Community
23 October, 2024
Gifts set to bring world-class athletes to town
COBDEN and Mortlake are preparing for a busy athletic schedule after back-to-back events in each community proved a success last year.
The inaugural Cobden Gift and Mortlake Gifts launched last October to great fanfare, and quickly were renewed for another year.
The events will mark an opening weekend double header for the Victorian Athletic League, with some of the best athletes in the state vying for their share in $24,000 prize money across both events.
The athletic festivities will kick off on Saturday, October 26 when the Cobden Community Bank Cobden Gift returns to the Cobden Recreation Reserve from 11am.
Cobden Recreation Reserve Committee of Management president Craig Dwyer said he was optimistic this year’s event would be bigger and better than last year.
“We’re really excited to get to be back,” he said.
“We’re hoping there will be great weather and there has been more entries this year so it should make for an even more competitive event.
“It should be a good day all around.”
Mr Dwyer said there had been around 80 more entries than last year, with a wide range of premier athletes in both sprinting and longer distance running to be in attendance on the day.
“It should be a great day as this year we’re not competing with other events,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for people to get out there and get a look at a different sport which probably only runs once a year.
“It’s free entry so we’d love to see a lot of people come along and draw a big crowd.”
The day will include a free kid’s clinic at 1pm, run by 200 metre Olympian Mia Gross, for all school aged children.
A market will be starting at 11am, with spots still available, in addition to canteen and bar facilities all day.
The day will conclude with a dinner function upstairs from 6pm with guests including Mia Gross, six-time Hampden Football Netball League premiership coach Adam Dowie, Cobden born jockey Rose Hammond, and former Victorian cricketer and current VAL athlete Charlie Sutherland.
The festivities continue with following day to cap off an exhilarating athletic double-header with the Origin Mortlake Gift.
The events are run back-to-back in a bid to help draw a talented field, with both gifts offering an 11-race schedule and $12,500 in prize money up for grabs.
The Origin Mortlake Gift will race to town on Sunday, October 27 from 11am at Wilsons D.C. Farran Oval.
“We’re so excited to be back,” Mortlake Recreation Reserve Committee of Management’s Noel McConnell said.
“We had a great event last year, the weather was down just a little bit but it was still a successful day, so we’re hoping the weather is kind to us this year and it’ll be bigger and better.
“The races will be similar to last year, which were well received, and the track is in great condition.
“We had some very complimentary comments from the athletes last year on the standard of the ground - they’re used to running on footy grounds which are pretty rough in terms of running tracks.
“They’re looking forward to being in Mortlake once again.”
Spendmapp data from across the weekend during the inaugural Mortlake Gift last October showed spending in Mortlake had more than doubled, highlighting the significant economic impact the event had on town.
“It’s such a wonderful thing for the town because small towns have small businesses,” Mr McConnell said.
“Those sorts of things are just icing on the cake for a fabulous day, so it’s great for them.
“Get on down, they’re some fabulous athletes to watch on a day that doesn’t cost you anything.”
The day will begin with a free kid’s clinic at 9.30am, run by Paris Olympian Mia Gross, for all school aged children.
Canteen and bar facilities will be available throughout the day, in addition to Warrnambool Pipes and Drums with a highland theme.