The Castlemaine Gift is fast approaching! Scheduled for Sunday February 26 at Camp Reserve the juniors will take off at 10am, with the professional races commencing at around 11am. Castlemaine Gift coordinator Darryl Nettleton said they are expecting 250-300 runners to descend on the shire for the event.
The athletics event will feature a variety of heats throughout the day including the prestigious men’s and women’s Gifts, the women’s 400 metres, the veteran’s event, and the invitational, with the day concluding at 6.30pm.
Any children aged between five and 13 who are interested in running can turn up on the day and will be divided into age and gender groups.
Organiser Darryl Nettleton has been involved in professional running since the age of 28 as a runner, trainer, and handicapper and is proud to have had a long association with the local race meeting.
“There are no athletic events like it in the shire,” Darryl said.
“Professional running had its beginnings on the Victorian goldfields way back in the 1800s. But the first running of the Castlemaine Gift at the Camp Reserve, run in a professional manner by the Victorian Athletic League, took place on Boxing Day in 1922,” he said.
“I first started organising the Castlemaine Gift in 1993 and after some time off decided to bring it back in 2016.”
The Mineral Council of Australia is a major sponsor of this year’s men’s and women’s Gifts, and a supporter of Youth Take Over, a group of young people getting work experience with various organisations. The Youth Take Over Team is currently working with a local web design agency, We Push Buttons, to create a website and marketing material for this year’s Castlemaine Gift.
Mineral Council of Australia CEO James Sorahan said they are pleased to support the Gift especially given the long history of running in Victoria’s gold mining history in the region.
“It’s a great local event and Darryl does a great job organising it,” James said.
Other main sponsors include; Leech Earthmoving and Maree Edwards who are contributing to the women’s Gift, Castlemaine Rotary Club and McClures Excavations – women’s 400m, The Mill -3200m race, Mount Alexander Community Enterprise (MtACE) – 125m men’s and women’s masters, Maxi IGA – 300m Masters, Castlemaine Mail- 400m restricted, Hilson Builders – women’s 600m and the veterans and My Goodness and Chewton Service Station sponsoring the 120m Invitational.
Entry to the Gift is $5 per person, ($3 for pensioners) and kids are free. There will delicious food and drink available for purchase from My Goodness and Chewton Service Station.