The next TARGA Tasmania event has been rescheduled for 28 April to 3 May 2025. Photo: TARGA.
TARGA Australia, the organising body for the annual TARGA Tasmania motorsport event, has announced it will not be held in 2023 or 2024 due to the ongoing coronial inquest into race fatalities in recent years.
TARGA Australia said the event that had been scheduled to run from 8 to 13 April 2024 will now be held from 28 April to 3 May 2025.
It said the Tasmanian State Government has stated its ongoing commitment to the event by providing a further extension to its current five-year agreement to 2029.
The inquest is looking into three fatalities resulting from two crashes at the 2021 event and a single fatality at the 2022 event.
TARGA CEO Mark Perry said he was extremely disappointed about the further postponement but believes it is necessary to ensure a strong event for the future.
“In recent weeks, it has become clear that the full scope of work needed for a successful return makes running the event in April 2024 an unachievable task,” he said.
“While the further delay of our return will be sad news for thousands of people, we must ensure we get everything right first. This delay will enable us to finalise a number of key components while also fully supporting the ongoing coronial inquest, which should see us in a position to implement all relevant recommendations from this process for the 2025 TARGA Tasmania.”
“We fully understand that this is a bitter blow for competitors, officials, sponsors, and the Tasmanian tourism industry, but we are taking a long-term view to secure the future of TARGA Tasmania, and we appreciate everyone’s ongoing support in the year ahead,” he added.
“TARGA will continue to work tirelessly throughout 2024, maintaining regular communications with the many thousands of people around the world who follow the event, with the clear aim of implementing a myriad of positive changes in preparation for a much-anticipated return in 2025.”
Tasmanian Minister for Stadia and Events Nic Street said the government would defer its funding for 2024 but remained fully supportive of TARGA’s decision.
“The Tasmanian Government has been in partnership with Targa since inception, and as with all true partnerships our support extends through the challenging times as well as the good times,” he said.
“Targa Australia has made the appropriate decision to postpone the 2024 competition, and we fully support it. We remain committed to Targa as a key feature on the Tasmanian events calendar.
“Targa Tasmania is an iconic event for our State, and we will not lose focus on the positive impact the competition has on our visitor economy in all the regions the event travels to.”
