SRPINT SPEEDSTERS PROMPT LATE TRACK CHANGE

THE speed on show at Tuesday’s Bikes & Spikes event in New Town has forced organisers to make a last-minute change to the sprint track to accommodate for the lighting fast line-up.

With a 100m gift field including Tasmania’s three fastest ever men- Hobart trio Jack Hale, Jacob Despard and Jagga

Pybus- along with Commonwealth Games 4 x 100m relay member Josh Azzopardi- the popular TasCarnival event will feature one of the strongest sprinting fields assembled in its 42 year history.

Now, following feedback from athletes that the ‘pull up zone’ at the end of the sprinting track was too short, this year’s star-studded line-up will have extra room following an adjustment of the angle of the track. “The athletes we are getting to Hobart now are much fastest than we’ve ever had,” TasCarnivals Promoter Richard Welsh said.

“Most people can’t appreciate how quickly these athletes travel on foot, so the council re-surveyed the track to a longer part of New Town Oval.

“It means the backmarkers will be able to completely unleash full speed this year and as a result I expect to see more back markers in the final.”

Hobart will be treated to the cream of the crop of Tasmanian sprinters with Commonwealth Games 4 x 100m relay teammates Hale and Despard up against two-time Bikes & Spikes Gift winner Pybus as well as Commonwealth Games relay teammate Azzopardi. Hale, the state’s fastest ever over 100m with a time of 10.12sec, will have stiff competition from his local rivals on Tuesday with Despard posting a new PB (10.24) in 2022 while Pybus has shone at a national level in both the 100m (10.43) and 200m (21.10) this year.

Meanwhile the Hobart Wheels Race will feature two Tasmanian members of the Australian Cycling Team in Josh Duffy and Lauren Perry.

TasCarnivals also announced on Monday that the Christmas Carnivals will be on national free to air for the first time following a deal with SBS.

A one-hour highlights package of the 2022/23 TasCarnival series will be aired on SBS on January 28 at 2pm.

Tuesday’s Bikes & Spikes event at New Town Oval starts at 10.30am.