Stawell Gift Explained

Bgcolour:	Silver
Date:	Easter weekend
Location:	Stawell, Victoria, Australia
Type:	Sprint (handicapped)
Sponsor:	Powercor Australia (since 2021)
Est:	1878,

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. the carnival encompasses events for both men and women of all ages and abilities, across distances from 70metre3200metre.^[1]

The final of the iconic main race is run on grass over up a slight gradient. Competitors are handicapped according to their form, with each competitor "marked" by between 0and 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 May 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

The Stawell Gift began in 1878 at the end of the gold rush, as the "Easter Gift" 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, and in 2020 due to the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic. Originally it was the townspeople putting together an entertainment package to happen 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,^[4] ^[5] and internationally.^[6]

The event was historically run over 130yd. In 1973 the race converted to the metric system, and the distance was altered to 120m (390feet), essentially an identical distance. Electronic timing was introduced in 1982 thus allowing higher precision in race results.

In July 2009 the city of Ballarat made a bid to "poach" the Gift. They offered the Stawell Athletic Club A$1.25 million to host the race from 2010, for five years. At this time the Gift had financial difficulties.^[7] The offer was withdrawn later in July. The Victorian state government "ruled out" providing monetary assistance.^[8]

In 2010 the Gift track was found to be around 3 metres too long, with times much slower than expected during the heats.^[9]

In 2019 the Gift was having trouble attracting sponsors. This resulted in a reduction in prizemoney. In 2018 the prize pool for the men's and women's Gift was A$40,000 each race, which was reduced by A$15,000 in 2019. The Northern Grampians Shire Council offered assistance.^[10] It has been estimated that the Gift contributes A$5 million to the local economy. In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic the race was initially postponed. The Stawell Athletic Club was considering "… options to run the event later in the year".^[11] In May the 2020 race was cancelled, the first time since World War 2.^[12]

Powercor Australia are the naming rights sponsor for five years, starting in 2021.^[13]

The 2021 Gift, branded as the "Powercor Stawell Gift" and the 139th event, ran on its usual Easter long weekend dates of 3–5 April. It was won by Edward Ware of Victoria, and the women's event was won by Hayley Orman from South Australia.^[14]

Format

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 120 m 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.^[15] The Women's Gift has run since 1989. In 2015, the Women's Gift had equal prizemoney with the men's for the first time.

Records

Winners - Men's Stawell Gift

The list of winners of the Stawell Gift:

Year	Winning Runner	City/Town	County/State/Territory	Handicap (yd or m)	Time/s
1878				3	12.75
1879				6.5	13
1880				7.5	12.7
1881				9	12
1882				11	12.75
1883				14	12.5
1884				7.5	12
1885				10	12.25
1886				7	11.75
1887				12	11.75
1888				10.5	11.75
1889				9	12
1890				11	11.875
1891				13	11.75
1892				12	12
1893				12.5	11.5
1894				11	11.75
1895				5	12.25
1896				11.5	12.5
1897				12	12.2
1898				14	11.8
1899				14.5	11.8
1900				10	12
1901				14	12
1902				11.5	12.2
1903				12	12.0
1904				12	12.2
1905				10.5	12
1906				10	12.2
1907			Victoria	12.5	12.4
1908	^[16]			12	11.8
1909			Tasmania^[17]	11.5	11.8
1910				13	11.6
1911				13	11.4
1912				11.5	12.2
1913				12.5	12.2
1914				12	11.8
1915				10	11.4
1916				13.25	12
1917				11.75	12.2
1918				14	12.6
1919				10.5	12.2
1920				7	12.4
1921				10.25	12.4
1922				10.5	11.7
1923				9	12
1924				8.5	12.1
1925				5	12.15625
1926				9.5	align=right data-sort-value=12.25	12 4/16
1927				10	12.0625
1928				8	11.9375
1929	^[18] ^[19]			10	11.9375
1930				11.75	11.8125
1931				9.5	align=right data-sort-value=11.875	11 14/16
1932				11.75	align=right data-sort-value=12.125	12 2/16
1933				11	align=right data-sort-value=11.625	11 10/16
1934				9.75	align=right data-sort-value=11.5625	11 9/16
1935				7.5	12
1936				6.5	align=right data-sort-value=12.25	12 4/16
1937				10	12
1938				11.5	align=right data-sort-value=11.6875	11 11/16
1939				9.5	align=right data-sort-value=11.875	11 14/16
1940				8.5	align=right data-sort-value=12.1875	12 3/16
1941				7.25	align=right data-sort-value=12.375	12 6/16
1942	No Stawell Gift race due to World War II
1943	No Stawell Gift race due to World War II
1944	No Stawell Gift race due to World War II
1945	No Stawell Gift race due to World War II
1946				7	align=right data-sort-value=11.875	11 14/16
1947				4.5	align=right data-sort-value=11.875	11 14/16
1948				8	align=right data-sort-value=12.1875	12 3/16
1949				8.25	align=right data-sort-value=11.9375	11 15/16
1950				10	align=right data-sort-value=11.9375	11 15/16
1951				8	align=right data-sort-value=11.8125	11 13/16
1952	^[20]			7.25	align=right data-sort-value=11.875	11 14/16
1953				5.75	12
1954	^[21]			9	align=right data-sort-value=11.8	11 8/10
1955				8.75	12
1956				12	align=right data-sort-value=11.8	11 8/10
1957				10.5	align=right data-sort-value=11.8	11 8/10
1958				8.5	align=right data-sort-value=11.8	11 8/10
1959				11.25	align=right data-sort-value=11.8	11 8/10
1960				6.75	align=right data-sort-value=11.8	11 8/10
1961				6.25	align=right data-sort-value=12.2	12 2/10
1962				8.25	align=right data-sort-value=12.1	12 1/10
1963				12	12
1964				8.5	12.1
1965				7.5	12
1966				8.75	11.9
1967				5.75	11.6
1968				9.75	11.6
1969				7.75	12
1970				11	11.8
1971				7.25	11.7
1972				7.5	11.8
1973#				10.75	12.1
1974				7.25	12.0
1975				Scratch	12.0
1976				8.5	12.1
1977				1.25	12.0
1978				8	11.9
1979				8.25	12.0
1980				5.5	12.3
1981				4	11.9
1982*				7	12.19
1983				6	12.22
1984				5	11.95
1985				10.75	12.07
1986	^[22]			7	12.01
1987				8.25	12.13
1988				6	12.28
1989				6	12.14
1990				2.25	12.29
1991				6.75	11.93
1992				7	12.03
1993		Caulfield South,		7.5	11.94
1994				7.5	12.05
1995				6.5	11.79
1996				6	12.26
1997				10.75	11.98
1998				7.75	12.04
1999				9.5	11.91
2000				8	12.01
2001				7.75	11.97
2002				6.75	11.98
2003				7	11.92
2004				4.25	12.07
2005				Scratch	12.36
2006				7.25	11.98
2007				5.25	12.35
2008	^[23]			6.00	12.09
2009				7.25	11.87
2010				8.75	12.01
2011				6.50	12.18
2012				8.00	12.22
2013				7.25	12.01
2014				10.0	12.33
2015				6.5	12.10
2016				6.75	12.17
2017				7.5	12.01
2018	Jacob Despard^[24]	Lalor		10.0	12.12
2019				7.0	12.11
2020	No race due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
2021	^[25]			9.75	align=right	12.19
2022	Harrison Kerr^[26]			9.25	align=right	11.85
2023	^[27]			3.75	12.23
2024	^[28]			9.5	12.27

Notes:
# Converted to metric distances in 1973.
* Commenced electronic timing in 1982.

Jacob Despard (2018) is formerly from Tasmania

1878: First winner

The inaugural winner was William J. "Bill" Millard (1855–1939), a farmer from Condah, Victoria,^[29] 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,^[30] fell two yards before the finish of the race.^[31] 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.^[32] Millard married twice, had 22 children, and died in 1939.^[33] ^[34] 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 Malagasy Olympian Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa in 1975. Due to winning from scratch, Ravelomanantsoa also technically holds the fastest ever time of 12.0 seconds.
Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympian and multiple Australian 100m and 200m champion Joshua Ross in 2005.

Multiple winners

Three sprinters have won the race more than once:

Bill Howard (1966, 1967) (the only back-to-back winner);^[35]
Barry Foley (1970, 1972);
Joshua Ross (2003, 2005).

Stawell Gift Olympians

Four Australian Olympians have won the Stawell Gift:

Dean Capobianco (1990) – 1992 Olympics, Barcelona & 1996 Olympics, Atlanta
Steve Brimacombe (1991) – 1996 Olympics, Atlanta
Andrew McManus (1992) – 2004 Olympics, Athens (Squad only, did not compete)
Joshua Ross (2003, 2005) – 2004 Olympics, Athens and 2012 Summer Olympics, London

VFL winners

The following Gift winners also played senior VFL football:

1897: George Stuckey, Essendon;^[36] won in 12.2 seconds, running off a handicap of 12 yards, and was also captain of Essendon's 1897 premiership team.
1899: Norman Clark, Carlton;^[37] won in 11.8 seconds, running off a handicap of 14½ yards.
1900: Dave Strickland, St Kilda,^[38] father of Shirley Strickland; won in 12 seconds, running off a handicap of 10 yards.
1902: Alf Tredinnick, Melbourne; won in 12.2 seconds, running off 11½ yards.^[39]
1914: Billy Robinson, Carlton; won in 11.8 seconds, running off 12 yards.^[40]
1924: Bill Twomey, Sr., Collingwood and Hawthorn,^[41] father of Bill Twomey Jr, Pat Twomey, and Mick Twomey, and grandfather of David Twomey; won in 12.1 seconds, running off a handicap of 8½ yards.
1929: Clarrie Hearn, Essendon;^[42] won in 11 and fifteen sixteenths of a second, running off a handicap of 10 yards.
1936: Ron McCann, Collingwood;^[43] won in 12 and 4 sixteenths of a second, running off a handicap of 6½ yards.
1938: Jack Grant, Geelong and Fitzroy;^[44] won in 11 and eleven-sixteenths seconds, running off a handicap of 11½ yards.
1952: Lance Mann, Essendon;^[45] won in 11 and fourteen-sixteenths seconds, running off a handicap of 7¼ yards.
1956: Bill Williams, Richmond;^[46] won in 11.8 seconds, running off a handicap of 12 yards.
1971: Treva McGregor, Fitzroy; won in 11.7 seconds, running off a handicap of 7¼ yards.

Relocation

On a number of occasions there has 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.^[47]

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.^[48]

On 16 September 2009 Victorian Premier John Brumby announced more than $300,000 State Government funding to keep the Stawell Gift in Stawell.^[49]

Winners - Women's Stawell Gift

Race was 100m from 1989 to 2005, and over the traditional gift distance of 120m since 2006.

Year	Runner	County/State/Territory	Handicap (m)	Time (s)
1989		South Australia	8.5	11.55
1990		Victoria	8.75	11.67
1991		Victoria	12.75	11.52
1992		Victoria	13	11.39
1993		Victoria	11.5	11.42
1994		Victoria	10.5	11.21
1995		Victoria	13	11.57
1996		South Australia	11	11.58
1997		Victoria	4.75	12.05
1998		Victoria	9.25	11.70
1999		South Australia	18.75	11.51
2000		Victoria	5	11.70
2001		Victoria	4	11.76
2002		Victoria	9	11.67
2003		Victoria	14.5	11.15
2004		Victoria	14.75	11.57
2005		New South Wales	13	11.64
2006		Victoria	14.5	14.25
2007		Victoria	10.5	14.03
2008		Victoria	4.75	13.88
2009		New South Wales	6	13.60
2010		Victoria	12.25	14.06
2011		Queensland	9.5	13.90
2012		Australian Capital Territory	Scratch	13.95
2013		New South Wales	10	13.98
2014		Victoria	11.5	13.13
2015		Victoria	10.25	13.40
2016		Victoria	13	align=right	13.7
2017		Victoria	11	align=right	13.74
2018		Queensland	7	align=right	13.69
2019		Victoria	13.00	13.60
2020	No race (COVID-19 pandemic)
2021		South Australia	9.75	align=right	13.88
2022		South Australia	6	align=right	13.77
2023		Victoria	7.25	align=right	13.55
2024			Queensland	4.25	13.42

References

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.
Pandora Internet Archive of the Stawell Gift
The Sports Factor Transcript Sport and Religion over Easter, 10 April 1998
News: https://web.archive.org/web/20060126021812/http://www.australianrules.com.au/2005stories/topstawell.html. The ten best footballers at the Stawell Gift. 26 January 2006. Paul . Daffey. The Sunday Age. 27 March 2005.
ABC Asia-Pacific Nexus 6 September 2005 Transcript
Esthonian Enters for Stawell Gift., The Argus (Australia), Saturday 24 February 1934, Page 18
Wells (Samuel Garnet Wells (1885-1972)), "Stawell Stalwarts", The Age, (Monday, 14 April 1952), p.12.

External links

Official Website of the Stawell Gift
Tourism Victoria Site
Joshua Ross winning the Gift in 2005 from The Age website.

Notes and References

http://www.stawellgift.com/hall-of-fame/history/ History
Web site: Stawell Gift: Top Ten Trivia . https://web.archive.org/web/20110519120800/http://www.stawellgift.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=42 . 2011-05-19 . 15 January 2011 . Official Website . Stawell Gift 2010.
News: Town Talk . . Vic. . 27 March 1878 . 24 July 2014 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
Web site: TV Broadcast - Stawell Gift . www.stawellgift.com . Stawell Athletic Club . 18 February 2021.
Web site: ONE to deliver three hours of live Gift coverage on Easter Monday . www.stawellgift.com . Stawell Athletic Club . 18 February 2021 . 4 April 2012.
News: Stawell Gift gets broadcasting boost . 18 February 2021 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 4 February 2010 . en-AU . ... the television network (ABC's Australia Network) will broadcast the finals live on Easter Monday into countries including China, India, Japan and Pakistan..
News: Ballarat looks to poach Stawell Gift . 18 February 2021 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 14 July 2009 . en-AU . 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..
News: Ballarat withdraws Stawell Gift offer . 19 February 2021 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 20 July 2009 . en-AU . ...Victorian Premier John Brumby later signalled the race would stay in Stawell..
News: Stawell Gift: track distance error the worst mis-measure. The Courier. Ballarat. 4 April 2010. 15 July 2014. Brehaut. David.
News: Wales . Sean . Stawell Gift, Australia's richest footrace struggles to lure national sponsors . 18 February 2021 . ABC Ballarat . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 7 February 2019 . Ballarat . en-AU . The prize pool for the men's and women's Stawell Gift last year was $40,000 for each race, with that going down by $15,000 for this year's event..
Web site: Wales, Sean . Coronavirus forces Stawell Gift to be put on hold putting Victorian businesses under unprecedented pressure . 18 March 2020 . ABC Wimmera . en-AU . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200318183132/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-18/businesses-could-shut-as-stawell-gift-on-hold-due-to-coronavirus/12066340 . 18 March 2020. 18 March 2020.
News: No Stawell Gift in 2020 . 20 December 2020 . The Sydney Morning Herald . AAP . 28 May 2020 . en.
Web site: STAWELL GIFT POWERED UP BY POWERCOR - Stawell Gift . www.stawellgift.com . Stawell Athletic Club . 18 February 2021 . 27 November 2020.
News: Darling . Alexander . Stawell Gift makes triumphant return as Australia's richest footrace . 14 June 2021 . ABC Wimmera . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 4 April 2021 . en-AU.
Web site: Stawell Gift Results. Official Website. Stawell Athletic Club. 4 April 2013.
Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Jack King, who trained his brother, Chris King (1908), Clarrie Hearn (1929), Frank Bradley (1937), and Jack Hayes (1954): Stawell Gift To Hayes, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, (Tuesday, 20 April 1954), p.3.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64870739 The Stawell Gift: Burnie Man's Fine Win
Web site: Clarrie Hearn photo . News . 28 March 1930 . Adelaide News . 16 May 2020 . 28 March 1930, page 10..
Web site: Hearn's win at Stawell was well merited. . Sporting Globe . 3 April 1929 . The Sporting Globe, 3 April 1929, page 1. . 16 May 2020.
Web site: STAWELL PAYOUT TOTALS £15,000 Mann hits 'books' with fine win . Sporting Globe . 24 November 2022 . 11 . 15 April 1952.
Web site: JACK HAYES COLLECTS STAWELL GIFT IN 11.8 SECS. . Advocate (Burnie, Tasmania). . 24 November 2022 . 9 . 20 April 1954.
Web site: Difficult Gift finishes in old school tie quinella . The Canberra Times (ACT) . 24 November 2022 . 18 . 1 April 1986.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/athletics/victorian-sam-jamieson-wins-gift/story-e6frfgkx-1111115873796 Victorian Sam Jamieson wins Stawell Gift
News: 2018-04-02 . Sixth-time lucky for Stawell Gift winner . en-AU . ABC News. 2022-04-19.
News: 2021-04-04 . Stawell Gift makes triumphant return as Australia's richest footrace . en-AU . ABC News . 2022-04-19.
News: 2022-04-18 . Harrison Kerr and Carla Bull claim Stawell Gift victory in Australia's richest footrace . en-AU . ABC News . 2022-04-19.
News: Gleeson . Michael . An Essendon connection and a family affair: The two teenagers who won the Stawell Gift . en . The Age . 2023-04-10 . 2022-04-10.
News: Gleeson . Michael . 'We were actually praying for the rain': Olympic hopeful wins Gift amid wild weather . en . The Age] . 2024-04-01 . 2024-04-01.
Web site: Stawell Gift . History . 2008-10-17 .
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149823407 Town Talk, The Geelong Advertiser, (Wednesday, 3 April 1878), p.2.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149823986 Stawell, The Geelong Advertiser, (Tuesday, 23 April 1878), p.2
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88585763 The Stawell Athletic Club Sports, The Bendigo Advertiser, (Tuesday, 23 April 1889), p.2.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/73021918 Obituary: Millard, The Horsham Times, (Tuesday, 2 May 1939), p.2
News: WON FIRST GIFT . . 28,918 . Melbourne. 29 April 1939 . 27 August 2016 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
Web site: Bill Howard's Stawell Gift, 1966. theage.com.au. The Age Company Ltd. 15 January 2011. 15 April 2006.
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/G/George_Stuckey.html AFL Tables: George Stuckey
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/N/Norman_Clark.html AFL Tables: Norman Clark
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/D/Dave_Strickland.html AFL Tables: Dave Strickland
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32610130 Athletics, Kalgoorlie Western Argus, (Tuesday, 15 April 1902), p.38
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45278408 Stawell Easter Gift, (Broken Hill) Barrier Miner, (Thursday, 16 April 1914), p.2
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/B/Bill_Twomey1.html AFL Tables: Bill Twomey, Sr.
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/C/Clarrie_Hearn.html AFL Tables: Clarrie Hearn
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/R/Ron_McCann.html AFL Tables: Ron McCann
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/J/Jack_Grant1.html AFL Tables: Jack Grant
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/L/Lance_Mann.html AFL Tables: Lance Mann
Web site: Tigers of all sports. 3 January 2015.
Web site: The World Today Archive: Stawell Gift to stay put . . 2009-07-14 .
News: Ballarat looks to poach Stawell Gift . ABC News . 14 July 2009 . 2009-07-14 .
Web site: Premier announces funding for Stawell Gift . 15 September 2009 . 2009-09-16 .