THE resurrected Mount Gambier Gift will explode from the starting blocks this Saturday at Vansittart Park.
The event returns after a 10-year hiatus and will be the second richest footrace in South Australia, attracting more than 150 competitors from across South Australia and Victoria.
According to organisers, the fixture will generate a community carnival atmosphere and give fledgling regional athletes the opportunity to race on a larger regional stage.
In a major coup, the South Australian Athletic League (SAAL) has secured iconic Stawell Gift racecaller Cartha McKerrow for the Blue Lake city fixture.
Mount Gambier resident Hayden Cook – who took out the 1600 metre Stawell Gift in 2008 – has called on the community to attend the event, which will have $30,000 in prize money.
Mr Cook – who raced between 2001 and 2011 – said the return of the Mount Gambier Gift was a fantastic outcome for the community.
Given the string of running events, he said it appeared the city had a spring in its step in terms of athletic participation.
“The gift is great for the town and the athletes involved,” Mr Cook told The Border Watch yesterday.
“We had the Blue Lake Fun Run on the weekend, the gift this Saturday and we have the Little Athletics regional championships coming up.”
In particular, he said the Mount Gambier Gift provided a platform for the region’s talented athletes.
He explained the Mount Gambier district had runs on the board in terms of athletic achievements.
“In 1997, Daniel Millard won the Stawell Gift and in 2014 Luke Versace also won the Stawell Gift – there is a lot of history,” he said.
“As a region, we have had a great success rate.”
Mr Cook – who has helped organise the Mount Gambier event – said Vansittart Park was looking picture-perfect for Saturday’s event.
“I have been helping out with the track, which is nice and lush,” he said.
“It may not be as quick as it has been in previous years, but it should perform well – Vansittart Park is a beautiful venue for the event.
“Come race day on Saturday, it is going to be 20 degrees with a tail breeze for the sprinters – this will see some fast times and quality racing.”
League executive officer Josh Orken said the event aimed to foster junior participation and grow the sport’s profile in the region.
Mr Orken said the Mount Gambier Gift had received strong nominations from athletes and support from the business community.
“Runners will come from around Victoria and South Australia, including Mount Gambier, Penola, Naracoorte and Millicent,” Mr Orken said.
“There will be a locals race, a 70 metre sprint which is free to enter for all South East locals and has prizemoney on offer.”
Following the inception of junior age categories in the past few years, he said junior participation had increased SAAL membership by 50pc.
“Juniors make up a large portion of the South Australian Athletic League and are fundamental to the future of the sport of professional running,” Mr Orken said.
“With an increasing emphasis on youth, the SAAL expects this growth to be sustainable into the foreseeable future.”
The state’s athletic league has also introduced a new handicap and stewarding model.
“Funding secured from the State Government Office for Recreation and Sport and increased sponsorship secured by the committee have allowed the league to produce a model that calculates handicaps and monitors performance for athletes based on a range of parameters,” he said.
He said the new model aimed to grow the league.
The event will run from 2pm to 8pm.
