Runners bite on Big Apple

A RUN in the Apple Isle can lead to a run in the Big Apple, say Point to Pinnacle organisers.

Runners in this year’s Point to Pinnacle will be given the opportunity to earn a place in the prestigious New York City Marathon, which will act as a huge boost for entry numbers, co-director Tim Smith says.

Smith believes the annual event, which is entering its 23rd year, now had an added incentive for runners to take part.

“This will certainly be a drawcard for those people that have always been trying to get to New York,” he said.

Runners who complete the race in under the cutoff time of three hours and 40 minutes and walkers who finish in less than four hours and 40 minutes will qualify for entry into the extremely competitive New York event.

“We’re hoping to have upward of 50 spots available for runners,” Smith said. “But if we have more people interested than spots available, then we might have to look at using a ballot system to determine entries.” Denny Fleming, entering her sixth Point to Pinnacle, will this year walk alongside her son Miley, aged 15.

The pair hope to use the run, on November 19, to raise funds for the Movember Foundation.

“The Point to Pinnacle is becoming bigger and bigger, as has Movember, which is really pleasing,” Mrs Fleming said.

“The race has been around for a long time and become a real bucket list [item] for Tasmanians as well as mainland runners.”

The state’s biggest running event will also receive a boost with Premier Will Hodgman announcing $100,000 of taxpayer support for the event over three years.

“It’s a wonderful way to get Tasmanians active, and also attract more people to Tasmania,” Mr Hodgman said. “We want to bring more tourists into the state and get them doing things they can do nowhere else.”

A shortened version of the race, The Point to Pub, will be offered for the first time this year. The 10km event finishes at the Fern Tree Tavern, rather than Mt Wellington’s summit.