Saturday Sport

The traditional lead-in tournament for the NWBU season, the Lighthouse Classic, will be held in Ulverstone next weekend. Martin Agatyn spoke to Basketball Tasmania North-West general manager Ben Richmond . . .

Pre-race favourite Riley Major won the Hardings Hotmix Devonport Harness Racing Cup last Sunday night. The winner is owned by Katrina Hillier and trained and driven by her husband Troy Hillier. Listen to the closing stages of the cup and Martin Agatyn talking to Troy Hillier after the win . . .

Former Devonport driver Owen Kelly will contest the first two rounds of the Australian Trans-Am Series at Symmons Plains and Baskerville later this month. Martin Agatyn spoke to the former V8 Supercar and NASCAR racer . . .

Tomorrow night's Hardiings Hotmix Devonport Harness Racing Cup promises to be one of the best for many years with a quality field including many potential winners. Martin Agatyn spoke to Devonport Harness Racing Club president Claire MacDonald . . .

The Tasmanian Tri-Series tennis competiton has been revived after a number of years in limbo. The new series will be staged at the end of the month in Burnie, bringing together many of the state's best tennis players. Martin Agatyn spoke to Tri-Series North-West co-ordinator Shaun Summers . . .

The Devonport City Soccer Club has been granted a licence to field a team in next year's statewide women's soccer competition, the Women's Super League (WSL). Martin Agatyn spoke to Devonport president Drew Smith . . .

The Tasmanian Sports and Coaching Collective has been formed with the aim of sharing skills common to coaching, but from different sports. Martin Agatyn spoke to Will Braid . . .

The new Tasmania Jack Jumpers National Basketball League side has named well-credentialled US coach Scott Roth as its first head coach. Martin Agatyn spoke to Scott . . .

Four national motor racing categories will kick off their title series" in Tasmania later this month at Symmons Plains and Baskerville. Martin Agatyn spoke to GRM Motosport team director Barry Rogers . . .

Tasmanian triathlete Jake Birtwistle has all but qualified to compete in the Tokyo Olymoc Games this year after being nominated by Triathlon Australia. However, it's not quite, but almost, a done deal, as Jake explained to Martin Agatyn . . .

Newhart, trained by Leanne Gaffney and ridden by Craig Newitt, won Wednesday's Ladbrokes Devonport Cup for the second year in a row. Hear the closing stages of the race call and then Martin Agatyn's interview with Leanne . . .

Locally-trained mare Glass Warrior came from behind to win the Longford Cup on New Year's Day, winning automatic selection into Wednesday's Devonport Cup. Martin Agatyn spoke to trainer John Blacker . . .

Tasmanian Formula 3 racing driver Alex Peroni has signed to race in the Indy Lights series in the US this year after recently completing his second year racing Formua 3 in Europe. Martin Agatyn spoke to Alex . . .

Last week saw the Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals Series once again providing world-class running, cycling and woodchopping. You can relive some of the big moments with this 30-minute highlights package presented by Martin Agatyn . . .

Melbourne-based yacht Lord Jiminy, skippered by Guillame Leroux won line honours for the Melbourne to Devonport Yacht Race earlier this week. Martin Agatyn spoke to the victorious skipper . . .

The prestigious Melbourne to Devonport Yacht Race will start tomorrow and with the Sydney to Hobart and Melbourne to Hobart events cancelled due to COVID-19, the eyes of the yachting world will be on the Devonport race. Conditions are expected to be perfect and race organisers are predicting a race record. Martin Agatyn spoke to race director Jeremey Walton . . .

The Devonport and Latrobe Carnivals have been cancelled due to COVID-19 crowd restrictions, but the Burnie New Year's Eve Carnival, featuring running, cycling and woodchopping, will go ahead on Tuesday night as the major event of the Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals Series. Martin Agatyn spoke to Burnie Carnival manager of sponsorship and marketing, Michael Rowlands . . .

The Devonport Showgrounds will come alive on Tuesday with greyhounds and harness racing. The afternooon greyhound racing programme will be followed by a night programme of harness racing, with the final of the North West Plate as the featured event. Martin Agatyn spoke to Devonport Harness Racing Club president Claire MacDonald . . .

This year's Tasmanian Chrstmas Carnivals SSeries has attracted quality athletes despite restrictions to training and travel due to COVID-19. Martin Agatyn spoke to series ppromoter Richard Welsh . . .

Multiple world woodchopping champion and former Tasmanian of the Year David Foster was recently inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as the first axeman to be given the honour. Martin Agatyn spoke a humbe and gracious David Foster . . .

The Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival recently got undereway and will this year for the first time include thoroughbred, harness racing, and Greyhounds, with a number of events on the Coast. Martin Agatyn spoke to TasRacing CEO Paul Eriksson . . .

Gee Gee Fiorente has earned automatic selection into next month's Devonport Cup with a hard fought win in the recent Golden Mile. Martin Agatyn spoke with trainer Leon Wells, who revealed the gelding would also contest tomorrow's Sheffield Cup at Spreyton . . .

The Devonport Cup will go definitely go head on January 6, but will only be able to cater for half its regular crowd due to COVID-19 restrictions. This is despite The Premier hinting that allowable outdoor crowd sizes could be increased to 5000 early next year. Devonport Racing Club chairman Barry Milton explained why the Devonport Cup could only cater for a smaller crowd, when he spoke to Mart...

The St Lukes Health North-West Thunder has named Nick Haywood as its coach for the 2021 and 2022 NBL-1 basketball seasons. Nick and Thunder marketing manager Muchael Rowlands joined Martrin Agatyn in the studio this morning . . .

The final round of the Tasmanian Circuit Racing Championship was held at Symmons Plains last weekend. Devonport driver Wade McLean won his third Tasmanian title and joined Martin Agatyn in the studio this morning . . .

A huge motor racing programme today and tomorrow will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Symmons Plains Raceway. Martin Agatyn spoke to commentator Barry Oliver . . .

A unique moutnain biking and bush running duathlon will be held at the Wild Mersey Mountain Bike Trails next weekend, attracting interest from all over the state. Martin Agatyn spoke to Cradle Coast Triathlon and Multi-Sport Club president Jodi Tobias . . .

Martin Agatn looked ahead at the upcoming touch football season with Devonport Touch Association president John Dowling . . .

The first round of the Tas Gravity Enduro Series for mountain bikes will be held tomorrow in the Dial Range, near Penguin. The event is being organised by the Central Coast Mountain Bike Club and Martin Agatyn spoke to race director Danny King . . .

Last weekend's virtual The Heritage Burnie Ten and RACT Burnie 5K attracted more than 1000 competitors, delighting organisers. Traditionally held the week after the Burnie Ten, the Healthcare Insurance 3, 2, 1 Go Kids Race will now be held in November, but under a different format to comply with crowd size restrictions. Martin Agatyn spoke to race director for all events, Rick Ferguson . . .

The Devonport Strikers only need to salvage a draw from today's home game in the NPL (National Premoer League) Tasmania competition, to be crowned the state's champion soccer team for 2020. Martin Agatyn spoke to Strikers' coach Chris Gallo . . .

The Devonport Bulls will play Taroona in the Tasmanian Rugby Union grand final in Hobart later today. The Burnie Emus will also play Launceston in the second grade grand final in Launceston as well. Martin Agatyn spoke to Devonport Bulls' coach Jerry Scott . . .

Coastal basketball sides performed well in the opening round of Basketball Tasmania's State Basketball League in Hobart last weekend in both men's and women's competition. Martin Agatyn looked back oon the round with Basketball Tasmania CEO Chris McCoy . . .

This year's Aussie NWFL season, like so many other sports has been one full of challenges. Martin Agatyn looked back on the season with NWFL president Andrew Richardson . . .

After winning last year's Darrel Baldock Medal, Burnie Dockers midfielder Bailey Boag has gone back to back after winning last night's NWFL best and fairest count. While not the Darrel Baldock medal this year due to the shortened season, Boag was equally humbled by the award when he spoke to Martin Agatyn . . .

The Burnie Dockers recorded a rare three-peat in last week's Aussie NWFL grand final against Devonport, at Latrobe. Martin Agatyn spoke to victorious Burnie coach Brent Plant after the win . . .

Competitive woodchopping has been part of the Tasmanian agricultural show scene for more than 100 years. With the cancellation of most of the state's shows this season due to COVID-19 crowd number restrictions, around half of the woodchopping season will also be lost. However, a number of smaller alternative chopping carnivals will be staged this summer. Martin Agatyn spoke to North West Axemen...

The State Basketball League kicks off in Hobart today and has attracted a record 12 teams in the men's competition and eight in the women's league, with strong representation from the North-West Coast in both. Martin Agatyn spoke to Basketball Tasmania CEO Chris McCoy and also looked back on this year's junior state championships, which were concluded earlier this week . . .

Martin Agatyn and Will Braid look back on last weekend's Greater Northern Hockey League rand finals in men's and women's divisions, with three Coastal teams involved in the season deciders . . .

The Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania (SCAT) has announced its dates for the upcoming summer season. Devonport and Latrobe carnivals have both withdrawn due to concerrns over restrictions on crowd numbers post-COVID. However, new events will be held at Penguin and George Town this season. Martin Agatyn spoke to series promoter Richard Welsh . . .

Tasmania's new team in next year's National Basketball League (NBL) will be ooffocially known as the Jack Jumpers. In one of the worst kept secrets in Tasmanian sport, the name was revealed on Thursday. Listen to the launch video, after which Martin Agatyn spoke to Jack Jumpers CEO Simon Brookhouse . . .

Motton-Preston defeated Forth in last weekend's Banjos NWFA grand final, but lost the reserves grand final to Forth in two one-sided encounters. Martin Agatyn and Will Braid looked back on the big day . . .

With the coronavirus pandemic preventing pigeon racing between Victoria and Tasmania, the annual Great Pigeon Race for the Kids Cancer Foundation couldn't go ahead last month. Hoaever, organisers have substituted it with a six-race series from King Island to Tasmania. Martin Agatyn spoke to race organiser Daler Marshall . . .

A new multi-purpose indoor stadium has been proposed for Burnie to replace the ageing Upper Burnie Sports Centre. Martin Agatyn spoke to Burnie Indoor Sports Stadium Working Group chairman David Pease . . .

Current Tasmanian hillclimb champion and North West Car Club member Stehen Mott has written a book on the history of the Penguin Hillclimb. Martin Agatyn spoke to Stephen . . .

Former triathlete and cyclist Mark Matthews is a good mate and former coach of cyclist Ritchie Porte, who finished third last weekend in the Tour de France. Martin Agatyn spoke to a weary Mark Matthews the day after the podium result for Ritchie . . .

The new Coastal Running Club season gets underway tomorrow with a special memorial event for club member Ron Chequer, who passed away suddenly several months ago. The family-orientated club features nominated time events over distances from 1 to 6 km for runners, joggers, or walkers. Martin Agatyn spoke to club president Craig Denby . . .

Noth-West Thunder coach Sam Armstrong has stepped down to spend more time with his family, but he won't be totally lost to Coastal basketball, as he explained when he spoke to Martin Agatyn . . .

This year's Healthcare Insurance 3, 2, 1 Go kids fun runs will be held later than usual in November, but will go ahead in a slightly different format due to current restrictions on crowd numbers. In the meantime, next months The Heritage Burnie Ten will be a virtual event, with runners completing their own 10km race, and posting results on-line to receive a finisher's medallion. Martin Agatyn s...