VAL Season 2020/21

Well done to the VAL and all clubs for their efforts in getting the 2020/21 season up and going. The Stawell Gift remains a highlight of the season, Wangaratta are hosting their 100th Carnival so hopefully this will lead to a bigger event than previous years. Ballarat and Bendigo also remain as highlights of the calendar. Thanks to the VRTA for getting Meadowglen in nice and early. The current dates are as follows;

13 Dec Meadowglen
2 Jan Warrnambool
9 Jan Geelong
16 Jan Frankston
23 Jan Wangaratta
31 Jan Maribrynong
6 Feb Parkdale
13-14 Feb Ballarat
21 Feb Waverley
28 Feb Castlemaine
6 Mar Warrnambool (re-run)
13 Mar Hastings
20 Mar Docklands (new)
28 Mar Ringwood
3-5 Apr Stawell
TBA Coburg (new)

Fantastic news, the Warrnambool Gift will now be held on March 6th!

BREAKING NEWS - We were notified today by the VAL (Victorian Athletic League) that we are able to re run the Warrnambool Gift from scratch. The Bendigo Madison which was to be conducted on March 6th was cancelled, so we have taken the opportunity to our full program.

We want to thank all our sponsors who have been so supportive of the Warrnambool Gift.

The 2020 Warrnambool Gift has been given a third life with president Richard Wearmouth confirming the event will be re-run on March 6 at the city's Friendly Societies' Park.

More than 50 millimetres of rain and severe thunderstorms forced organisers to pull the pin half-way through the original 2020 Warrnambool Gift on January 2.
Wearmouth said the Bendigo International Madison Committee had last week made the decision to cancel its cycling and athletic event on the Labour Day long weekend.

It meant there was a free spot on the Victorian Athletic League (VAL) calendar.
"All of sudden there was a hole there and we had a meeting and asked VAL whether it would consider having another (Warrnambool) meet," he said.

Wearmouth said VAL gave the new date the tick of approval on Monday.
He said Warrnambool City Council had also been supportive.

The president believes the new date may attract more entries because the VAL season is now in full swing, having had five events.
The January 2 event fell at the start of the season.
"We only finished four events out of 14 (on January 2)," he said.
"So we're going to run our whole meeting again."

He said the results from the four events, including the 800 metres and 70m, which were completed would still count.
Wearmouth said running all the events again would help attract the maximum number of participants.
For example, he said open gift runners liked to use the 70m as a warm-up to their 120m event.
"It's a lot friendlier to the athletes," he said of why the full list of events was going to be available.

In a positive sign, Wearmouth said he was talking to South Australian coach Paul Young over the weekend who indicated he would again bring a team to Warrnambool.
Wearmouth said he would be looking for more volunteers and may need more sponsors for the gift.

He said people could get in contact via the Warrnambool Gift Facebook page.
It is exciting to be given the opportunity to conduct our event after being washed out on January 2nd 2021.
All athletes will need to re enter when when entries open.
Hopefully the weather will be on our side this time.

Fantastic news - well done to the Warrnambool team and VAL for getting this on for the long weekend.
Would Sunday 7th be considered to factor in allowing athletes travelling? This might increase entries as well. Labor Day holiday in VIC only is an issue for interstate athletes though

It would be nice if they ran the track in opposite direction or changed the angle. Running so severely downhill is a real risk for some athletes. Also times can’t be used for handicapping purposes due to the track decline.