The imminent return of the Tasmanian Running Festival this year is set to be buoyed further by the addition of a half-marathon race that will sit aside equally on the card with the Launceston Ten.
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New race director Richard Welsh has bought the rights to the popular event that will now contain four races.
Past organisers had abandoned the festival last year after blaming the failure to secure financial support for the first time since running the Launceston Ten in 2007.
This is despite the City of Launceston council already signing off on a new three-year agreement to support the event back in 2017.
Council only had voted in January to hand out $15,000 to keep the festival afloat.
Welsh finally came to an agreement on Friday with former event owners Pont 3.
The Tasmanian Running Festival adds to the EPIC Events and Marketing portfolio that includes ownership of Hobart's Run the Bridge and Cadbury Marathon.
The half-marathon component has been popular at the Cadbury Marathon and Welsh believes that race will boost participation numbers for the inaugural 21.1km distance at Launceston.
He called the decision to add a half-marathon a "pretty big element" of the festival.
A former middle-distance runner, Welsh does not think it will take away the prestige of the Launceston Ten.
"We believe the 10k and half-marathon will both be equally popular," he said.
"I am also keeping the 5k and 1k for people who are new to running or just not up to running a 10k. But I think the half and the 10k will both be a super fast course of what we've got set up.
"They both will attract in elite fields - I have got no doubt about that. In terms of whether one will have a higher profile over the other, we're going to push them to have a similar standing."
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This could have a Stewart McSweyn just continuing his focus on the 10k while Milly Clark may want to run the half-marathon towards their plans for the Tokyo Olympics.
Welsh is adamant the subtle change to the festival will attract more elite runners.
"I definitely think there is a real appetite and a lot of interest for it," he said.
"The history of the 10k event is so strong that you have to respect that and do your best to continue it too.
"Some of the times run on that course over the years has been truly world-class and we want people to continue to come to Launceston and continue to run fast 10ks."
The course map and a traffic management plan for the half-marathon has already been sorted all the while race organisers will work with council and police to incorporate it into the 10k course.
The start and finish of all four races will continue to be at City Park.
Under new management plans, the Tasmanian Running Festival will be staged on Sunday of every Queen's Birthday long weekend.
This year that fall on June 7.
"It had a few different dates in June and sometimes it had been that weekend," Welsh said, "but we're looking to make that June long weekend every year the weekend you come to Launceston."
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Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
