US rider Katy Sorrell returns to defend Women’s Cross Country title on Sunday

Published by BBNTEAM at April 1, 2023

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Posted: Saturday, April 1, 2023. 1:16 pm CST.

Photo Credit: CFB

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: United States cyclist Katy Sorrell is back in Belize to defend the Women’s Cross Country title she captured on Sunday, April 10, 2022.

Last year, Sorrell won the 70-mile 31^st Women’s Cross Country Cycling Classic in three hours, 23 minutes, and 17 seconds (3:23:17). Riding along with Team Cardinal teammate Morgan Stern, the American duo controlled Belize’s top women’s race, racking all the station prizes except three of the first seven.

Kedisha Francis won the first station prize at the very start at the Hawkesworth Bridge, Gabrielle Lovell won the next two at Santa Elena Public Works and Eden High School and Alicia Thompson took the seventh prize at Galen University prize at Central Farm.

Stern captured the fourth at the Santa Elena Roundabout and Sorrell picked up the fifth and sixth, and after Thompson edged them at Galen, they grabbed everything else on the way to Belize where they rode hand in hand over the finish line.

Thompson finished third in a four-woman sprint in 3:53:09, leaving C-Ray’s Gabrielle Gabourel in fourth, and Chavarria’s Cycling Team’s sisters Paulita Chavarria and Patricia Chavarria in fifth and sixth respectively. Francis was seventh in 4:01:47 and Fiona Castillo, who was on the comeback trail, finished, was eighth in 4:02:20.

Marinette Flowers and Gabrielle Lovell, who were also making a comeback, and Nathalie Lovell, did not finish the race.

Eight riders who completed 31^st Women’s Cross Country Cycling Classic on Sunday, April 10, 2022.

2019 champion Kaya Cattouse, who clocked 3:29:10 that year, was away with her US team LA Sweat, but this year the top Belizean cyclist is back in contention for the garland.

Ten riders total will compete in Belize top women’s cycling race featuring four Belizean and six foreigners.

Champion Sorrell, still riding for Team Cardinal, will not have Stern by her side, but she should be able to partner well with the other US rider, Jessica Chong from Bike Works P/B Fred Beans.

Cattouse will ride together with her LA Sweat Mexican teammate Mariana Valdez.

But Valdez is not the only Mexican in the race. Team Navecamp is posting two riders, namely Ana Laura García and Diana Valeria Rodríguez.

The sixth foreign cyclist is experienced Bermudian rider Caitlin Conyers of team Winners Edge.

The other three Belizean riders are sisters Patricia and Paulita Chavarria, and Kedisha Francis. Patricia and Kedisha are riding independently while Paulita is riding under the Team Gonz banner.

“The race will start at the Columbus Park in San Ignacio at 8:00 a.m. and will finish at Digi Park using the route of the George Price Highway to Belize City at the Roundabout at Central American Blvd, over the Belcan Bridge, unto Princess Margaret Drive and finishing at the Digi Park, for approximately 70 miles,” the CFB said.

The winner will receive a $3,000 cash prize and trophy. $1500 and $1000 will be awarded to second and third respectively and $500 each to the fourth and fifth place finishers.

The Junior/Youth winner will get a trophy and a gift package from BEL.

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