Shalini Zabaneh at front out sprints the sprinter Kaya Cattouse on the Northern Highway in the New Year’s Day Cycle Race 2013.
The 23rd running of the KREM New Year’s Day Cycle Race had some 70 male elite and female riders taking part in the second biggest cycling event of the year after the Holy Saturday Cycle Classic. In the male division, the New Year’s race was won by David Henderson Jr. and second place went to Gregory Lovell.
This year’s female champion is two-time winner Shalini Zabaneh from Team Sagitun. Shalinin who lost last year to Kaya Cattouse, got the sweetest of victories when she out sprinted Kaya the sprinter. Patricia Chavarria won second place while Kaya took third. Shalini is now a three-time champion, having previously won the race in 2010 and 2011.
The New Year’s race starts from Santa Elena on the northern border with Mexico, runs through Corozal and Orange Walk towns, and ends in Belize City. The race is the creation of Evan X Hyde, chairman of the KREMANDALA media group.