About Australia Post Stawell Gift 2012
The Australia Post Stawell Gift is a professional footracing meeting with sixty-six events over three competition days, culminating in the “Australia Post Stawell Gift” race with a winner’s cheque of $40,000. In all, more than $120,000 of prize money is up for grabs over the weekend, with much more working its way through the bookies ring.
Australia’s oldest and richest short distance running race, the Stawell Gift is run over every Easter weekend, with the main race finals on the holiday Monday, at Central Park, Stawell in the Grampian Mountains district of western Victoria.
The race is run on grass over 120 metres up a slight gradient. Competitors are handicapped according to their form, with each competitor handicapped to reach the finish line at the same time. The winner is, theoretically, the runner who can best, figuratively, ‘rise to the occasion’ and perform better than their previous form.
This process is administered by the Victorian Athletic League, commonly referred to as the VAL. Due to the relatively short handicap limit, the class of runners that can potentially win the event are limited compared to other Gifts in Australia.
History
The first Stawell Gift was in 1878, as a fun race between miners at the end of the gold rush. It has been raced every year since, except for four years during the Second World War.
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 event is sponsored by Australia Post and the finals are televised live around Australia.
Location
Central Park
8 Lower Main St
Stawell VIC 3380
Contact
- Phone: 03 5358 1326
- Fax: 03 5358 4335
- Email: sac@netconnect.com.au
