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Wide open Gift set to thrill on Easter Monday
The early money was largely proven wrong, and as a result Saturday's heat running has delivered the most even Australia Post Stawell Gift in years.
Such is the evenness of those progressing to the semi finals on Monday, that it is almost impossible to predict with certainty that any particular athlete will make it through to the time-honoured final. More than a dozen athletes are serious contenders for Monday's famed sash and the $40,000 first prize.
In a day of upsets, Tenterfeld battler Chris Hickey (6m) who was sensationally backed on Thursday may have survived a stewards' enquiry but he failed to make it through the heats, finishing a despondent sixth and unable to progress to the next round - even as a fastest loser.
Last year's third placegetter and overnight co-favourite Ben Vickery also bombed out, unable to make any impression in finishing a distant fourth behind a resurgent Andrew Steele (8.25m) in heat 12.
Adelaide human movement graduate, Dale Woodhams (7.5m) who is coached by 1985 Stawell winner, Paul Young, produced the fastest time of the day at 12.10 seconds but there are fifteen other runners within just two tenths.
The 21-year-old, nicknamed the "Pro Chump" by his amateur training colleagues proved to be the pick of the crop this time round. He was happy but measured about his top billing performance, which came on his first trip to Stawell.
"There is a long way to go but I hope I can find something on Monday," Woodhams told the sun-drenched crowd after his convincing heat win over Nigerian backmarker, Bola Lawal (1.25m).
Australian beach sprint champion, Aaron Stubbs (7.25m), has the fastest ‘adjusted’ time of 12.18, which factors in the particular wind conditions in each race but even on that basis, it is the same story - 16 men within two tenths.
The Gold Coaster was cautious about his impressive performance in heat 16 in which he relegated two time champion, Josh Ross (0m) into third place.
"Running fast today doesn't show much. The last few years you have never seen the person with the fastest time actually win on the day. Hopefully I have got a bit more so I can pull it out come Monday," Stubbs said.
Equally impressive were former swimwear model, David Tinney (10m) and 2004 Bay Sheffield winner, Steele who breasted the line at 12.12 and 12.14 respectively.
Tinney was less coy about his run, saying, "I just tried to stay relaxed and have a good start. I am pretty confident. The year before was run in 12.35 and I have run 12.12, so we will see what everyone else pulls out.
Steele was similarly upbeat.
"I am pretty confident. I haven't run for a while so I didn't know how I was going to go. It was good to put a quick time on the board. Now I just have to relax and wait until Monday. This is only the second time I've made a semi. It's been a long time coming and it feels pretty good."
Olympian Sean Wroe (4.5m) showed no fear in his first outing on grass, to win his heat ahead of another of the overnight co-favourite Matthew Hargreaves (7.75m) but is a perfect example of a runner who could easily improve his current eleventh ranking on raw times, as he is only .13 of second behind Woodhams.
"It's kind of exciting. A lot of adrenalin happens in the latter half of the race. You don't know whether you are going to catch those guys. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'll go back and have a chat to the coach, recover, have a look at the other races and assess it for Monday," Wroe said.
But it was clearly a learning experience for the 2009 Australian 400m titleholder, who like his coach, National High Performance Director, Eric Hollingsworth, has never previously been to Stawell.
"I really didn't know what to expect. The lanes look way narrower because of the little ropes. It's just a really quick race," Wroe added.
Three other current Australian champions, Ross, Aaron Rouge-Serret (1m) and Justin Merlino (6m) all progressed as did another former Gift winner, veteran Rodney Mathews (10m) and 2008 finalist, Keith Sheehy.
Bookmakers have installed Woodhams as favourite at $4 but by setting Steele and Stubbs at $4.50, Tinney at $7 and Wroe at $8 have reflected the widespread uncertainty about the outcome.
The semi finals and final will be run on Easter Monday.
In the day's two finals, Michael Marantelli (130m) continued his winning run at Stawell by picking up the Stawell Backmarkers 1600m, his third victory in three years and Ascot Vale's Tom Kelly broke through for his first Easter win in taking out the Official Supporters' Club frontmarkers division.
In other action, Tamsyn Lewis (4m) impressed in easily qualifying for the Strickland Family Women's Gift semi finals, accelerating her claims for a spot in the Australian women's sprint relay team whilst Belinda Carusi was again cream of the crop in the Driscoll, McIllree and Dickinson Fashions in the Field.
For full results from Day 1, please visit www.stawellgift.com
Fastest Times – 2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift Heats
| Athlete | Place | Heat | HCap | Time | Wind | Price |
| Dale WOODHAMS | 1 | 18 | 7.5 | 12.10 | +1.9 | $4 |
| David TINNEY | 1 | 3 | 10 | 12.12 | +2.2 | $7 |
| Andrew STEELE | 1 | 12 | 8.25 | 12.13 | +1.3 | $4.5 |
| Aaron STUBBS | 1 | 16 | 7.25 | 12.13 | +1.0 | $4.5 |
| Kevin BRITTAIN | 1 | 20 | 7.5 | 12.18 | +1.5 | $13 |
| Brendan MATTHEWS | 2 | 20 | 7 | 12.18 | +1.5 | $21 |
| Paul TANCREDI | 1 | 9 | 8.75 | 12.18 | +1.9 | $13 |
| Paul CRACROFT-WILSON | 1 | 19 | 8.5 | 12.20 | +1.9 | $26 |
| Daniel STEINHAUSER | 1 | 11 | 5.75 | 12.21 | +0.7 | $15 |
| Matt DAVIES | 3 | 20 | 2.25 | 12.21 | +1.5 | $15 |
| Sean WROE | 1 | 4 | 4.5 | 12.23 | +2.1 | $8 |
| 2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift Sunday 12 April – Stawell Regional Heath Family Day, Central Park Tickets: Sunday $15 Adults, $10 Concession, $5 Children, $35 Family |
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