Southern Traverse
Countdown to the Start
Susan McKenzie / 14.11.2004
Support crews are packing up trucks and camper vans and trailers, loading them down with coolers full of baked beans and eggs and bread and coffee and plenty of junk food. ING/NZ Army has one of the most luxurious transition area set-ups: a horse trailer for its team to sleep in, and a monstrous gas barbecue to cook with (no dehydrated potatoes here.)
The weather is the biggest concern for even the most experienced teams. There are two big weather systems hovering off the coast, with one expected today and the second (thunderstorms) expected Tuesday.
\"But it may not happen,\" says ST\'s Ian Binnie. \"The other day they called for rain and it didn\'t rain all day.\"
Still, teams can expect to be wet, and the race management has dictated on certain water legs that all racers carry a spare complete set of clothes in a dry bag.
\"Staying dry and warm will be key at this race,\"
says race director Geoff Hunt.
The race begins at 9am at the clock tower in downtown Hokitika, and will be started by New Zealand\'s Governor-General, Dame Sylvia Cartwright.
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