13th Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships Fifteen nations pedaling for glory; No female competition due to lack of support

Aug 10, 2019 Sports

The 13th edition of the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships which is being hosted in Guyana for the first time ever is set to get cracking today in the Green Town of Bartica with the Time Trials, 15-nations including the host are set to compete for glory at the Juvenile and Junior levels.

Some of the cyclists and officials whilst they were about to ride the race route yesterday.

Checking of uniforms and other related documents last evening by the officials.

Apart from the Bahamas which was expected to arrive last evening and will travel up this morning, Bermuda, Anguilla, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Curacao, St. Martin, Barbados, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, Cayman Islands and the United States Virgin Islands all arrived in Bartica yesterday, some by the Ferry and others by river taxi (speed boat).
Mayor of Bartica, His Worship Gifford Marshall met with the nations at the Bartica Town Council and welcomed them to Guyana and his Town in particular. He expressed delight at being selected by the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) to host the championships and being subsequently approved by the Caribbean Cycling Federation (CCF).
“The people of Guyana and Bartica would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you here for this historic event. I know that you have travelled some long hours to get to Guyana and then here to the Green Town of Bartica but I can assure you that it would be worth your while as you will enjoy a different experience, one that you have never before experienced.”
In total there would be about 50 cyclists competing in both categories but there would be no females competing since the CCF Regulations states that there must be at least five cyclists to constitute a race.
Neither of the nation’s here has a female member as part of their team which underscores the challenges being faced to attract women in the sport, let along at a tender age. The Guyanese duo of Clevecia Spencer and Selena Stephen would naturally be disappointed that they would not be able to race.
The route for today’s (Saturday) Time Trials is as follows: Start at the corners of Second Avenue and Third Street, East on Third Street, Left on Sixth Avenue, proceed to Three Miles Secondary before turning back then proceeding to turn right on the Mongrippa Hill Road by the Arcade, Left on Fourth Avenue, Right on Sixth Street, Left on Second Avenue to finish at the starting point at Second Avenue and Third Street.
The Juvenile cyclists will do the course once (8.4km – 5.22 miles) while the Juniors will cover the course twice. GCF President Horace Burrowes said he is happy that the local body has been able to pull off this historic event despite the many hurdles faced.
Burrowes singled out Mayor Gifford Marshall and his team for stepping up to the plate in a huge way to ensure that the event came off and that the teams have a warm experience.
Following today’s Time Trials, the Road Race will be contested tomorrow along the same route. The event is being managed and controlled by the CCF and COPACI, the Pan American Federation.The Commissars are Henny Bonafacio and Ms. Neves Viceate.

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