A team from Huntingfield’s Overeem Whisky will participate in the Point to Pinnacle fundraiser by pushing a barrel of whisky weighing a total of 145 kilograms on Sunday, November 19.
Point to Pinnacle is a gruelling 21 kilometre half marathon with most competitors either running or walking from Wrest Point to the pinnacle of kunanyi/Mount Wellington.
This is the first time a barrel has been introduced to this event, and it represents part of the start of a three-year fundraising effort from Overeem.
“It will be great to be part of such a long-standing community event, to honour and celebrate the race’s history and its exciting future,” Overeem Whisky co-owner Jane Overeem said.
The first known race to the pinnacle dates back to 1903 when it was held in the middle of winter in six inches of snow.
It had 39 participants and was originally sponsored by the whisky company Watkins and Co.
Participants were rewarded with a glass of whisky at the pinnacle, before venturing back down the mountain.
“On race day last year we donated a 50 litre tawny port cask to celebrate the Point to Pinnacle’s 30th anniversary in 2025, but this year this cask will embark on the race itself as the first-ever barrel of whisky to attempt to complete the Point to Pinnacle,” Mrs Overeem said.
“Upon maturation of this cask in 2025, bottles of the Point to Pinnacle Single Malt Whisky will be auctioned with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to charity.”
The barrel will be pushed up in 2023 and again in the 2024 Point to Pinnacle.
This year 55 runners will help push the barrel up the mountain on November 19, joining over 3000 other competitors.
“We have around 2100 entries for the full half marathon from the Point to the Pinnacle, and around 1200 entered to run from the Point to the Pub,” race organiser Tim Smith said.
“We expect that number to continue to grow to around 3500 competitors as last-minute runners decide they will tick the race off their bucket list this year.
“Across the field we have entries from every Australian state and territory, and global competitors flying in from Britain, Canada, the United States, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
“But it’s Tasmanians who still make up the overwhelming majority of competitors willing to take on the mountain, with around one in every five competitors hailing from across Tassie.”
