Aussie Rare Sport: Tuna Tossing
This sport began in South Australia in the small fishing community of Port Lincoln. It
was inspired by the local fishermen who would toss fish onto their trucks with force and
started being used as a way to spice up a local festival. The winner is the person who
manages to throw a 20-pound fish the furthest. Nowadays the competition has become
somewhat cleaner: participants use rubber fish instead.
The competition is to throw a tuna as far as possible. Originally, a fresh tuna fish was
used. Since 2008, competitors throw a weighted, plastic tuna in the initial heats. In the
finals, they use a frozen 9 or 10kg Southern Bluefin Tuna, with a rope handle threaded
through its gills. No fish are killed for the competition, only undersized fish that have
died naturally are used.
The most successful competitors use a hammer throwing technique, spinning several
times before unleashing the tuna. The current record for the longest throw is held by
Australian Olympic hammer thrower, Sean Carlin, who threw 37.23 metres in 1998.
Carlin also holds the Australian hammer throw record. The women's record of 22.15m
was set in 2002 by hammer thrower Brook Kruger. The winners take home $1,000, and
second place wins $500.
There are also other exciting things to do at the festival, if you don't mind the smell of
fish.
Quick facts
Tuna Toss, part of the Tunarama Festival, is a tuna throwing championship held each
January in Port Lincoln (SA), Australia. To win the prize money in male and female
categories, competitors must fling a 10 kilogram frozen tuna as far as they can.
Venue
Port Lincoln Foreshore
Address
Port Lincoln SA 5606, Australia
Type
Competition, Seafood festival
Dedicated to
Preserved Tuna Tuna
Duration
1 day
Frequency
Annual
Since
1979
https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=15239