SPORT

Runners set off in the Girls Under 14 3km race Hearts race at annual fun run

RUNNERS and walkers from across the state flocked to Hobart on May 15 to partake in the 49th annual City to Casino.

The second oldest annual fun run in Australia, this year’s City to Casino saw 1821 participants compete in three different events across the morning.

Tasmanian residents Milly Clark and James Hansen took out the women’s and men’s title in the main event.

Chairman and race codirector Hayden Nielsen was glad to see the event up and running after a challenging two years.

“The local participation was fantastic,” he said.

“City to Casino has always been a community-centred event and that still runs through.

“The event is inclusive of all needs and abilities, with the hope of everyone being able to participate and have fun.

“COVID has had a big impact on the event and the number of participants.

“However, it was great to see people from the community returning and an excited energy from all involved.”

This year’s event saw a record turnout from primary school children taking part in the 2.7km run from St David’s Park to Wrest Point.

“The 2.7km event saw more than 800 school aged children partake,” Mr Nielsen said.

“This is an exciting indicator for the future of the event.”

Next year the City to Casino event will celebrate a half century since it first started.

“The event was inspired by the iconic City to Surf in Sydney that began the year before,” Mr Nielsen said.

“Three athletes from Tasmania went to the event and wanted to have a Tasmanian version.”

To celebrate 50 years, event organisers plan to hold a function and invite many of the original participants from the 1973 race.

City to Casino men’s and women’s winners James Hansen and Milly Clark cross the line

Tasmanian Independent schools go cross country

THE Sports Association of Tasmanian Independent Schools (SATIS) staged its annual Southern Cross Country Carnival at Hobart’s Soldier Memorial Oval and Soldiers Walk on Thursday 26 May.

Organised in conjunction with Athletics Tasmania, the Southern SATIS Cross Country event featured more than 700 students - including several members of Tasmanian state teams - representing 14 Independent Schools in the state’s south.

The Friends’ School dominated the overall competition, winning the Girls Junior Shield, Girls Aggregate Shield, Boys Junior Shield, Boys Aggregate Shield, and the Co-Ed Senior, Junior and Aggregate shields.

For full results go to satis.com.au

SSATIS Cross Country Carnival results

Under 15 Girls 3km:

1. Jemima Lennon 2. Jessica Smith 3. Imogen Lennon

Under 14 Girls 3km:

1. Alet le Grange 2. Kate Fox 3. Billie Salter

Under 13 Boys 3km:

1. Christian O’Brien 2. Eli Sawn 3. Jameson Clark

Under 13 Girls 3km:

1. Violet Owen 2. Isabella Patten 3. Bessy Brereton Under 14 Boys 4km:

1. Alex Fisher 2. Isaac Dixon 3. Hugh McCallum

Under 15 Boys 4km:

1. Sam Castle 2. Henry Little 3. Jasper Brereton

Under 16 Girls 4km:

1. Cate Clingleffer 2. Avalon Forbes 3. Rachel Horsham Under 16 Boys 4km:

1. Lachlan Sheen 2. Sam Meikle 3. Oliver Johnston

Open Girls 4km:

1. Sophie Connolly 2. Ella Atkins 3. Maeve Bylsma

Open Boys 6km:

1. Haney Mokonene 2. Alexander Kwa 3. Zac Menadue

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BOOMER CHARGES INTO NEW GREYHOUND ROLE

Members of the Hobart Chargers and Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie meet Barbie the greyhound, who is up for adoption

AFL games record holder Brent Harvey and the Hobart Chargers basketball club have lent their support to the Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) in Tasmania.

Harvey - who played a record 432 games with North Melbourne, and was a four-time All Australian and five-time Syd Barker Medal winner - said he was pleased to use his sporting profile to promote the adoption program’s activities.

“I think the more people who know about the work GAP Tasmania does, the better,” Harvey said.

“Educating the community that greyhounds make wonderful pets after their racing career is over is a great thing.

“Through my involvement, particularly given the strong relationship NMFC has with Tasmania, I am looking forward to introducing this fantastic program to as many new people as possible.”

As the newest GAP Tasmania ambassador, Harvey will feature in GAP Tasmania and greyhound racing promotional content, be available for multiple local speaking appearances, and make multiple digital promotional posts.

The Hobart Chargers men’s and women’s teams are also on board and will take part in a range of branding and promotional activities, including individual greyhounds being listed for adoption on Chargers TV and the club’s social media platforms.

“Basketball in Tasmania is seeing unprecedented popularity and the Hobart Chargers are one of Tasmania’s most successful sporting clubs at a national level,” Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie said. “We aim to harness this success and drive strong community engagement with the GAP program to reach more Tasmanians that wouldn’t otherwise be aware of the benefits of adopting a greyhound.”

GAP was established to help find permanent homes for greyhounds when they have retired from racing.

GAP Tasmania, which is funded by Tasracing, has been operating since 2009 and based at Managlore since 2020.

The Mangalore facility allows the public direct access, enabling GAP to better demonstrate to the community the suitability of greyhounds as pets. The program helped 98 greyhounds get adopted in 2020/21.

The facility can currently house 27 greyhounds at a time but has plans to expand, with a new kennel block set to double the capacity.

Tasracing is working to transform the program into a best-practice rehoming organisation when compared to other adoption programs interstate.

Anyone interested in adopting a greyhound can fill out an application form at gaptas.org.au

The cost to adopt is $300 if the greyhound has been through foster care, or $250 if it is a ‘self-foster to adopt’ agreement. This fee includes post-adoption support for the life of the dog.

Every greyhound that enters the GAP Tasmania program is temperament assessed and de-sexed, has up-to-date flea and worm treatment, current C5 vaccination, a microchip registered to the new owner, and has their teeth polished and nails trimmed.

At the start of June the Chargers sat ninth on the NBL1 South ladder, after starting season 2022 with a 4-3 win/loss record.

Power forward Harry Froling (18.4 points per game, 10.6 rebounds per game) and Import guard AJ Harris (17.7 ppg) have led the way for the side, who play home games against Casey and the Centre of Excellence in early June before hitting the road for games against Ballarat, Eltham, Mt Gambier and Keilor.

The Chargers women’s team is off to a slow start, losing their opening seven games of the season. Anglea Tompkins (18.8 ppg, 12 rpg) and Sharna Thompson (17.1 ppg) have been bright spots.