Victorian Athletic League Inc in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Sports & recreation venue

Victorian Athletic League Inc

Locality: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 3 8646 4545

Address: Lakeside Stadium 3206 Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.val.org.au

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24.01.2022 EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - DOCKLANDS GIFT 2021 This is a call out for sponsors. Micro non-business sponsors of $100 or under would be awesome. ... Major Sponsors of $500-$5,000 would be amazing. This event is a great way to hold an inner city professional running carnival but also engage with the local community being the new Dockland Primary School, South Melbourne Little Athletics, Williamstown Little Athletics and of course the local business district. We are trying to make this a yearly event run at the amazing Ron Barassi Senior Park located in the heart of Docklands. As a thank you or your company will be mentioned in the March edition of the Docklands Newspaper (20k circulation), in the program, Athletic community social media and announced repeatedly on the day of the event. Please contact Robbie Spencer directly on 0421878592. An invoice/receipt can also be issued for tax purpose

23.01.2022 Some news about our Stawell Carnival!

23.01.2022 It’s shaping up to be quite a February

22.01.2022 Guess who is coming to dinner at the Bendigo Community Bank Parkdale Gift? The Parkdale Gift Committee, Hartrick Property, and Wayne Clarke Events is excited to... announce that Australia’s athlete's road to the Tokyo Olympics will be on show at the Parkdale Gift on Saturday 6th February 2021 at Gerry Green Reserve Parkdale. In what will arguably be Australia’s best distance, male athletes, on show in Australia at Parkdale, the 2 mile at this year’s Parkdale Gift will witness the King from King Island Stewart McSweyn. McSweyn is currently Australia’s best performed international distance athlete in 2020 with Australian records ranging from 1500 to 10000m. At a small track meet in Penguin, Tasmania last night, McSweyn clocked an amazing 1 mile in 3:50.61. The fastest ever 1 mile on Australian soil, a 2020 world lead, and the 3rd fastest time ever by an Australian. What will he run for 2 miles? In a race with talent fit for an Olympic Trial - McSweyn won’t have it his own way with the following Australia Athletes fighting it out for a prize of $3k (Australia’s richest 2-mile event): - Ryan Gregson - Former Australian record holder 1500m, Olympic finalist 1500m, semi-final berth at the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympic Games. - Jack Rayner - Australian National champion 3000m. National half marathon national champion - Brett Robinson Australian representative World Championships - Dave McNeil - 2 Times Olympian Rio / London - Jack Bruce - PB 13:38.15 over 5000m - Jordan Williamsz PB One Mile 3:56.89 - Ben Buckingham PB 1500m 3:45.40 - Chris Dale PB 1500m 3:47.92 - Tom Thorpe PB 1500m 3:49.25 If you have never competed in the Professional Circuit - now’s your chance to race the King - Stewart McSweyn - There’s a two meet permit available for $20 for new athletes. Entries are now Open. Gerry Green Reserve Parkdale Parkdale, Victoria, Australia. Contact the VAL office - https://www.val.org.au/AboutUs/ContactUs.aspx MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO COME IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS

21.01.2022 Season Rewind 19/20 - St Albans Women's 300m Kysha Praciak had us all in awe of yet another dominant run from the backmarker, blink and you'll miss her zoom around the outside

21.01.2022 We're finally back at Steampacket Gardens for the 2021 Geelong Gift 7 hours of non stop racing action from 11am tomorrow Victorian Athletic League Inc

21.01.2022 Season Rewind 19/20 - St Albans Open 550m Ending the week with a classic distance. 550m races few and far between, but Ashley Kenshole was able to stride away with the St Albans win!

20.01.2022 Christmas has come and gone and The Bendigo Community Bank Parkdale Gift is about to set 2021 off to a cracking start! Tomorrow night watch this space to see who else will be joining the party at Parkdale on 6 February at Gerry Green Reserve. I wonder who is coming?

19.01.2022 Handicaps for the Warrnambool Gift are now live! See you all in the new year!

19.01.2022 20/21 COMPETITION FAQ’s WHAT CAN I EXPECT ON RACE DAY? All athletes, trainers, family and friends will be required to sign into each venue using the QR code displayed at the entry point. Masks are currently required to be worn in all indoor areas including toilets, changerooms, club rooms, prize money rooms etc.... Physical distancing (1.5m) must be maintained when not competing. Groups must not exceed 50 people. The VAL is likely to manage on field 'zones' to ensure safe distancing of groups. This will be detailed in the December newsletter. VENUE CAPACITY Under the current restrictions, each competition venue will be capped at 500 patrons. This includes all people inside the venue including participants, officials, spectators etc. which means spectators may be limited at some meetings. We hope this number will increase in the new year but for now ask that spectators only attend when family, friends and training partners are actually competing. Will we continue to update you if these restrictions are amended. WHAT WILL RACING BE LIKE? We're happy to say that the racing format will remain business as usual. Whilst there will be some additional safety protocols in place to adhere to the Victorian State Governments restrictions, the scheduling of heats, semis and finals will remain unchanged. RACING SINGLETS (COLOURS) VAL competition singlets (colours) will not be worn in any heats or semi finals. We will endeavour to have all race finalists in our traditional colours and finalists silks where possible. Athletes will be permitted to wear their squad or individual racing singlets during any heats and semi finals. However, we would like to encourage all athletes to (where possible) race in singlets that align to the colour assigned in the heat draw. Example, if you are drawn in the red lane and you have your own red singlet to wear. We understand this cannot be applied frequently, but would appreciate any assistance where possible, particularly for our race caller. Singlets must not contain offensive material and they should resemble a similar 'cut' or 'fit' to the VAL singlets. If athletes are unable to provide their own singlets, we will happily provide assistance via our official in the colour tent. WHAT COVIDSAFE PRINCIPLES DO I NEED TO FOLLOW? Do not attend if you feel sick or unwell Maintain physical distancing (1.5 metres) Cough and sneeze into tissue or elbow Good hand hygiene Do not spit or blow nasal fluid at any time within the venue

18.01.2022 Rolling out the red carpet for some more VAL board royalty today ! Vice President - Andrew McManus Andrew McManus’ competitive running career spanned 17 years with his first run at Maryborough in 1989 and last at Stawell in 2005. He won the Stawell Gift in 1992 (finalist in 1994 & 1999), Bay Sheffield Gift in 1999 (finalist in 2003) and Botany Bay Gift in 2000 and was a member of the Australian Olympic Team in Athens in 2004 for the 4x100m Relay.... Throughout his running career he has always been interested and involved in sports administration and took an active role in the clubs he competed for. From 2005 to 2009 he was a member of the Victorian Runners & Trainers Association (VRTA) and was President from 2007 to 2009. He joined the VAL Board in 2007 and was President from 2009 to 2011. Andrew’s vision for the sport is to see its future secured through continued growth, development and organisational improvements that deliver greater benefits for athletes, trainers, clubs and local communities. Andrew is the General Manager Managed Services for the Fred IT Group. His previous business experience includes time as GM Operations at Fred, as a HR Consultant, covering Performance Management, Organisational Development and Strategic Advice, along with other Sales and Management roles. He has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology. Andrew and his wife Suzie have three children, Milla, Addison and Finn.

18.01.2022 Here's a familiar face for everyone! Introducing another friendly figure to you all Director - Mathew Boyes Mathew Boyes is a chartered accountant. He is a director of his own chartered accountancy and financial planning firm in Frankston. He currently holds membership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants and SPAA. He has over 15 years’ experience in working with SME and assisting them with their business, taxation and superannuation issues. ... He has been involved in athletics at various levels since age of 7 and has been involved in VAL competition for over the last 20 years. He has made many finals over various distances and has won a few races over the years. His most recent win was the 2011 Maribyrnong Gift

16.01.2022 2021 marks the 100th running of the Wangaratta Gift Mark your calendars for Jan 23rd for a great weekend of running at the Wangaratta Showgrounds Entries close Friday, Jan 8th

14.01.2022 ATTENTION ALL ATHLETES Entries for the Meadowglen and Warrnambool gifts are now OPEN! Link to enter below

14.01.2022 Neil Jameson's shots of the 2021 Parkdale Gift

13.01.2022 Unfortunately the Warrnambool Gift has been cancelled due to unsafe weather conditions continuing into the afternoon. We will communicate early next week regarding refunds.

12.01.2022 Dear athletes & trainers, The Victorian Athletic League’s Anti-Doping Policy is changing from 1 January 2021. The VAL has adopted the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy which was developed by Sport Integrity Australia to reflect the changes to the World Anti-Doping Code and Australian legislation. The policy can be found on the Sport Integrity Australia website here https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au//2021-world-anti-doping-... As athletes, it is imperative that you understand the changes, and what they mean for you. These include a new anti-doping rule violation of retaliation, a new process for dealing with violations related to prohibited substances classified as substance of abuse, a category of athletes that is lower-level and flexibility related to sanctioning for certain levels of athletes/participants. You can find more information on the changes on the Sport Integrity Australia website https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au//2021-world-anti-doping- Sport Integrity Australia will shortly be releasing the Sport Integrity Australia Annual E-Learning Update formerly known as the Level 2. The course includes updates on the Prohibited List, the 2021 rule changes along with information about other integrity topics. More information about this course will be sent to you in due course. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the 2021 changes, please email [email protected]

11.01.2022 Summary of todays restriction changes: Outdoor physical recreation and community sport, contact or non- contact: Cap of 500 patrons, group size limited to 50 people Subject to density quotient of 1 per 4sqm... Masks no longer need to be worn in an outdoor setting as long as social distancing can be maintained - you must still carry a mask at all times outside of your household See more

10.01.2022 There ain't no rest for the wicked! The Ballarat Gift is just around the corner!

09.01.2022 Thank you to those that have already donated. But we still need your help! Since the pandemic took hold 7 months ago, several community sports clubs across Australia remain closed. Many will find it hard to survive. The financial impact of COVID-19 has devastated Australian sport particularly to the Victorian community and club sports that rely on membership fees and local sponsorships to keep the lights on. The Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) provides a way for the comm...unity to make tax deductible donations to their chosen sporting organisation. The VAL will allocate all funds raised via the ASF towards maintaining the most optimal level of competition possible for the 2020-21 season. Find out more about the VAL Covid Relief Fund in the link below

08.01.2022 Entries to the 100th running of the Wangaratta Gift close today! You don’t want to miss this one!

08.01.2022 Don't forget VAL Committee nominations are closing soon. If you wish to nominate for the position of VAL committee member, please see the nomination form that was sent via email about the upcoming AGM meeting on Sunday, 25th July, 2021 at 10:30am via ZOOM. Please note, all nominees are required to be nominated by a current VAL club. Nominations must be sent to [email protected] before 5:00pm Friday 25 June 2021.... If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via phone or email.

07.01.2022 Is this the greatest ever finish to an Australian two mile? Watch the last 800m of the Parkdale 3200m, as three Australian representatives in Stewart McSweyn, Brett Robinson and Ryan Gregson race their way to splitting the finish by less than 0.15s. Find the full replay here: https://youtu.be/3zrfSRDzTZY... All races from the event will be uploaded later today.

07.01.2022 What a weekend of racing

07.01.2022 Introducing to you all one of our newest and youngest members of the VAL board Director - Keely Henderson Born into the world of athletics, Keely Henderson has been involved with athletics since she was 5 years old. In 2014, she competed in her first VAL competition at St Albans.... Prior to joining the VAL circuit, Keely competed in the Australian Youth Championships and has been a Victorian champion and finalist in a range of track and field events. As a previous winner of the Ballarat Women’s Gift (2017), the Stonnington Gift (2016), and a finalist in the Women’s Stawell Gift in 2015, Keely is very familiar with the VAL circuit. She has also won Open 70m races at Wangaratta and Maryborough. Currently, Keely is completing a double degree of Bachelor of Health Science/Applied Science (Osteopathy) at RMIT and is an advocate for Women in sport and supporting up and coming junior athletes.

05.01.2022 Handicaps for the Geelong Gift are now live on our website!

05.01.2022 Introducing a new face to our board this season Director - Matt McDonough Matthew has over 20 years’ experience in athletics as a runner, trainer and administrator. A two time VRTA Athlete of the year, amongst his wins are the Stawell Herb Hedemann 1600m and Stawell 3200m. Matthew is also a former elite triathlete having won the Australia Duathlon Championship in 2005 and 2008. ... Matthew is a Certified Practising Accountant and Fellow of the Association for Tertiary Education Management. He is currently Faculty General Manager at Deakin University having previously held senior financial roles in the public and private sector. Matthew brings a strong background in corporate governance, accounting and more recently education leadership.

05.01.2022 MEADOWGLEN ENTRIES CLOSE TOMORROW DECEMBER 2

05.01.2022 Frankston handicaps are now live on our website!

04.01.2022 Back by popular demand! We are pleased to announce that the Frankston Gift will be live-streamed by Athletics Exclusive Be sure to tune in for a great afternoon of racing!

04.01.2022 The state's fastest sprinters are gearing up for the Ballarat Gift this weekend. #9News | Weeknights from 5.30pm

04.01.2022 Alright Vics... you’ve waited long enough, here it is, the season 20/21 fixture Some key updates: The Meadowglen Gift will open the season on Sunday 13 December. Entries will be extended for this event. Coburg will be new addition to the calendar. Stay tuned for more exciting updates for this event!... Race lists and prize money will begin to be advertised on the VAL website this week. We hope to have the final meetings locked in this week. We'll let you know ASAP!

02.01.2022 COMPETITION SINGLETS With additional Covid-19 and hygiene restrictions in place this season, our intention was to keep costs as low as possible for all members whilst upholding the quality of our events. We attempted to have all athletes wearing their own singlets during races, hoping that we could still operate effectively. After trialling this at Meadowglen, it became clear that this was not a workable solution for our photo finish team, stewards, race caller and specta...tors. As a result of our operational requirements, colours must now be worn in every race. Athletes will have 2 options: Purchase coloured singlets for $10 each at the VAL colour tent. Card payments are accepted. Purchased singlets can be used for all future races. Wear your own singlet. Your singlet must correspond to the colour you have drawn in each race and be clearly identifiable, not multi-coloured, and not resembling a similar colour. Numbered distance singlets - White numbered singlets used in distance races can be collected from the VAL colour tent and returned immediately after you compete. You do not need to purchase these. If we run out of white numbered singlets, athletes will be provided with a single use alternative or advised to wear their own singlet. Striped colours - Striped colours can be collected from the VAL colour tent and returned immediately after you compete. You do not need to purchase these. If we run out of striped colours, athletes will be provided with a single use alternative or advised to wear their own singlet. PLEASE NOTE: All athletes must check in at the colour tent and confirm their singlet and colour. Your heat colours are also now displayed next to your published handicap on the VAL handicaps page prior to each event. The VAL will be reviewing the above immediately after Warrnambool and will advise of any change.

02.01.2022 The Bendigo Community Bank Parkdale Gift wishes all a safe and happy New Year's eve and all the best in 2021. The Women athletes bring in the New Year with an a...nnouncement for 2021 for the Bendigo Community Bank Parkdale Gift? The Parkdale Gift Committee, Hartrick Property, and Wayne Clarke Events is excited to announce that Australia’s athlete's road to the Tokyo Olympics will be on show at the Parkdale Gift on Saturday 6th February 2021 at Gerry Green Reserve Parkdale. Quality Australian and International female athletes will be entered in Australia at Parkdale in the Women’s 2 mile at this year’s Gift. Genevieve Gregson leads the Australian charge at Parkdale. The local Bayside resident whose resume includes 2 x Olympic Finalist, 2 x World Champs finalist and an Australian record holder is impressive to say the least. Andrea Seccafien (Canada) is the first of our internationals being a Canadian Olympian, World Championship finalist and a National record holder for the half marathon in 1:09:38 and 9:03.92 for 3000m, Andrea brings the X factor. Lilli Burdon (New Zealand) is our second International. A seven-time All-American NCAA Champion (DMR) with a PB of 8:59.18 for 3000m is a raider from across the Tasman to watch. Natalie Rule with a PB of 9:08.76 for 3000m is a young athlete on the rise. Rose Davies with a PB of 9:00.17 over 3000m in November 2020 is in fine form. If you have never competed in the Professional Circuit - now’s your chance to race Australia’s & International best female athletes off handicap - There’s a two meet permit available for $20 for new athletes. Entries are now Open. Gerry Green Reserve Parkdale Parkdale, Victoria, Australia. Contact the VAL office - https://www.val.org.au/AboutUs/ContactUs.aspx MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO COME IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS

02.01.2022 Entry to Meadowglen is closing today! ENTER NOW! Entry to the below meetings is now available:... Warrnambool - Closes on Wednesday 16 December Geelong - Closes on Monday 28 December Wangaratta - Closes on Friday 8 January Maribyrnong - Closes on Friday 15 January

02.01.2022 REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN With the latest easing of restrictions coming into effect later this month, the league is more eager than ever to get the 20-21 season underway! Due to the impacts of the pandemic and the bulk of competition still on offer, the league will be maintaining the usual registration fees. The VAL is self funded and we rely solely on membership to remain operational. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to putting on a great season of racing!

02.01.2022 This year we celebrated the 100th running of the Wangaratta Gift In recognition of the Gifts centenary, Graeme Taylor has written and published 'A History of the Wangaratta Sports Carnival'. Each copy is $10 ($15 posted)... Available from Edgars Books & News Murphy Street, Wangaratta Or contact Graeme Taylor Mob: 0419 373 154 E-mail: [email protected] Direct Credit details: BSB: 803 070 A/C No. 100117459 Wangaratta Sports Club Inc (include your details) Enjoy a sneak peek of the photos inside!

02.01.2022 Season Rewind 19/20 - St Albans Open 120m Gift It was a "catch me if you can" win from Ed Ware in the 2020 St Albans Gift. Leading from start to finish to add another sash to his collection!

01.01.2022 ROAD WORKS ALERT - GEELONG GIFT The West Gate Freeway will be closed in both directions between M80 Ring Road and Grieve Parade from Wednesday 6 January until Monday 11 January. The current advice is to allow up to 60 minutes additional travel time.