AR World Championship 2005
Final day of registration
Susan McKenzie / 11.11.2005
The clouds rolled in last night, and the heavy rain began just before dawn. This morning, registration for the ARWC took cover, and the various stations that were outdoors have slipped into the Patterson Sports Complex Tearooms, or at least under its awnings.
The West Coast of the Southern Alps is nicknamed the Wet Coast, but this year it has been anything but. According to locals, rainfall this year has been half the annual average. The rain may have made morning registration a damp affair, but it’s much needed in the region. Much needed, and short-lived. By noon, the rain was gone and the sun was once again peaking through the clouds.
One by one, teams have been rolling into the Patterson Sports Complex to register. It’s as much a reunion as it is a registration, as racers catch up with each other and also with race director Geoff Hunt. The Southern Traverse tradition of chatting with Geoff has carried over to the ARWC. It is the only international race where registration includes a mandatory chat with the race director. This year, some of the conversations have included Hunt’s new baby daughter, Nevada. For Hunt, this chat is an important part of the registration process, a chance to meet every racer one on one, put faces to names and welcome everyone to his race, be it the Southern Traverse or the Adventure Racing World Championship. Once the race begins, some teams may not see the legendary race director until the finish.
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