BELIKIN LA RUTA MAYA BELIZE RIVER CHALLENGE 2023 COMPETITION RULES & REGULATIONS

While Government Covid Protocols have been dropped, all paddlers and support crew or anyone else who will be part of the paddling environment should be acutely aware of and must continuously monitor their own personal health. All individuals in the paddling environment should self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 on a daily basis. Any person showing symptoms should self-isolate and must refrain from entering the paddling environment or coming into close contact with others and seek appropriate medical attention.

AUTHORITY: The La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge Race Committee hereby sanctions and declares open the 26th Annual running of the: BELIKIN LA RUTA MAYA BELIZE RIVER CHALLENGE. With the spirit of competition and the promise of high adventure, the challenge is hereby cast to all hardy souls throughout Belize and the world, who dare to take up the quest for victory and pursue the adventure of a lifetime on the Belize River.
DATES OF EVENT: The race will be held over the four day period commencing at 7:00 a.m. on Friday, March 3, 2023, at the Hawksworth Bridge in San Ignacio Town and ending at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, March 6, 2023, in front of the Civic in Belize City.

Race starting times and location: Day 1- 7:00 am Hawksworth Bridge, San Ignacio

Day 2 - 6:30 am Banana Bank

Day 3- 8:00 am Double Head Cabbage

Day 4- 9:00 am Burrell Boom Bridge to Finishing Line

REGISTRATION: The registration fee will be BZ $300.00 per team for all categories. Fully completed and signed Official Registration Forms can be delivered with payment to:

*Yolanda Harrison @ Yoli’s Pizza, Cayo Welcome Centre, San Ignacio, Cayo or

*Love Entertainment, 7145 Slaughterhouse Road, Belize City

Or online via www.larutamaya.bz

Cheques are to be made out to LOVE ENTERTAINMENT. Registration FEES can be deposited at Atlantic Bank account number: 100 126 329 in the name of Love Entertainment.

The deadline for registration is 4:00 p.m. on Monday February 27,2023. A late fee of BZ $100.00 will be charged after that time. Once an individual has officially registered as a member of a certain team that individual WILL NOT be allowed to switch to another team or category. Each registration fee will include lunch for four days, and water for registered team members only during the course of the 4 days. The registration will also include basic first-aid and safety support, toilet facilities at nightly camps, prizes as allocated by division and class, and access to OFFICIAL rules, announcements, and scores during the course of the race.

RACECOURSE: The race will be divided into FOUR (4) DAYS:

First Day will run from the Hawksworth Bridge to the designated finish line at Banana Bank.
Second Day will run from Banana Bank to the designated finish line at Double Head Cabbage.
Third Day will run from Double Head Cabbage to the designated finish line in Burrell Boom.
Fourth Day will run from Burrell Boom Bridge to the designated finish line in front of the Civic in Belize City.

The Race Committee will determine and designate the exact starting time and point as well as the finish point of each day's course. These times and points will be clearly marked prior to the beginning and finish of each day's race. Any team not at ending point by 5pm will be pulled out of the water for safety reasons.

TEAMS: All teams will consist of THREE (3) members and must start each day of the race with all three (3) team members aboard their team craft in order to achieve Official Ranking and Place. NO substitution of original team members will be allowed at any time during the entire course of the race except for Family Division as per category rules. Each team will designate a Team Captain who will be responsible for the actions of his team and communications with the Race Committee.

5a. A C2 category will consist of two (2) members and must start each day of the race with the two team members aboard their team craft in order to achieve Official Ranking and Place. No substitution of original team members will be allowed at any time during the course of the race. Each team will designate a Team Captain who will be responsible for the actions of the team and communication with the Race Committee. Teams may consist of male, female or mixed members.

DIVISIONS: The race will be divided into eight (8) major Divisions. Teams may register and compete in ONE (1) Division only. All teams from all Divisions compete to be the overall Champion Winner.

The Divisions are as follows:

MALE: All team members must be male.
FEMALE: All team members must be female.
MIXED: Teams will have any combination of both male and female members.
MASTERS: All team members must be 40-years of age or older at the start date of the race and each team may consist of any combination of male and/or female members.
INTERMURAL: All team members must be active students up to the age of 25 presently enrolled at the time of the race. Schools must be certified by the Ministry of Education, vocational programs must be licensed with the Ministry of Education (MOE). Participants in this category must provide a certified letter stating their enrollment as well as a current registration record stating that they have been in school since January of the current year leading up to the race. Teams may consist of any combination of male and/or female members.
PLEASURE CRAFT: Teams may consist of any combination of male and/or female members. Refer to Rule No. 7 for size and construction limitations.
FAMILY: Teams may consist of four (4) family members; three of which must start the race. For this race, Family is defined as Mother, Father, Grandmother, Grandfather, sister, brother, and children of siblings (first cousins). In this category team members are only allowed to alternate one paddler at the beginning of each day’s race.
C2: Teams will consist of either two males or two females or a male and female as a team.

CRAFT TYPE, LENGTH, and CONSTRUCTION:

MALE, FEMALE, MIXED, MASTER & INTERMURAL DIVISIONS - Only open canoes with a maximum length of TWENTY (20) feet will be allowed to compete. Canoes may be constructed of any material and by any method but for safety considerations, the material and/or permanently added floatation shall provide at least TWENTY-FIVE (25) pounds of buoyancy with the canoe swamped.
PLEASURE CRAFT DIVISION - Only open Canoes with a maximum length of EIGHTEEN (18) feet and a minimum width of TWENTY-SEVEN (27) inches at the FOUR (4) inch water line will be allowed to compete. Canoes may be constructed of any material but for safety considerations, the material and/or permanently added floatation shall provide at least 25 pounds of buoyancy with the canoe swamped.
C2 DIVISION: Only open canoes with a minimum length of 15 feet and a maximum of 18 feet and a minimum width of TWENTY-SEVEN (27) inches at the Four (4) inch water line will be allowed to compete. Canoes may be constructed of any material but for safety considerations, the material and/or permanently added floatation shall provide at least 25 pounds of buoyancy with the canoe swamped.

The length of a canoe or dory shall be measured in a straight line between the extreme end of the bow and the extreme end of the stern.

The following restrictions shall apply to all canoes:

RUDDERS: Steering rudder or any guiding apparatus directing the course of the craft WILL NOT be permitted.
KEELS: A keel, if any, must be straight and shall extend over the entire length of the craft and not project more than ONE (1) inch below the hull.
DECKING: A maximum of TWENTY-FOUR (24) inches of cowl or decking of any kind or material WILL be permitted at each end of the canoe.
SPRAY SKIRTS: Permanent or temporary spray skirts or other devices used to deflect or prevent water from entering the canoe WILL NOT be permitted.
BAILERS: Manually operated permanently installed siphon-type Self-Bailers are permitted. Water or bilge pumps of any description whether hand or battery-powered WILL NOT be permitted.

PROPULSION: Propulsion will be by manual, human muscle-powered, single blade paddles only. Paddles may be made of any material and the blades may be of any shape, width, or angle. Motors, sails or any other mechanically powered propulsion devices of any nature or kind WILL NOT be allowed.
TIMING AND RECORD-KEEPING: Timing for the determination of winners will be on an elapsed time basis and will be recorded by the Official Race Committee Timekeeper. The elapsed time from the start to the finish of each day's racecourse for each team will be recorded and publicly posted at the end of each day's race and at the Race Finish in Belize City. Each team's individual elapsed times will be added together to determine their Overall Finishing Position at the completion of the entire racecourse. The finish line is reached when the bow of the canoe has passed the designated finish line.
PRIZES:

STATION PRIZES: During each day's course of the race there will be several Station Prizes awarded to the first team of any Division to reach designated stations along the course of the race. The Race Committee will determine the location and value of these designated Station Prizes and will publish their locations and values at the Pre-Race Meeting. Race Officials will judge the winning team at each Station Prize.
DIVISION PRIZES: First, Second and Third prizes will be given for each division
CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZES: At the end of the race, the team with the lowest overall accumulated elapsed time, regardless of Division, will be designated as the overall BELIKIN LA RUTA MAYA CHAMPION of the year. There will be only one Kinich Ahau Trophy. The Sponsor of the BELIKIN LA RUTA MAYA CHAMPION of the year will receive the “Kinich Ahau" Trophy, which will be theirs to publicly display throughout the following year. The team that wins the Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge for three consecutive years keeps the Kinich Ahau Trophy. A new trophy will then be commissioned by the committee.

10a. For the C2 team, Pleasure and Family Category ONLY- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in that category will be given on the completion of each day's race as per rule number 4.

PROTESTS: Any team wishing to lodge a formal protest concerning the actions of another team or a Race Committee’s decision or action must do so in writing to a Race Committee Member as soon as possible after the incident occurs and in no instance later than 6 pm. Decisions regarding any and all protests are within the sole parameter of the Protest Team and their decisions will be considered FINAL. The decision on a protest will be put in writing and returned to the protestor before the start of the next day’s session if the protest was delivered during days 1-3 and if the protest was delivered on day FOUR (4), the decision will be returned before the start of the awards ceremony. The protest team will be comprised of three independent individuals appointed by the race committee.
SAFETY: Qualified first aid personnel will be provided by the Race Committee and will accompany the entire race. All medical problems or concerns must be reported to a Race Official or Race Medical Personnel as soon as possible after the incident occurs or the concern arises.
FOOD AND DRINK: Each team will be provided with lunch at each day’s final stop and water throughout the event. All disposable materials (paper, foil, plastic, etc.) are to be deposited in designated trash receptacles at each nightly camp. Paddlers and campers are strongly encouraged to use biodegradable products.
LITTERING: No garbage or other items of any description will be disposed of or discarded in or along the river, at any nightly camp or at any other unauthorized location. Intentional littering can result in disqualification.
NIGHTLY CAMPS: Nightly camps will be determined and designated by the Race Committee. Each team will be responsible for providing their camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags, etc.). Portable toilet facilities will be provided at each camp. Each camper is responsible for his/her own toiletries.
TEAM NUMBERS: Each team will be provided with a Team Number that is to be affixed to each side of the bow (front) of the craft. If a team number is lost, the Team Captain MUST notify a Race Official as soon as possible. In order to avoid any confusion, NO numbers must be within two (2) feet of the bow. All other numbers presently there must be relocated to another part of the canoe before the start of the race. Each team will be provided with two(2) numbered stickers for the canoe.
MODIFICATIONS: Once the race has officially started, modifications or changes of any kind to the original design, shape, or construction of a team's canoe or dory WILL NOT be allowed. In the event that a craft becomes damaged during the course of the race, the team may be allowed to patch or repair such damage in order to continue the race in a safe manner. Before making any repairs, the Team Captain must notify a Race Official who will inspect the craft and the Race Committee will decide whether or not the repairs will be allowed. After the repairs are made, a Race Official must once again inspect the craft and then the Race Committee will determine if the repairs meet official regulations before allowing the team to continue the race. Teams WILL also be allowed to replace broken or lost paddles from any source throughout the entire race. Waxing of craft hulls before the start of each day of the race WILL be permitted. All decisions concerning any modifications, changes, or repairs to any competitive craft will be within the sole parameters of the Race Committee and their decisions will be considered FINAL.
RACECOURSE RESTRICTIONS: During the Official course of each day's race, all teams MUST remain in the water within the natural banks of the river. Canoes may be carried or dragged through shallow waters or around total river flow obstructions or any obstruction that exceeds personal safety considerations. When portaging around an obstruction, a team is required to leave the river at the nearest safe exit point before the obstacle and then re-enter the river at the nearest safe entry point immediately after the obstruction.
TEAM RESTRICTIONS: All teams are to remain together while engaged in the actual race. In the event that a team member(s) are forced to leave their craft and discontinue the race for medical or other reasons, he or she MUST remain on the nearest safe riverbank until picked up by a safety boat or other authorized Race Official or Team Sponsor representative. In the event that a Team Sponsor picks up a team member that Team Sponsor is required to immediately notify a Race Official with the name of the team member that they have been removed from the race. The remaining team members MAY CONTINUE on with the race but must immediately seek the assistance of the nearest Safety Boat and advise a Race Official of the location that the team member(s) were left. When a team member(s) leave a team under the above circumstances, he or she WILL NOT be permitted to rejoin their team during that day's course of the race. After examination and medical clearance by Official Race Medical Personnel, the team member(s) WILL be allowed to rejoin their team for the next and remaining days of the race.
EQUIPMENT: Each team's equipment (canoe, paddles, life jackets & all other accessories) will be provided by the team or by its sponsor. The Race Committee WILL NOT be responsible for providing or transporting any racing equipment.
LIFE PRESERVERS: Type III: NRS Vista Personal Floatation Device (PFD) is to be worn correctly (as per manufacturer’s instructions) by each team member at all times while on the water. PFDs with canisters to inflate the lifesaving jacket is no longer permitted. Committee members may conduct a buoyancy test at the beginning of the race. Any team failing to participate upon request will be disqualified.
ASSISTANCE: Teams WILL NOT be allowed to receive any physical assistance of any kind or nature from ANYONE during the course of the race, except in emergency life-threatening situations or authorized assistance received from Official Safety Personnel.
SERVICE TEAM ASSISTANCE: Teams WILL be allowed to receive water and other nutritional liquids and food from their coaches and ground crews at any time during the course of the entire race. Anyone entering the water to provide assistance must be wearing a flotation device. Teams will be held responsible for the actions of their service teams in this regard. As a penalty, 5 seconds will be deducted from their day’s time. No other service boats for any team will be allowed in the race. No boats will be allowed in the race from the location of the first boat to the final committee service boat.
BENDS: When going around a bend in the course, the team on the outside must leave a way for the team on the inside, if the bow of the inside canoe is at least even with the bow of the outside team.
OVERTAKING: When a team is overtaking another team, it is the duty of the overtaking team to keep clear of the team being overtaken. The team being overtaken is NOT allowed to alter its course to make difficulty for the overtaking team.
INTERFERENCE: Intentional interference with another team's progress WILL be grounds for disqualification.
COLLISIONS: Any team who intentionally collides with the craft of another team or who damages the craft or paddle of another team WILL be disqualified.
REPORTING: Teams must check-in at least 30 minutes before the start of each day’s race. Each team captain must report to the Official Race Committee TimeKeeper for that day to confirm their team’s participation in that day’s racecourse.
PROHIBITED: Drinking alcoholic beverages or use of any illegal drugs IS NOT PERMITTED while race participants are paddling ON the river.
SPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT: All team members, coaches, ground crew members, sponsors, and sponsor representatives must exercise the highest degree of sportsmanlike conduct and professionalism at all times throughout the entire race. All Race Officials, Committee Members, Race Medical Personnel, and other Race Volunteers must be shown respect and their directions followed at all times.
HONORABLE MEANS: Any competitor who attempts to win any part of the race by any means other than honorable or who disregards the honorable nature of the Rules and Regulations will be disqualified.
VIOLATION OF RULES: Violation of any of the Official Rules and Regulations by any team or team member can result in Team disqualification. Any team or team member found in violation of the Rules and Regulations and is disqualified by the Race Committee will continue up to where their service team is but will not be allowed to participate in the next day’s race. In the event of team disqualification, all station and or place prizes won by the disqualified team prior to disqualification will be forfeited and then awarded to the next ranking team in that Division and Class. All decisions concerning rule violations and disqualification are within the sole parameters of the Race Committee and their decisions will be considered FINAL.
REPORTING CONCERNS: Any logistical problems, safety concerns, rules violations, or other matters of concern to the safe and uninterrupted completion of the race MUST be reported to a Race Official or Committee Member as soon as possible after the circumstances in question are discovered.
SERVICE TEAMS PASSES: While no limit has been placed on service vehicles for teams, entrance passes for service teams at ending points will be limited to two persons for ONE (1) service team
RULE CHANGES: The Race Committee reserves the right to change, modify or amend these Rules and Regulations to meet any unforeseen safety or other conditions or considerations that may threaten the safe and uninterrupted completion of the race. The Race Committee does not accept liability for damages/safety incurred by teams.
GOVERNING BODY: The Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge Management Committee stipulates that it is the sole and only authorized Governing Body of the event and that all Official Rules and Regulations, announcements, decisions, rulings, or other official communications or directives are solely within their parameters alone. Unauthorized usage of the Belikin La Ruta Maya Logo will be dealt with as per the law.

For more information please contact the Race Secretariat :

*Julia Carrillo: Tel/whatsapp: 501-621-1955 email: larutamayabz@gmail.com

**A mandatory pre-race meeting will be held on Thursday March 2, 2023, at 4 pm at the Macal River Park. LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE TAKEN FROM 1 PM-4 PM ON THIS DATE.

Should a paddler choose not to attend it will be deemed that they, and their designated support crew, fully understand the rules and will comply.

Teams are encouraged to listen to the radio as well as check email information provided for information on the meeting venue. Paddling teams will receive final instructions, water, meal tickets and boat stickers at that time. Only paddlers/coaches/managers will be allowed to attend/participate in the Paddlers’ meeting. ***

REMINDER: PLEASE NOTE ALL numbered stickers MUST be removed from the bow of the canoes. To avoid confusion, each team will be provided with 2 numbered stickers for the canoe.

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