Record Burt Munro event numbers predicted

NICOLE GOURLEY/151217

TENT CITY: Burt Munro Challenge steering committee chairman Wayne Affleck inspects the marquee being erected at Oreti Park for the event's rally-goers.

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A record number of competitors and rally-goers are expected to ride into town this week for the annual Burt Munro Challenge and Rally.

Burt Munro Challenge steering committee chairman Wayne Affleck said this year's entrants to the events were up about 50 in some categories.

Organisers were also expecting about 2000 motorcycle enthusiasts to turn up to the rally at Oreti Park.

"The event's gaining more and more momentum. It's got more credibility; everybody's talking about it," Mr Affleck said. "The secret to the success is we're turning on something quite unique and special."

The event starts a day earlier, with the Bluff Hill Climb added to this year's programme.

About 100 competitors had registered for the new racing event, vying for the national championship placing up for grabs.

It would be a full day, starting at 11am and finishing at 5pm, Mr Affleck said.

Preparations for rally-goers at the official campsite at Oreti Park were already in top gear. Staff from Hirepool spent yesterday erecting the enormous marquee on site, managing to secure it despite having to battle high winds.

Mr Affleck said the event organisers were now calling every Southlander to pray to the weather gods for some fine weather come Thursday to Sunday.

But Invercargill weather forecaster Andy Fraser said things were not looking too good.

"But it's early days yet," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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