ALBURY-Wodonga Gift organisers look set to lobby officials to keep the meeting in December, rather than late January.
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The Victorian Athletic League’s wish for a bumper pre-Christmas meeting has paid huge dividends, with record entries and prizemoney for Saturday’s Gift at the Albury Sportsground.
The total prize pool of $22,800 makes it the biggest of the pre-Christmas VAL meetings – Northcote is next best at $9,600 - with the date and cash driving its popularity.
“It’s pretty unique having it this close to Christmas,” Gift organiser Carrick Gill-Vallance said.
“It’s great to get people running so hard early in the season.
“Typically there’s a lot of Gifts with not as much prizemoney.
“There’s always events, but the prizemoney drags people out.”
It will be the second time the Gift will be held in 2015.
The last edition was in January this year.
While it’s out of his hands, Gill-Vallance wants to stick with the date change.
“It’s pretty much up to the Vic Athletic League, to see what they want to do,” Gill-Vallance said.
“I would hope we can keep this date for a couple of years.
“There’s record numbers, and the timing has helped with the fastest footballer being at the start of pre-season.
“And we’re not competing with Australia Day weekend.
“We worked well with the Wang Gift, but it is nice to have our own weekend.”
Athletes are coming from as far as Queensland and Tasmania for the carnival.
Among those entered are Canberra-based sprint sensation Melissa Breen, who will run off scratch in the Women’s Gift.
The Women’s Gift prize pool has increased by $1500 to $4500 in total, $3000 of which will go to the winner.
Gill-Vallance knows it’s going to be hard for Breen to win, but not impossible.
“I wouldn’t say impossible,” he said.
“It will be challenging, but there’s always a chance.
“Sprinting just depends on the day and the run.”
The women’s final will be held at 6.25pm, with the men at 6.30pm.
