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Westport is filling up

Susan McKenzie / 09.11.2005

The small West Coast town of Westport is starting to fill up with gear trucks, SUVs and mini-vans laden with mountain bikes and adventure racing gear. ARWC posters adorn the plate glass windows of virtually every shop and restaurant along the town\'s main drag, Palmerston Street. The bookshop is running low on topographical maps (but more will arrive later this week.) You can\'t walk into a shop without being asked if you\'re here for the race. Last night at dinner, Geoff Hunt and some of his staff were asked if they were here for the race. \"You look like the race type,\" the waitress said.

It\'s been warm and sunny (dare I say, even hot?)the past few days - a far cry from last year\'s pre-race rain and cold. The forecast for today (Thursday) is clear but, according to locals, there is a front moving in bringing less than pleasant weather over the weekend. Depending on who you speak with, that front will either clear by Monday or linger until mid-week.

Sleepmonsters will be providing live coverage of the race beginning Monday morning (NZ time).

If all goes well, Geoff Hunt predicts the winners will cross the finish line Friday afternoon.

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