There was chaos in the Cycling Association for months, but things have settled down to organize the centerpiece of the cycling calendar - and a major cultural event unto itself, the annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic. In its 85th running, the race is still from Belize to Cayo and back, but this year, the finish line is moving. After work on the Marion Jones Stadium forced it to move to the memorial park in 2008 - it's become a staple at the location. But the four year run is over! That's because now work is underway on the Memorial Park - and while it will finish before the never-ending Marion Jones, it won't finish in time for Holy Saturday. So the finish line has been moved to another location on Princess Margaret Drive. Race Organizer Kwame Scott explained that it will mean a slightly shorter race:.
Kwame Scott - Cycling Official
"There was way too much uncertainty about the route getting to Memorial Park and the working group that has been organizing races since December, we met last night, the group headed by Mr. Hilly Martinez, and we came to a conclusive decision that we would bring the finish line about three quarter miles shorter. It finishes right here near Hour Bar where there is infrastructure in that we have the use of the use of the Hour Bar yard where the podium will be and the judges can be on their stand. We can do the post-race interviews inside there and at the same time we have paved asphalt were the riders can finish on as opposed to getting from the BTL Park to the Memorial Park where we have been promised that it would be ready to a certain extent. Time is running out and we weren't seeing things happening, so we had to make a hard and fast decision, and we do think we made the best decision."
Monica Bodden
"Some folks asked, why not the BTL Park?"
Kwame Scott
"If you notice, the asphalt down at the BTL Park is not the very best finishing asphalt you'd want to ride a hundred and forty miles and come and finish on. Also if you notice there is a bump just before BTL Park about 50 yards from what would be the actual finish line which is not the best way to finish after a hundred and forty miles so we went through careful consideration, consultation, after which we came up with this particular spot. If you notice we already have a temporary line down to have everyone know where the line will be so you can set up your infrastructure or whatever you need to set up."
Monica Bodden
"You think this will affect the riders in anyway?"
Kwame Scott
"Not really, I think if it affects them it's going to be a positive effect in that they don't have to worry about the route from BTL to the Memorial Park where if you notice if you ever ridden or driven over it lately, it's nothing you'd want to go on after a hundred and forty miles to finish a bicycle race, especially of this magnitude."
And if you can't make it out to the Princess Margaret Drive, Channel 7 and KREM TV will bring you all the action from that location, the starting line, and points between.
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