GREAT weather and great pancakes ensured the Wunta Fiesta got off to roaring start yesterday, with hundreds of people turning out to attend the community breakfast and Undy 500.
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While only a handful of brave competitors entered the controversial race, a large crowd gathered for breakfast in the sun and to witness brother and sister Kellie and Ben McLeod win the Undy 500 for another year.
By 8am, the breakfast had almost sold out, with 40 kilograms of sausages eaten in the first hour.
Wunta Fiesta chairwoman Catherine Williams said the morning had been a great success.
“I think it’s awesome that the community have come out in force to get the breakfast this morning,” she said.
“There is a lot on, with school going back, so it’s really good for them to make that extra effort to get down before work.”
School children were up early and out in full force at the breakfast, with many fuelling up on pancakes and bacon before their first day of school for the year.
Chelsea Bermingham, 8, from Warrnambool invited her grandfather Barry Bermingham to share a pancake breakfast with her before her first day of grade 3 at Woodford Primary School.
“I’ve got to work today but it’s good to see her and have brekkie with her. It’s a special occasion,” Mr Bermingham said.
With the temperature hovering around a balmy 16 degrees for the breakfast, the sunshine was a welcome contrast from last year’s wintry morning meal.
“It’s very motivating when the weather is like this. We’ve nearly sold out of food,” Ms Williams said.
Josh Howarth, who was attending his first Wunta Fiesta, said he was impressed by the event.
“It’s got a great atmosphere and good vibes,” he said.
Entrants in this year’s Undy 500 included the Dirty Angels Roller Derby Team and an anonymous. body-suited ‘Quest Man’ who later confessed that he was actually the maintenance man at Warrnambool’s Quest Apartments.
Dynamite brother and sister duo Ben and Kellie McLeod took out first place for the male and female sections respectively, notching up six Undy 500 wins between them.
When asked their secret, 20-year-old Kellie said that it was simply good genetics.
“I train for running and Ben trains for football,” Kellie said. Ben, 18, said that despite being a short sprint it was still a hard race to win.
Wunta festivities continue across the weekend, with Monsters University screening under the stars on the Civic Green tonight.