall-Results.pdf\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 8, 2016}}
2017	NICH	17:50:40	{{cite web\|title=La Ruta Maya 2017 Final Results\|url=http://larutamaya.bz/2017/03/08/final-results/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=March 12, 2017}}
2018	Koop Sheet Metal	17:08:50	{{cite web\|title=Belikin La Ruta Maya Statistics for Days 1-4\|url=https://www.facebook.com/BelizeRutaMaya/photos/a.1712736455638158.1073741830.1698555780389559/2071338886444578/?type=3&theater\|website=Facebook\|publisher=Belikin La Ruta Maya\|accessdate=24 March 2018\|language=en\|date=14 March 2018}}{{cite web\|title=Winners 2018\|url=http://larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/winners-2018/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=April 8, 2019}}
2019	NICH	18:22:11	{{cite web \|title=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge \|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2332182266876863&set=pcb.2332182456876844 \|website=Facebook \|accessdate=6 May 2020 \|date=11 March 2019}}{{cite news \|title=Team NICH Wins 2019 La Ruta Maya River Challenge! \|url=https://www.sanpedrosun.com/sports/2019/03/14/team-nich-wins-2019-la-ruta-maya-river-challenge/ \|accessdate=6 May 2020 \|work=The San Pedro Sun \|date=14 March 2019}}
2020	CORE	18:10:19	{{cite web\|title=Winners 2020\|url=http://larutamaya.bz/winners-circle/overall-winners-2020/\|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge\|accessdate=May 6, 2020}}
2021 \|NO RACE \| \|
2022 \|Team PACT \|18:14:39 \|{{Cite web \|date=2022-03-09 \|title=Overall Winners 2022 \|url=http://larutamaya.bz/overall-winners-2022/ \|access-date=2022-03-10 \|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge \|language=en-US}}
2023 \|Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb \|18:18:36 \|[https://www.lovefm.com/slim-trim-like-guava-limb-paddles-to-victory-in-la-ruta-maya-race/]
2024 \|Slim and Trim Like Guava Limb \|18:24:22 \|{{Cite web \|date=2024-03-11 \|title=Overall Winners 2024 \|url=https://larutamaya.bz/overall-winners-2024/ \|access-date=2025-03-12 \|website=La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge \|language=en-US}}

References

External links

[http://www.larutamaya.bz/ Official website]
[https://www.facebook.com/larutamayabelize Facebook page]

Category:Canoe marathon

Category:Sport in Belize