Central Park, Stawell, site of the Stawell Gift, with the historic grandstand in centre frame; the Gift is run diagonally across the oval, finishing to the right of the grandstand near the large tree
The Stawell Gift is Australia's oldest and richest short-distance running race. It is the main event in an annual carnival held on Easter weekend by the Stawell Athletic Club, with the main race finals on the holiday Monday, at Central Park, Stawell in the Grampian Mountains district of western Victoria. As of 2016[update] the carnival encompasses events for both men and women of all ages and abilities, across distances from 70 to 3,200 metres.[1]
The final of the iconic main race is run on grass over 120 metres up a slight gradient. Competitors are handicapped according to their form, with each competitor "marked" by between 0 and 10 metres or more to theoretically reach the finish line at the same time.[2] This process is administered by the Victorian Athletic League (VAL). Due to the relatively short handicap limit, the class of runners that can potentially win the event is limited compared to other Gifts in Australia.
The winner is, hypothetically, the runner who can best "rise to the occasion" and perform better than their previous form, although the key can often be to perform slightly below their best in lead-up events and thus receive a favourable handicap. In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia the race was postponed, but in March the race was cancelled, the first time since World War 2. In 2021, branded as the "Powercor Stawell Gift", the race was run at its usual Easter long weekend dates on 3–5 April.
History
Stawell Central Park Grandstand, 2015
The Stawell Gift began in 1878, at the end of the Victorian gold rush, as the "Easter Gift", with prize money of £24 (several thousands in today's dollars), conducted by the Stawell Athletic Club in a program of seven races, most run in multiple heats.[3] It has been raced every year since, except for four years during the Second World War,[4] and in 2020 due to the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
Originally it was part of a number of entertainments put on by the townspeople over Easter, complete with special trains to the event. Today, it is the most prestigious footrace in Australia, with a $40,000AUD first prize. The finals are televised live around Australia,[6][7] and internationally.[8]
The event was historically run over 130 yards (118.9m).[9] In 1973, the race converted to the metric system, and the length of the track was altered to 120 metres (131.2yd), essentially an identical distance. Electronic timing was introduced in 1982, thus allowing greater precision in determining race results.[10]
In July 2009, the city of Ballarat made a bid to poach the Gift. It offered the Stawell Athletic Club A$1.25 million to host the race for five years from 2010. At the time, the Gift was experiencing financial difficulties.[11] The offer was withdrawn later in July. The Victorian state government ruled out providing monetary assistance.[12]
In 2010, the Gift track was found to be around three metres too long, with times much slower than expected during the heats.[13]
In 2019, the Gift was having trouble attracting sponsors, which resulted in a reduction in prize money. In 2018, the prize pool for the men's and women's Gift had been A$40,000 each race, but that was reduced by A$15,000 in 2019. The Northern Grampians Shire Council offered assistance.[14] It has been estimated that the Gift contributes A$5 million to the local economy.[15]
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the race was initially postponed, and the Stawell Athletic Club considered options to run the event later in the year.[15] In May the 2020 race was cancelled, for the first time since World War II.[5]
Powercor Australia became the naming rights sponsor for five years, starting in 2021.[16]
The 2021 Gift, branded as the "Powercor Stawell Gift", and the 139th running of the event, was held as usual during the Easter long weekend. It was won by Edward Ware of Victoria, and the women's event was won by Hayley Orman from South Australia.[17]
Format
Stawell Central Park Track
On Easter Saturday the heats are conducted, with the winner of each heat going through to the semi-finals along with the next best fastest times. On Easter Monday, the six semi-finals are run approximately two hours before the final, with only semi-final winners advancing to the final. Six semi-finals were first run in 1988, before which there were only five semi-finals.
The Gift is run on a 120m grass track in front of the 100-year-old Stawell Grandstand, and the athletes run in lanes that are separated by lane ropes rather than painted lines.[2]
The idea of the handicap system is that all runners should, theoretically, cross the line at the same time. The handicapper works out what mark or handicap the runner will have according to their previous performances in sprint events. Currently the maximum handicap is 10 metres, although this is occasionally increased to 11.
Each metre in handicap denotes approximately a tenth of a second in time. Race winners are often those that are able to "beat the handicapper", in that they need to perform well enough to qualify for the event and the finals, but below what they are truly capable of, so that they receive a handicap that gives them the best chance of a victory.[2] The handicapping system often ends up pitting local runners against international professionals.
Gambling is allowed in the venue, and there is an extensive bookmaker's compound.
While the Stawell Gift is the feature race, the meeting also includes many other races, with more than sixty events taking place over the three-day meeting.[10] The Women's Gift has run since 1989.[10] In 2015, the Women's Gift had equal prizemoney with the men's for the first time.
The inaugural winner was William J. "Bill" Millard (1855–1939), a farmer from Condah, Victoria,[56] who reputedly trained by chasing kangaroos. Millard, running off 3 yards, won the race when the leading runner, W.J. Lambell, of Birregurra, running off 11 yards,[57] fell two yards before the finish of the race.[58] In 1889, aged 34, he won the 220 yards handicap at Stawell, running off 18 yards; and, at the same meeting, having been run out in the Gift's heats, he came third (off 11 yards) in the consolation race, the 120-yard Jubilee Handicap.[59] Millard married twice, had 22 children, and died in 1939.[60][61] His great-grandson, Daniel Millard, won the Stawell Gift in 1997.[2]
Winners from scratch
Only two people have ever won the men's race running from scratch (0 m handicap):
Multiple time MalagasyOlympianJean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa in 1975. Due to winning from scratch, Ravelomanantsoa also technically holds the fastest ever time of 12.0 seconds.
1971: Treva McGregor, Fitzroy; won in 11.7 seconds, running off a handicap of 7¼ yards.
Relocation
Stawell Central Park Memorial Gates
On a number of occasions there have been discussions about relocating the Stawell Gift for economic reasons.
On 14 February 2001, after much discussion about moving the event to Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Premier Steve Bracks announced on ABC Local Radio that the Gift would be staying in Stawell and the State Government's $40,000 contribution would continue.[73]
On 14 July 2009, it was announced that Ballarat had offered the Stawell Athletic Club more than $1 million in cash and incentives, including a $20,000 grant to the Stawell Gift Hall of Fame, to relocate the Gift from Central Park in Stawell to Ballarat City Oval for five years. The Club released a statement through Secretary Ian Lawrie stating they were considering the offer but the "decision is, without question, the most difficult ever undertaken by the Committee of the Stawell Athletic Club". He said the club would investigate and exhaust all other options to ensure the survival of Australia's most famous footrace.[74]
On 16 September 2009 Victorian Premier John Brumby announced more than $300,000 State Government funding to keep the Stawell Gift in Stawell.[75]
Winners – Women's Stawell Gift
2000 Winner: Tamsyn Lewis2012 Winner: Melissa Breen2016 Winner: Talia Martin
Race was 100m from 1989 to 2005, and over the traditional gift distance of 120m since 2006.
MacPherson, Murray Robert (2010). Twelve Seconds to Glory: the official history of the Stawell Athletic Club. Melbourne: Brolga. ISBN978-1-921221-98-9. OCLC450288523.
Footnotes
↑ History at official website, 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2020
↑ "Stawell Gift gets broadcasting boost". Australia: ABC News. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2021. ... the television network (ABC's Australia Network) will broadcast the finals live on Easter Monday into countries including China, India, Japan and Pakistan.
↑ "Ballarat looks to poach Stawell Gift". Australia: ABC News. 14 July 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2021. The Stawell Athletic Club says it has received a $1.25 million offer from Ballarat to host the race for five years from next year.
↑ "Ballarat withdraws Stawell Gift offer". Australia: ABC News. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2021. Victorian Premier John Brumby later signalled the race would stay in Stawell.
↑ "Never Too Old". Sporting Globe. No.674. Victoria, Australia. 9 January 1929. p.7 (Edition1). Retrieved 6 August 2016– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "BOBBY KINNEAR DEAD". Sporting Globe. No.1301. Victoria, Australia. 16 January 1935. p.10 (Edition2: Cycling and Athletic Section). Retrieved 6 August 2016– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "1885 – Stawell Sports". Sportsman (Melbourne, Vic.: 1882 – 1904). 15 April 1885. p.3. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
↑ "1889 – Easter Monday Sports". The Tarrangower Times and Maldon, Newstead, Baringhup, Laancoorie and Muckleford Advertiser. 24 April 1889. p.3. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
Watt, Gary. Stawell Gift Almanac. Legacy Books (2008). Includes the details of every heat, semi-final and final ever run. Available from the Stawell Athletic Club.
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