Burnie New Year’s Day Carnival named the Australian Carnival of the Year

The Burnie New Year’s Day Carnival has been named the Australian Carnival of the Year for the second time in six years.

The award is determined by the Australian Athletic Confederation, with Burnie adding to the award it also won in 2010.

Burnie finished ahead of other finalists from Ballarat, Gold Coast and Botany Bay.

The Burnie Athletic Club will celebrate the 130th anniversary of the carnival on January 1.

President Ricky Aitken said the award was recognition for a group of hard working volunteers and officials who had worked tirelessly to stage a quality event.

“Not only did we have a quality running program, but we provided eight and a half hours of variety and family entertainment with a comprehensive program of cycling and wood chopping as well,” Aitken said.

However, he acknowledged some of the success of not only his carnival, but the entire Tasmanian Christmas Carnival Series, was down to series promoter Richard Welsh.

“The quality of both male and female athletes Richard was able to attract to the series certainly helped the Burnie Carnival achieve its best crowd for 10 years, with more than 4500 people,” he said.

A highlight of this year’s carnival was the men’s gift.

The gift attracted a quality field of former winners, Stawell Gift winners and Australia’s fastest teenager Jack Hale.

Hale finished a narrow second in the final behind former North-West Coast sprinter John Howe, bringing the large crowd to its feet in what was a thrilling race.

The field for the 1600 metre mile saw Ulverstone’s Doug Hamerlok take out a what was another tight tussle.

Australian 1500 metre champion Ryan Gregson finished a close third in the race with a big run from the scratch mark.

The Tasmanian Christmas Carnival Series will start at Rosebery on December 17.

It will then move to Latrobe (December 27), Launceston (December 28), Devonport (December 29 and 30), Burnie (January 1), Hobart (January 8) and St Helens (January 21).