STAWELL EASTER GIFT HANDICAPS
Joshua ROSS TULLAMARINE 0
Aaron ROUGE-SERRET BORONIA 1
Anthony ALOZIE MELBOURNE 1.25
Bola LAWAL VIEWBANK 1.25
Matt DAVIES QUEENSLAND 2.25
Carl MOREHOUSE CHELSEA HEIGHTS 3
Heath GOODALL QUEENSLAND 3
Keith SHEEHY NEW SOUTH 3.25
Jacob GROTH NEW SOUTH 3.75
Troy DAVIES NEW SOUTH 3.75
Robert MARKS NEW SOUTH 4.5
Sean WROE MURRUMBEENA 4.5
Iain MACFARLANE HOMEBUSH BAY 5
Matt CARTER MORNINGTON 5
Robert STEVENS CHELSEA HEIGHTS 5.5
Liam GANDER NEW SOUTH 5.5
Shaun FLETCHER NEW SOUTH 5.5
Daniel STEINHAUSER THURGOONA 5.75
John ADAMS LAVINGTON 6
Nicholas BOYLETT QUEENSLAND 6
Justin MERLINO NEW SOUTH 6
Craig BROWN TULLAMARINE 6
Brendan COLE CANBERRA 6
Robert BALLARD NEW SOUTH 6.25
Ryan TURTON NEW SOUTH 6.25
Richard HANKIN NEW SOUTH 6.25
Joel MILBURN NEW SOUTH 6.25
Gareth NICHOLS WESTERN 6.5
Cuthbert RICHARDSON CANBERRA 6.5
Clint YOULDEN WANDONG 6.5
Dane RICHTER WESTERN 6.5
Scott MACE DONCASTER 6.5
Adam BURBRIDGE WESTMEADOWS 6.5
Tristan THOMAS TASMANIA 6.5
Greg EYEARS NEW SOUTH 6.5
Robert VIDLER HOPPERS CROSSING 6.75
Alex CAREW CAMBERWELL 6.75
Ollie WURM PRAHRAN 7
Bros KELLY TYABB 7
Brendan MATTHEWS CANBERRA 7
Stuart WHITEROAD TASMANIA 7
Lyndon GALEA RICHMOND 7
Spencer COX NEW SOUTH 7
Alec EISZELE TASMANIA 7
Tim SAYER BRIGHTON 7
Benjamin VICKERY MERNDA 7
Alex GLORIE WESTERN 7
Mitchell WILLIAMS-SWAIN QUEENSLAND 7
Justin MILLER NEW SOUTH 7
Jarrat WOOD NEW SOUTH 7
Timothy ATKINSON CRESWICK 7
Cahal BYRNE ORMOND 7
Antony DRINKWATER- QUEENSLAND 7
James LOBLEY BRIGHTON 7
Leo PRESS NEW SOUTH 7
Luke MADDEN ENGLAND 7
Ben SOUTHWELL NEW SOUTH 7
Michael BLENMAN NEW SOUTH 7
Peter CLAVEN WARRNAMBOOL 7
Brendan ASHCROFT WODONGA 7
Mark LADBROOK HAWTHORN 7
Zoy FRANGOS BALLARAT 7
Christopher EATHER SANDRINGHAM 7
Chris MARTIN NEW SOUTH 7
Andrew PIRIE NEW SOUTH 7.25
Tom BURBIDGE CANBERRA 7.25
Aaron STUBBS QUEENSLAND 7.25
Mitchell NEUENDORF QUEENSLAND 7.25
Chris HICKEY NEW SOUTH 7.5
Jesse MATTHEWS CANBERRA 7.5
Kevin BRITTAIN GROVEDALE 7.5
Taylor MILLS BUNDOORA 7.5
Patrick ELLIOTT NEW SOUTH 7.5
Gareth JUBB TASMANIA 7.5
Shane FAIRLIE BEAUMARIS 7.5
Andrew HOWELL NEW SOUTH 7.5
Russell SCOTT SOUTH AUSTRALIA 7.5
Sean RAND ENGLAND 7.5
Dale WOODHAMS SOUTH AUSTRALIA 7.5
Shane MCKENZIE CROYDON 7.75
Matthew PILKINGTON CAMPERDOWN 7.75
Matthew HARGREAVES WERRIBEE 7.75
Peter WALSH CORIO 7.75
Ashley GRANT GOLDEN SQUARE 7.75
David GROSS SOUTH AUSTRALIA 8
Jeremy SMITH MURRUMBEENA 8
Luke WHITNEY TASMANIA 8
Damian TOHL SOUTH AUSTRALIA 8
Matthew HARVEY KEYSBOROUGH 8
Shaun HARGREAVES WERRIBEE 8
Lachlan TAYLOR TAYLORS LAKES 8
Edward WARE NEW SOUTH 8.25
Nicholas CROSS CARNEGIE 8.25
Liam SHEPHERD CAROLINE SPRINGS 8.25
Andrew STEELE SOUTH AUSTRALIA 8.25
Patrick HAMMOND NEW SOUTH 8.25
Shayne QUINN RICHMOND 8.25
Andrew WALDRON FLEMINGTON 8.5
Cameron YORKE WESTERN 8.5
Nathan DIXON BALLARAT 8.5
Jonathon SIMMONS NEW SOUTH 8.5
Sam CAMPBELL KOOYONG 8.5
Shane WOODROW BALLARAT 8.5
Clint TOBIN SOUTH AUSTRALIA 8.5
Paul CRACROFT-WILSON QUEENSLAND 8.5
Craig ROLLINSON ATHLONE 8.5
Daniel LEMOTO TASMANIA 8.5
Brett (QLD) ROBINSON QUEENSLAND 8.5
Robert SPENCER ESSENDON 8.5
David WILLIAMSON ROWVILLE 8.75
Adam CABBLE BALLARAT 8.75
Gary MONGTA WILLIAMS 8.75
Paul TANCREDI OAK PARK 8.75
Tommy NEIM MOONEE PONDS 8.75
Mark HIGNETT GEELONG WEST 9
Calvin GOOK DIGGERS REST 9
Jarrod LINDNER LAVINGTON 9
William LITTLE CAULFIELD 9
Ryan BENOIT LAKE GARDENS 9
Josh TIU DONCASTER 9.5
Matthew CALLARD HOPPERS CROSSING 9.5
Michael NITSCHKE SOUTH AUSTRALIA 9.5
Rick SCOTT NEW SOUTH 9.5
Nick MAGREE MITCHAM 9.75
Andrew CURTIS QUEENSLAND 9.75
Daniel SAMMUT NEW SOUTH 9.75
Brendan SMART TASMANIA 10
Martin HORNE NEW SOUTH 10
Andrew WILCOX LOWER 10
Douglas GREENOUGH EAST BENTLEIGH 10
Daniel MILLARD QUEENSLAND 10
Robert JOHNSON STAWELL 10
David TINNEY HAMLYM HEIGHTS 10
Leigh HUNTER HEATHMONT 10
Ben ENGLAND TASMANIA 10
John CARA EAST DONCASTER 10
Peter BEAMES HIGHETT 10
Gene MAWER HOPPERS CROSSING 10
Evan KING ALFREDTON 10
Shane EZARD QUEENSLAND 10
Ryan HOFFMAN QUEENSLAND 10
Shane CRADDOCK COLAC 10
Matthew EDDY NOBLE PARK NORTH 10
Cam DUNBAR RINGWOOD EAST 10
Dustin LOCKETT NEW SOUTH 10
Simon MENZ WILLAURA 10
Todd IRELAND WARRANWOOD 10
Paul STUBBS QUEENSLAND 10
Simon JACKSON BENTLEIGH 10
Javad ASGHARI BORONIA 10
Andrew FLANAGAN EAST RINGWOOD 10
Nathan FOX SOLDIERS HILL 10
Matthew BECKENHAM CANBERRA 10
Jay KARUTZ NEW SOUTH 10
Rick ANDERSSEN YARRAVILLE 10
Noddy ANGELAKOS COBURG 10
Paul KEATING COLLINGWOOD 10
Peter O’DWYER BALLARAT 10
Peter DUDKIEWICZ MELTON 10
Ben SWAIN TASMANIA 10
Matthew KIERNAN OAK PARK 10
Dylan HICKS SOUTH AUSTRALIA 10
Tim POTTER TASMANIA 10
Fabrice MELANIE CLAYTON 10
Warwick VALE AIREYS INLET 10
Travis PIKE HURSTBRIDGE 10
Rodney MATHEWS BUNINYONG 10
Gavin O’NEIL MELTON 10
Matthew MIFSUD COBURG 10
Darren WHITTAKER MORDIALLOC 10
So Youngy - what do you reckon?
8+ range or under? 
I would think it’s almost certain the winner will come from a mark less than 8.0m.
The only runners beyond 8.0m with a chance are Andrew Steele (8.25) who was 2nd at Keilor off 7.50m; David Tinney off 10.0m who has featured in most of the major lead up Gifts such as Bendigo & Keilor; and Cam Dunbar who was 2nd at Burramine off 9.25m and now has 10.00m.
The field was given a blanket lift of 0.50m to accommodate Josh Ross. Where an athlete has run regularly (within reason) he has been granted another 0.25m.
Some of the marks for our elite athltes such as Sean Wroe, Joel Milburn & Tristan Thomas are very generous and if in 10.6/21.2 shape will be very hard to run down.
My top ten (today! 
) is:
Keith Sheehy 3.25
Sean Wroe 4.50
Joel Milburn 6.25
Tristan Thomas 6.50
Tom Burbridge 7.25
Kevin Brittain 7.50
Matthew Hargreaves 7.75
Andrew Steele 8.25
David Tinney 10.0
Cam Dunbar 10.0
This will change over the next 10 days as more info comes to light as info sneaks out about some of the smokies. 
btw, an interesting statistic told to me last night is that of the 8 Stawell Gifts, the current VAL handicapper, Terry O’Donnell has handicapped, only one winner has come from a mark more than 7.25m.
Thses are the Stawell Gifts winners, TO’D has handicapped:
1984 Paul Singleton 5.00m
1985 Paul Young 10.75m
1986 Glenn Chapman 7.00m
2004 Jason Hunte 4.25m
2005 Joshua Ross 0.00m (Scratch)
2006 Adrian Mott 7.25m
2007 Nathan Allen 5.25m
2008 Sam Jamieson 6.00m
So the odds are it will come from less than 8.0m, unless there’s another rascal like that 1985 winner 
out there hiding somewhere, ready to pounce…
In a media release I have the some of the athletes mentioned are doing the following events
Anthony Alozie - 120 Gift
Brendan Cole - 120, 200 and 400m
Matt Davies - 120, 200
Justin Merlino - 120, 200
Joel Milburn - 120, 200
Josh Ross - 120
Aaron Rogue-Serett - 70, 120, 200
Tristan Thomas - 120, 200, 400, 550
Sean Wroe - 120, 200, 400
Big programme for Tristan
1985 was a great year for you, Youngy. First in the Stawell Gift and a world-wide number one hit in “Every Time You Go Away” 
That’s funny…
Great song but ‘my’ breakthrough hit in Australia was "Where ever I lay my hat (that’s my home)…still get requests for it.
Actually…at the Adelaide Crows Football Club, my sprint sessions are written up as “JPY” sessions - after John Paul Young (an Aussie rock star from the 70’s & 80’s). I get called John every now and then. I guess that’s what one gets for being “Yesterday’s Hero”. :rolleyes:
For the first time, TAB Sportsbet are betting on the Stawell Gift before the heats. Today they released their prices. These are quite generous and better (for many athletes) than what the bookmakers would probably offer at the traditional call of the card on Friday night.
There’s currently 4 favourites at 10/1 (paying $11 which is a $10 profit on your $1 investment). Matt Carter (5.00m), Matt Hargreaves (7.75m), Ryan Turton (6.25m) and national 400m champion Sean Wroe (4.50m). (In red).
ADAMS John 81.00 $
42002 ALOZIE Anthony 51.00 $
42003 ANDERSSEN Rick 251.00 $
42004 ANGELAKOS Noddy 251.00 $
42005 ASGHARI Javad 51.00 $
42006 ASHCROFT Brendan 34.00 $
42007 ATKINSON Timothy 21.00 $
42008 BALLARD Robert 51.00 $
42009 BEAMES Peter 251.00 $
42010 BECKENHAM Matthew 251.00 $
42011 BENOIT Ryan 81.00 $
42012 BLENMAN Michael 34.00 $
42013 BOYLETT Nicholas 17.00 $
42014 BRITTAIN Kevin 17.00 $
42015 BROWN Craig 34.00 $
42016 BURBIDGE Tom 21.00 $
42017 BURBRIDGE Adam 21.00 $
42018 BYRNE Cahal 51.00 $
42019 CABBLE Adam 251.00 $
42020 CALLARD Matthew 251.00 $
42021 CAMPBELL Sam 101.00 $
42022 CARA John 251.00 $
42023 CAREW Alex 26.00 $
42024 CARTER Matt 11.00 $
42025 CLAVEN Peter 81.00 $
42026 COLE Brendan 34.00 $
42027 COX Spencer 41.00 $
42028 CRACROFT-WILSON Paul 101.00 $
42029 CRADDOCK Shane 101.00 $
42030 CROSS Nicholas 41.00 $
42031 CURTIS Andrew 81.00 $
42032 DAVIES Matt 17.00 $
42033 DAVIES Troy 34.00 $
42034 DIXON Nathan 151.00 $
42035 DRINKWATER-NEWMAN Antony 34.00 $
42036 DUDKIEWICZ Peter 251.00 $
42037 DUNBAR Cam 17.00 $
42038 EATHER Christopher 81.00 $
42039 EDDY Matthew 251.00 $
42040 EISZELE Alec 41.00 $
42041 ELLIOTT Patrick 34.00 $
42042 ENGLAND Ben 251.00 $
42043 EYEARS Greg 26.00 $
42044 EZARD Shane 67.00 $
42045 FAIRLIE Shane 101.00 $
42046 FLANAGAN Andrew 101.00 $
42047 FLETCHER Shaun 34.00 $
42048 FOX Nathan 251.00 $
42049 FRANGOS Zoy 251.00 $
42050 GALEA Lyndon 81.00 $
42051 GANDER Liam 15.00 $
42052 GLORIE Alex 41.00 $
42053 GOODALL Heath 41.00 $
42054 GOOK Calvin 251.00 $
42055 GRANT Ashley 67.00 $
42056 GREENOUGH Douglas 101.00 $
42057 GROSS David 51.00 $
42058 GROTH Jacob 26.00 $
42059 HAMMOND Patrick 34.00 $
42060 HANKIN Richard 26.00 $
42061 HARGREAVES Matthew 11.00 $
42062 HARGREAVES Shaun 81.00 $
42063 HARVEY Matthew 81.00 $
42064 HICKEY Chris 41.00 $
42065 HICKS Dylan 101.00 $
42066 HIGNETT Mark 251.00 $
42067 HOFFMAN Ryan 251.00 $
42068 HORNE Martin 251.00 $
42069 HOWELL Andrew 34.00 $
42070 HUNTER Leigh 251.00 $
42071 IRELAND Todd 251.00 $
42072 JACKSON Simon 67.00 $
42073 JOHNSON Robert 251.00 $
42074 JUBB Gareth 34.00 $
42075 KARUTZ Jay 251.00 $
42076 KEATING Paul 251.00 $
42077 KELLY Bros 51.00 $
42078 KIERNAN Matthew 251.00 $
42079 KING Evan 81.00 $
42080 LADBROOK Mark 67.00 $
42081 LAWAL Bola 41.00 $
42082 LEMOTO Daniel 251.00 $
42083 LINDNER Jarrod 251.00 $
42084 LITTLE William 251.00 $
42085 LOBLEY James 34.00 $
42086 LOCKETT Dustin 126.00 $
42087 MACE Scott 41.00 $
42088 MACFARLANE Iain 51.00 $
42089 MADDEN Luke 67.00 $
42090 MAGREE Nick 101.00 $
42091 MARKS Robert 51.00 $
42092 MARTIN Chris 81.00 $
42093 MATHEWS Rodney 67.00 $
42094 MATTHEWS Brendan 34.00 $
42095 MATTHEWS Jesse 101.00 $
42096 MAWER Gene 251.00 $
42097 MCKENZIE Shane 101.00 $
42098 MELANIE Fabrice 81.00 $
42099 MENZ Simon 101.00 $
42100 MERLINO Justin 41.00 $
42101 MIFSUD Matthew 251.00 $
42102 MILBURN Joel 12.00 $
42103 MILLARD Daniel 251.00 $
42104 MILLER Justin 41.00 $
42105 MILLS Taylor 81.00 $
42106 MONGTA Gary 26.00 $
42107 MOREHOUSE Carl 101.00 $
42108 NEIM Tommy 34.00 $
42109 NEUENDORF Mitchell 51.00 $
42110 NICHOLS Gareth 51.00 $
42111 NITSCHKE Michael 101.00 $
42112 ODWYER Peter 251.00 $
42113 ONEIL Gavin 251.00 $
42114 PIKE Travis 251.00 $
42115 PILKINGTON Matthew 251.00 $
42116 PIRIE Andrew 251.00 $
42117 POTTER Tim 251.00 $
42118 PRESS Leo 41.00 $
42119 QUINN Shayne 81.00 $
42120 RAND Sean 41.00 $
42121 RICHARDSON Cuthbert 34.00 $
42122 RICHTER Dane 41.00 $
42123 ROBINSON Brett 51.00 $
42124 ROLLINSON Craig 41.00 $
42125 ROSS Joshua 51.00 $
42126 ROUGE-SERRET Aaron 51.00 $
42127 SAMMUT Daniel 101.00 $
42128 SAYER Tim 41.00 $
42129 SCOTT Rick 101.00 $
42130 SCOTT Russell 81.00 $
42131 SHEEHY Keith 26.00 $
42132 SHEPHERD Liam 51.00 $
42133 SIMMONS Jonathon 151.00 $
42134 SMART Brendan 151.00 $
42135 SMITH Jeremy 81.00 $
42136 SOUTHWELL Ben 101.00 $
42137 SPENCER Robert 81.00 $
42138 STEELE Andrew 17.00 $
42139 STEINHAUSER Daniel 34.00 $
42140 STEVENS Robert 17.00 $
42141 STUBBS Aaron 17.00 $
42142 STUBBS Paul 201.00 $
42143 SWAIN Ben 251.00 $
42144 TANCREDI Paul 101.00 $
42145 TAYLOR Lachlan 51.00 $
42146 THOMAS Tristan 21.00 $
42147 TINNEY David 15.00 $
42148 TIU Josh 15.00 $
42149 TOBIN Clint 81.00 $
42150 TOHL Damian 101.00 $
42151 TURTON Ryan 11.00 $
42152 VALE Warwick 251.00 $
42153 VICKERY Benjamin 12.00 $
42154 VIDLER Robert 101.00 $
42155 WALDRON Andrew 251.00 $
42156 WALSH Peter 101.00 $
42157 WARE Edward 34.00 $
42158 WHITEROAD Stuart 101.00 $
42159 WHITNEY Luke 251.00 $
42160 WHITTAKER Darren 251.00 $
42161 WILCOX Andrew 251.00 $
42162 WILLIAMSON David 251.00 $
42163 WILLIAMS-SWAIN Mitchell 34.00 $
42164 WOOD Jarrat 41.00 $
42165 WOODHAMS Dale 34.00 $
42166 WOODROW Shane 41.00 $
42167 WROE Sean 11.00 $
42168 WURM Ollie 26.00 $
42169 YORKE Cameron 67.00 $
42170 YOULDEN Clint 151.00
Massive betting plunge on TAB Sportsbet for a runner by the name of Chris Hickey. He has been backed from an opening quote of $41 (40 to 1) into $3.80 (2.8/1…just under 3/1).
Google Search for Chris Hickey
GOLD COAST PB MEET 21st Sept 2005
80m – Heat 1 Wind +1.6
18M Chris Hickey QAL 8.85
19M Simon Byrne Uni of Qld 9.24
15M Sam Carson Redlands 9.38
OpM Richard Norris QAL 9.85
14M Josh Roy TM 9.96
16M Tavis Read UniSunCst 10.28
13M Blake Achilles TM 10.49
13M Lindsay Crook GC Victory 11.05
8.85s for 80m - That’s a yard outside evens for 80m.
Very handy run for an 18 year old.
Same day:
60m – Heat 1 Wind +0.3
OpM Michael Rehardt GC Victory 6.88
18M Chris Hickey QAL 7.05
17M Brian Wyborn TM 7.24
19M Simon Byrne Uni of Qld 7.30
16M Calum McKinnon Maroochy 7.35
OpM Richard Norris QAL 7.78
So he has gone 1.83s for 20m; say he runs another 1.9m (conservative estimate) for the next 20m that puts him in 10.75 shape for the 100m. Another 12.5m in say 1.1s and he is running 11.86s for 120m (on a synthetic track).
He’s now around 21 years of age and one would suggest he has probably improved a bit. Especially if he has seriously focussed on this event.
Defintely a genuine contender…now another piece of the puzzle we need is - who coaches him?
SEAN Wroe has a fresh Australian title in his pocket and a spot on the plane for Berlin’s world championships, now all he wants is a new four-wheel-drive to replace his battered old Ford.
While 100-metre champion Josh Ross is the sentimental favourite to claim his third Stawell Gift on Monday and become the first man to twice win from scratch, those in the know have earmarked national 400-metre champion Wroe as the one to beat.
While the 120 metres is not his preferred distance and he has not run the race previously, Wroe has been handed a 4.5-metre start by the Stawell handicappers, enough to make him equal favourite with bookmakers.
“Everyone’s talking about me being the favourite to win it but the guys that are out there are all quick guys, and you never know about the guys ahead of you,” Wroe said yesterday.
While he is known for his 400-metre form, the Victorian has been training and competing over shorter distances this year and has done so impressively. Though he is unaccustomed to handicap running, Wroe is used to the staggered start of the 400 and will use that experience as he tries to claim the $40,000 first prize.
“I would like to take down The Josh, The Ross,” he said yesterday of the race’s star sprinter.
“I see that $40,000 cheque and I would like a piece of that. Maybe I’d buy a new car.”
Earlier in the Australian season, Wroe ran 10.49 for the 100 metres - not far behind the times set at the national championships by Ross and training partner Aaron Rouge-Serret. If he can adapt to running on grass, Wroe is well placed. “If a friend of mine was putting a punt on me, I’d probably back myself,” he said.
Rouge-Serret is also thrilled with his handicap of a metre, saying yesterday he expected a harder time from the handicappers. “But then again we’ve got Sean Wroe off 4? metres, so that’s going to be tough for everybody,” he said.
“We’ve had a few hundreds together and been pretty close, it’s going to be pretty tough to run him down.”
Wroe is eyeing a new car, Ross wants more than that. The fastest man in Australia, who relocated to Melbourne late last year to train with Adam Larcom, said he would spend the winner’s cheque on a house deposit. “That and just live it up,” he said.
In the women’s gift, teenager Melissa Breen will compete at Stawell for the first time off scratch, but was still adapting to pro-running yesterday. “We don’t all start off the same line any more do we?” she said.
ATHLETICS
I thought the Stawell Gift winner’s cheque had been $50,000 for the last few years:confused:
Australia Post Stawell Gift - 120 metres
Heat Results
HEAT 1 Result Adj Time Lane H’Cap
1 Completed Shane MCKENZIE 12.656 2 7.75
2 Completed Paul STUBBS 12.847 4 10
3 Completed Matthew KIERNAN 12.884 5 10
4 Completed Andrew WALDRON 13.038 3 8.5
5 Completed Ben SWAIN 13.068 7 10
6 Completed Robert JOHNSON 15.694 6 10
9999 Scratched Robert MARKS 0 1 4.5
HEAT 2
1 Completed Greg EYEARS 12.476 2 6.5
2 Completed Javad ASGHARI 12.513 7 10
3 Completed Nick MAGREE 12.523 6 9.75
4 Completed Nathan DIXON 12.568 5 8.5
5 Completed Ashley GRANT 12.903 4 7.75
9999 Scratched Troy DAVIES 0 1 3.75
9999 Scratched Lyndon GALEA 0 3 7
HEAT 3
1 Completed David TINNEY 12.229 6 10
2 Completed Peter WALSH 12.383 4 7.75
3 Completed Adam BURBRIDGE 12.955 2 6.5
4 Completed Andrew WILCOX 13.120 7 10
5 Completed Clint TOBIN 13.325 5 8.5
6 Completed Cahal BYRNE 15.144 3 7
9999 Scratched Jacob GROTH 0 1 3.75
HEAT 4
1 Completed Sean WROE 12.333 1 4.5
2 Completed Matthew HARGREAVES 12.397 4 7.75
3 Completed Gareth JUBB 12.613 2 7.5
4 Completed Leigh HUNTER 12.614 6 10
5 Completed Taylor MILLS 13.150 3 7.5
9999 Scratched Brett (QLD) ROBINSON 0 5 8.5
9999 Scratched Dylan HICKS 0 7 10
HEAT 5
1 Completed Andrew CURTIS 12.325 5 9.75
2 Completed Keith SHEEHY 12.373 1 3.25
3 Completed Matthew PILKINGTON 12.499 3 7.75
4 Completed Peter O’DWYER 12.532 7 10
5 Completed Tristan THOMAS 12.536 2 6.5
6 Completed Paul KEATING 13.069 6 10
9999 Scratched Robert SPENCER 0 4 8.5
HEAT 6
1 Completed Cam DUNBAR 12.470 6 10
2 Completed Fabrice MELANIE 12.791 8 10
3 Completed Gavin O’NEIL 12.804 7 10
4 Completed Gareth NICHOLS 12.822 2 6.5
5 Completed Jeremy SMITH 13.590 4 8
9999 Scratched Matt CARTER 0 1 5
9999 Scratched David GROSS 0 3 8
9999 Scratched David WILLIAMSON 0 5 8.75
HEAT 7
1 Completed Iain MACFARLANE 12.495 1 5
2 Completed Shaun HARGREAVES 12.596 4 8
3 Completed Clint YOULDEN 12.720 2 6.5
4 Completed Adam CABBLE 13.440 5 8.75
9999 Scratched Stuart WHITEROAD 0 3 7
9999 Scratched Darren WHITTAKER 0 6 10
9999 Scratched Warwick VALE 0 7 10
HEAT 8
1 Completed Liam GANDER 12.412 1 5.5
2 Completed Damian TOHL 12.472 5 8
3 Completed Andrew FLANAGAN 12.591 8 10
4 Completed Scott MACE 12.606 2 6.5
5 Completed Gene MAWER 13.220 7 10
6 Completed Jarrat WOOD 13.870 4 7
7 Completed Tim SAYER 13.914 3 7
9999 Scratched Tommy NEIM 0 6 8.75
HEAT 9
1 Completed Paul TANCREDI 12.278 6 8.75
2 Completed Mitchell WILLIAMS-SWAIN 12.509 3 7
3 Completed Shaun FLETCHER 12.648 1 5.5
4 Completed Luke WHITNEY 12.710 4 8
5 Completed Matthew HARVEY 12.872 5 8
6 Completed Matthew MIFSUD 12.885 8 10
9999 Scratched Dane RICHTER 0 2 6.5
9999 Scratched Martin HORNE 0 7 10
HEAT 10
1 Completed Robert VIDLER 12.571 2 6.75
2 Completed Lachlan TAYLOR 12.586 4 8
3 Completed Ryan HOFFMAN 12.598 6 10
4 Completed Robert STEVENS 12.700 1 5.5
5 Completed Ben ENGLAND 13.014 7 10
6 Completed Noddy ANGELAKOS 13.087 8 10
7 Completed Alec EISZELE 13.568 3 7
9999 Scratched Shayne QUINN 0 5 8.25
HEAT 11
1 Completed Daniel STEINHAUSER 12.243 1 5.75
2 Completed Simon MENZ 12.362 6 10
3 Completed Gary MONGTA 12.433 5 8.75
4 Completed Peter DUDKIEWICZ 12.509 7 10
5 Completed Alex CAREW 12.747 2 6.75
6 Completed Liam SHEPHERD 12.807 4 8.25
7 Completed Brendan SMART 12.926 8 10
9999 Scratched Bros KELLY 0 3 7
HEAT 12
1 Completed Andrew STEELE 12.192 7 8.25
2 Completed James LOBLEY 12.476 6 7
3 Completed Benjamin VICKERY 12.503 3 7
4 Completed John ADAMS 12.523 1 6
5 Completed Leo PRESS 13.246 4 7
9999 Scratched Antony DRINKWATER-NEWMAN 0 2 7
9999 Scratched Ben SOUTHWELL 0 5 7
9999 Scratched Daniel MILLARD 0 8 10
HEAT 13
1 Completed Justin MERLINO 12.477 1 6
2 Completed Rodney MATHEWS 12.491 8 10
3 Completed Douglas GREENOUGH 12.574 7 10
4 Completed Brendan ASHCROFT 12.794 3 7
5 Completed William LITTLE 12.920 6 9
6 Completed Patrick HAMMOND 12.929 4 8.25
7 Completed Jarrod LINDNER 13.182 5 9
9999 Scratched Mark LADBROOK 0 2 7
HEAT 14
1 Completed Craig BROWN 12.303 1 6
2 Completed Mark HIGNETT 12.824 5 9
3 Completed Todd IRELAND 12.962 6 10
4 Completed Andrew PIRIE 13.219 3 7.25
5 Completed Nicholas CROSS 13.353 4 8.25
6 Completed Tim POTTER 13.376 8 10
9999 Scratched Peter CLAVEN 0 2 7
9999 Scratched John CARA 0 7 10
HEAT 15
1 Completed Edward WARE 12.541 5 8.25
2 Completed Justin MILLER 12.702 3 7
3 Completed Craig ROLLINSON 12.773 6 8.5
4 Completed Calvin GOOK 13.087 7 9
5 Completed Michael BLENMAN 13.108 2 7
6 Completed Mitchell NEUENDORF 13.487 4 7.25
7 Completed Rick ANDERSSEN 13.512 8 10
9999 Scratched Brendan COLE 0 1 6
HEAT 16
1 Completed Aaron STUBBS 12.178 4 7.25
2 Completed Nicholas BOYLETT 12.349 2 6
3 Completed Joshua ROSS 12.476 1 0
4 Completed Jonathon SIMMONS 13.132 5 8.5
5 Completed Alex GLORIE 13.139 3 7
6 Completed Peter BEAMES 13.145 8 10
7 Completed Travis PIKE 13.398 7 10
8 Completed Ryan BENOIT 13.868 6 9
HEAT 17
1 Completed Tom BURBIDGE 12.447 5 7.25
2 Completed Aaron ROUGE-SERRET 12.486 1 1
3 Completed Michael NITSCHKE 12.552 8 9.5
4 Completed Richard HANKIN 12.728 2 6.25
5 Completed Ollie WURM 12.801 4 7
6 Completed Shane WOODROW 12.971 7 8.5
7 Completed Chris MARTIN 13.402 3 7
9999 Scratched Sean RAND 0 6 7.5
HEAT 18
1 Completed Dale WOODHAMS 12.195 6 7.5
2 Completed Bola LAWAL 12.397 1 1.25
3 Completed Simon JACKSON 12.481 8 10
4 Completed Joel MILBURN 12.650 2 6.25
5 Completed Patrick ELLIOTT 12.699 5 7.5
9999 Scratched Luke MADDEN 0 3 7
9999 Scratched Timothy ATKINSON 0 4 7
9999 Scratched Evan KING 0 7 10
HEAT 19
1 Completed Paul CRACROFT-WILSON 12.297 6 8.5
2 Completed Ryan TURTON 12.471 2 6.25
3 Completed Russell SCOTT 12.475 5 7.5
4 Completed Matthew EDDY 12.501 8 10
5 Completed Shane FAIRLIE 12.988 4 7.5
6 Completed Zoy FRANGOS 13.100 3 7
9999 Scratched Anthony ALOZIE 0 1 1.25
9999 Scratched Rick SCOTT 0 7 9.5
HEAT 20
1 Completed Kevin BRITTAIN 12.256 5 7.5
2 Completed Brendan MATTHEWS 12.258 4 7
3 Completed Matt DAVIES 12.288 1 2.25
4 Completed Matthew CALLARD 12.519 8 9.5
5 Completed Chris HICKEY 12.622 6 7.5
6 Completed Robert BALLARD 12.626 2 6.25
7 Completed Spencer COX 12.903 3 7
8 Completed Sam CAMPBELL 13.433 7 8.5
HEAT 21
1 Completed Josh TIU 12.382 5 9.5
2 Completed Nathan FOX 12.486 6 10
3 Completed Heath GOODALL 12.547 1 3
4 Completed Daniel LEMOTO 12.714 4 8.5
5 Completed Christopher EATHER 12.852 2 7
6 Completed Matthew BECKENHAM 12.965 7 10
7 Completed Shane CRADDOCK 13.199 8 10
9999 Scratched Andrew HOWELL 0 3 7.5
HEAT 22
1 Completed Daniel SAMMUT 12.572 5 9.75
2 Completed Shane EZARD 12.601 7 10
3 Completed Cameron YORKE 12.718 4 8.5
4 Completed Cuthbert RICHARDSON 12.851 2 6.5
5 Completed Jay KARUTZ 12.981 6 10
9999 Scratched Carl MOREHOUSE 0 1 3
9999 Scratched Jesse MATTHEWS 0 3 7.5
9999 Scratched Dustin LOCKETT 0 8 10
TOP “dirty half a dozen”
Dale WOODHAMS
Aaron STUBBS
Andrew STEELE
David TINNEY
Paul TANCREDI
Daniel STEINHAUSER
HEAT 16
1 Completed Aaron STUBBS 12.178 4 7.25
2 Completed Nicholas BOYLETT 12.349 2 6
3 Completed Joshua ROSS 12.476 1 04 Completed Jonathon SIMMONS 13.132 5 8.5
5 Completed Alex GLORIE 13.139 3 7
6 Completed Peter BEAMES 13.145 8 10
7 Completed Travis PIKE 13.398 7 10
8 Completed Ryan BENOIT 13.868 6 9
HEAT 17
So is Joss done and dusted or does he get a chance to be reborn via some repechage system?
HEAT 20
1 Completed Kevin BRITTAIN 12.256 5 7.5
2 Completed Brendan MATTHEWS 12.258 4 7
3 Completed Matt DAVIES 12.288 1 2.25
4 Completed Matthew CALLARD 12.519 8 9.5
5 Completed Chris HICKEY 12.622 6 7.5
6 Completed Robert BALLARD 12.626 2 6.25
7 Completed Spencer COX 12.903 3 7
8 Completed Sam CAMPBELL 13.433 7 8.5
KK,
Ross scrapes through to third grab at Gift
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Dan Silkstone
April 12, 2009
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* Wroe ready to motor in sprint showdown
* Ross' coach hedges his bets for gift
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AUSTRALIA’S fastest man, Josh Ross, is still some sort of chance to win a third Stawell Gift tomorrow, but the only Australian to claim the historic race from scratch was nearly eliminated at the heat stage yesterday.
Ross finished third in his heat, behind Queensland surf lifesaver Aaron Stubbs, a runner to whom the Australian 100-metre champion conceded a 7.5-metre head start over the 120-metre race.
The two-time winner powered home from the rear of the field, but could not overhaul all of his rivals in a fast heat. With the winner from each of the 20 heats progressing automatically, Ross faced a nervous wait to see if he was among the 20 fastest of the remaining runners.
“I’d like to be back Monday, I felt good and relaxed,” he said. By day’s end he had snuck into tomorrow’s semi-finals, 14th among the also-rans.
On yesterday’s performance, Ross will find it difficult to become the first man ever to twice win the race from scratch. Another fancied runner, Ross’ training partner and national 200 champion Aaron Rouge-Serret, also scraped through despite finishing second in his heat.
National 400 champion Sean Wroe, who began the day as second favourite for the race, won his heat in commanding fashion and dispelled doubts that his inexperience on grass would cost him, despite a generous handicap. “I enjoyed it thoroughly,” Wroe said after recording the 11th quickest time of the day. “I really didn’t know what to expect.”
Wroe was pitted against Matthew Hargreaves, rated third favourite for the Gift yesterday morning and starting off 7.75 metres. Hargreaves — a 400 runner of relatively little accomplishment — took on Wroe, who made the Olympic semi-final at that distance. But in the handicapper’s delight that is the Stawell Gift he was considered a strong chance.
“To be honest I’d never really heard of him but I thought, ‘I’m pretty good at the 400 so surely I’ve got him covered’,” Wroe said. Having run and won for the first time on grass, Wroe said his confidence was high that he could now win the Gift. “It’s not that different to running on the track,” he said. “You’ve just got to catch someone.”
The Gift belongs to the unknowns of professional sprinting at least as much as it does the Olympians and household names. Among them was Ross’ conqueror and Australian beach sprinting champion Stubbs who will benefit from a 7.25-metre start tomorrow.
The day’s fastest qualifier was Dale Woodhams, a 21-year-old university student from Adelaide who grew up playing football and soccer and only took up running after pressure from his mates. Woodhams — coached by 1985 Gift winner Paul Young — will start from 7.5 metres ahead of Ross.
Geelong’s David Tinney was second fastest going into the semi-finals, while Adelaide’s sprint veteran Andrew Steele — off a generous 8.25 metres — was thrilled to qualify with the third quickest time after battling injuries in recent years.
Steele and Stubbs were installed as joint second favourites by the bookmakers last night. Ben Vickery, who ran third in the Gift last year and was among the fancied chances, bombed out of his heat.
I think JR has got no chance.
The day’s fastest qualifier was Dale Woodhams, a 21-year-old university student from Adelaide who grew up playing football and soccer and only took up running after pressure from his mates. Woodhams — coached by 1985 Gift winner Paul Young — will start from 7.5 metres ahead of Ross.
Youngy, it seems to me that you have been playing it down a bit?! He was not on your pick list. Strategy or surprise?
Can anyone recall if Stubbs was one of the guys at the GC seminar a couple of years ago? I know their were 2 guys from Surf Lifesaving who were top class and quick over 20m.
Ross in search of new gift crown
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Dan Silkstone, Stawell
April 12, 2009
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IF JOSH Ross can win a third Stawell Gift today, they might just erect a statue in his honour outside Central Park. Only twice in the 128-year history of this race has it been won from scratch.
Only once has it been done by an Australian and his name, of course, was Josh Ross. A second win from scratch would surely install Ross as the King of Stawell — perhaps even the greatest champion in the storied history of Australia’s premier professional footrace.
He is everywhere here. Posters of Ross adorn the shop windows of Stawell’s main street. He features prominently in the new hall of fame opened by Premier John Brumby last week. And yet Ross’ fame has not quite reached all corners of the goldfields town.
On Friday night, Australia’s fastest man was travelling to dinner at a Stawell hotel in a car with training partner Aaron Rouge-Serret.
When Rouge-Serret made an illegal right-hand turn coming into town, the tell-tale whoop and flashing blue light of the local constabulary suddenly appeared in the rear-view mirror.
The fleet-footed pair had some explaining to do and — as savvy athletics fans in town for the gift spilled out of the pub — an audience formed. It was at this point that Ross came up with one of the most memorable excuses in the history of Australian sport.
“I’m sorry,” the King of the gift told the local police officer. “We didn’t know, I’ve never been to Stawell before.”
It was a declaration that produced mirth from the onlookers but little success with the law, despite the officer in question having little idea who he was sanctioning.
So grateful were the town’s hotel patrons for the free entertainment that they passed the hat around and more than covered the $120 fine.
Whether Ross’ luck follows a similar course today is one of the biggest questions at this event. He will start from scratch and, having just scraped into the finals, a $21 chance as rated by the betting ring.
A win would be one of the great performances in Australian sporting history, and underline a return from the wilderness that has already proved extraordinary.
Having won two gifts and been four times national champion, Ross came close to quitting the sport last year after multiple changes of coach, a battle with depression and a personal collapse that left him virtually penniless.
Instead he moved to Melbourne, joined forces with coach Adam Larcom and regained control over his life, Ross last month recaptured his 100 metres national title. Now he has a chance to recapture his other favourite bauble — and with it a badly-needed cheque for $40,000.
It will be tough but Ross was fortunate enough yesterday to avoid drawing one of the bookies’ favourites in his semi-final. Still he will have to get past highly rated Canberra teenager Brendan Matthews, who will have a seven-metre head start.
The most even heat performances in recent memory have produced an uncertain betting market but one full of chances. Fastest qualifier Dale Woodhams is favourite, rated a $4 chance and drawn in a relatively weak heat featuring world championships-bound 100 metres sprinter Matt Davies as the main threat.
South Australian Woodhams, coached by 1985 winner Paul Young, could install his mentor into a rare club to have won the race as both runner and coach. Only Steve Brimacombe has achieved that feat in the race’s modern history.
[b]Young, who started a hot favourite in 1985, said yesterday he was far more nervous in that position as a coach than as a runner. “I have to just sit up in the stands and there’s nothing you can do to influence things,” he said.
Determined to keep his charge relaxed, Young has relocated Woodhams from where he has been staying in Ararat. Last night, the athlete slept in his coach’s hotel bed in Stawell. The coach slept on the floor.[/b]
Former swimwear model David Tinney of Geelong is also highly fancied after a blistering heat win on Saturday off 10 metres.
Good Luck to Dale and Youngy. I am way more nervous as a coach then an athlete.