Bumper roll-up makes Hobart Fun Run top earner for RHH

OVER $10,000 was raised for the Royal Hobart Hospital’s Children’s Unit with a bumper turnout at this year’s Hobart Fun Run.

Close to 850 runners, walkers and rollers set off in the 26th Cranke Hobart Fun Run on Hobart’s waterfront yesterday in what organisers say was one of the event’s best years.

Entrants young and old battled it out in the 5km and 2.5km runs at the event, which has raised more than $150,000 for the RHH since beginning in 1991.

Race director Pete Keenan, who developed the run when his daughter was a patient at the RHH, said this year’s race was one of the most special.

“Yesterday’s fun run was a really great event with well over $10,000 collected for the RHH Children’s Unit,” Mr Keenan said.

“One of the most special parts of the day for me was seeing the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation put in a team of runners. Fittingly, each mem- ber’s race number ended with 65 (marking 65 Roses, a CF-led fundraising initiative).”

Winner of the women’s 5km event in 0:17:03 Mel Daniels said she had lost count of how many times she had completed the fun run. “It’s a great event and a nice flat course,” she said.

David Thomas crossed first in the men’s 5km race in 0:14:59. Jemima Lennon was first in the women’s 2.5km event in 0:10:22, while Robert Elkerton took out the men’s 2.5km race (0:08:17).