Australia’s richest footrace, the Powercor Stawell Gift, returns to Central Park over the Easter weekend (4th April to 6th April 2026) with three action-packed days of elite athletic racing, activities, and family entertainment. Marking its 144th year of racing, the Powercor Stawell Gift continues to be a prominent event on the Australian sporting calendar.

Date: 4th April – 6th April 2026

Location: Central Park, Stawell

Age Groups: U9 – U17 Athletes

Registrations Open: Monday, 2nd February 2026

Registrations Close: 11am – Friday, 27th February 2026

Handicaps

Please Note: LAVic reserves the right to amend handicaps prior to and during the event to ensure a fair competition for all participants.

Events

Events, capacity & age groups permitted. Age group is taken as for the 2025-2026 Little Athletics Victoria registration year.

100m Boys (80 spaces): U9 – U17 athletes (athletes born 2009 to 2017) – 100m Boys entries are close to capacity
100m Girls (80 spaces): U9 – U17 athletes (athletes born 2009 to 2017) – 100m Girls entries are close to capacity
400m Mixed (120 spaces): U9 -U17 athletes (athletes born 2009 to 2017) – 400m Mixed entries are close to capacity
800m Mixed (105 spaces): U9 – U17 athletes (athletes born 2009 to 2017)
1600m Mixed (42 spaces): U11 – U17 athletes only (athletes born 2009 to 2015) – 1600m Mixed Entries are at capacity

The 400m, 800m & 1600m events will be combined gender events.

All age groups compete against each other (there are no individual age groups).

All athletes are allocated a handicap based on their results for season 2025/26. LAVic aims to provide safe & enjoyable activities for its athletes & families and makes every effort to determine fair handicaps based upon verifiable results.

Entry Price

1 event: $25*
2 events: $35*
3 events: $45*
4 events (*U11 – U17 Only): $55*

*LAVic Stawell Gift Athlete Entry / Administration Fee – $1.50 per athlete.

Please note: When entering, you will receive a ticketed receipt with a summary of all entries (including each event) that have been paid for and included in this transaction. Changes to event selections after the closing date Friday 27th February 2026 at 11:00am, cannot be made.

Price discounts to reflect the costs above will apply when making payment. Please register & pay for each athlete separately so that the discount can apply correctly on the payment page.

Draft Timetable 

Saturday:

• AM: 800m Heats
• PM: 800m Final

Sunday:

• AM: 100m Boys Heats
• AM: 100m Girls Heats
• PM: 400m Heats

Monday:

• AM: 400m Final
• AM: 100m Boys Semis
• AM: 100m Girls Semis
• PM: 100m Boys Final
• PM: 100m Girls Final
• PM: 1600m Final

Note: Times are TBA once Stawell complete timetable.

Race Entry Criteria Information – Little Athletics Victoria Athletes 

To be eligible to enter an LAVic race at the 2026 Powercor Stawell Gift, an athlete:

• Must be a registered and financial competitive member (athlete) in the U9 – U17 age groups with a Centre affiliated with LAVic prior to 2nd February 2026.
• Must submit their best performance(s) achieved in the sanctioned competitions as part of the online race entry process.
• Must have recorded at least one (preferably three) performance(s) in the relevant event (1500m is the relevant event for the 1600m Stawell event) at one of the below sanctioned competitions.
• For athletes entering with Centre times only, please note that priority will be given to athletes with at least 3 verifiable times in the event(s) they wish to enter as this provides more certainty when calculating accurate handicaps.

Sanctioned Events: 

• Little Athletics Victoria State Combined Event Championships – January 17th/18th 2026.
• Little Athletics Victoria Coles Region Track & Field Carnivals – February 7th/8th 2026.
• Little Athletics Victoria Centre Meets (including Open Days) 2025-2026 season.
• Athletics Victoria Shield League (AVSL) 2025-2026 season.
• Athletics Victoria – High Velocity Club 2025-2026 season.
• Victorian Milers Club 2025-2026 season.
• Athletics Victoria – Country Track & Feld Championships – January 24th – 26th, 2026.
• Athletics Victoria Junior Track & Field Championships – February 13th – 15th, 2026.
• School Sports Victoria 2025 State Championships – Primary (6th November 2025) or Secondary (20th October 2025).
• School Sports Australia 2025 National Championships (Primary) – November 27th to December 1st, 2025.
• Australian All Schools Championships – December 4th to December 7th, 2025.
• Athletics Victoria – State Combined Event Championships – January 10th/11th 2026.
• *Little Athletics Victoria State Track & Field Championships – March 7th/8th 2026.

*Performances achieved at the Little Athletics Victoria 2026 State Track and Field Championships will be updated on your behalf in preparation for handicaps to be finalised. You will not be required to contact us to advise of an update.

Special Consideration for race entry may be given for performances in events not in the list above, at the discretion of LAVic. Please email the Competition Manager (brett.johnstone@lavic.com.au) for verification prior to entering.

Please note: If you do not meet the above criteria your entry will be withdrawn for that event. All entries are pending, until performances are verified.

Parents/Guardians are advised not to book / pay for accommodation, until entry has been confirmed from the Competition Manager. Any cost incurred due to an athlete being withdrawn, is at the parents’ expense.

Race Entry Criteria Information – Interstate Athletes 

To be eligible to enter an LAVic race at the 2026 Powercor Stawell Gift, an Interstate Athlete:

• Must be a registered and financial competitive member (athlete) in the U9 – U17 age groups with their relevant Little Athletics Australia Member Association prior to 2nd February 2026.
• Must submit their best performance(s) achieved in the sanctioned competitions as part of the online race entry process.
• Must have recorded at least one (preferably three) performance(s) in the relevant event (1500m is the relevant event for the 1600m Stawell event) at one of the below sanctioned competitions.
• For athletes entering with Centre times only, please note that priority will be given to athletes with at least 3 verifiable times in the event(s) they wish to enter as this provides more certainty when calculating accurate handicaps.

Sanctioned Events: 

• Relevant Little Athletics Member Association sanctioned events during the 2025-2026 season, including but not limited to:
  • State Combined Event Championships.
  • Region/Zone/State Track & Field Carnivals/Championships (or equivalent).
  • Centre Meets (including Open Days) or equivalent.
• Relevant Athletics Australia Member Association sanctioned events during the 2025-2026 season, including but not limited to:
  • State/Region/Zone Competitions (or equivalent).
  • State Combined Event Championships (or equivalent).
  • Country/Region/Zone Track & Field Championships (or equivalent).
  • *State Track & Field Championships.
• State/Territory School Sports Events eg School Sports SA (Primary or Secondary)
• School Sport Australia National Championships (Primary or Secondary)

*Performances achieved at your Member Association Little Athletics 2026 State Track and Field Championships or any other events that occur after submission of your entry will be updated on your behalf in preparation for handicaps to be finalised. You will not be required to contact us to advise of an update.

Special Consideration for race entry may be given for performances in events not in the list above, at the discretion of LAVic. Please email the Competition Manager (brett.johnstone@lavic.com.au) for verification prior to entering.

Please note: If you do not meet the above criteria your entry will be withdrawn for that event. Entries are pending, until performances are verified and your entry is confirmed by the Competition Manager.

Parents/Guardians are advised not to book / pay for accommodation, until entry approval is received. Any cost incurred due to an athlete being withdrawn, is at the parents’ expense.

Important Information – All Entrants

• All entry nominations are provisional until results are verified and entry is confirmed as accepted by LAVic.
• Athletes may be required to provide additional information/confirmation of results to enable LAVic to produce accurate and fair handicaps.
• Athletes with at least 3 verifiable results from approved competition will be given priority. Athletes with only 1 or 2 verifiable results will still be considered for entry subject to event spaces being available.
• Athletes with no verifiable results in any given event will not be eligible for that event.
• The number of heats and lane draws for each event will be available in the program, which can be purchased at the event or pre-purchased when entering.
• There is a cap on the number of entries that can be accepted for each event. Should any event(s) be at capacity prior to the close of entries and you wish to be placed on a waiting list, please email brett.johnstone@lavic.com.au with all relevant details (event, name of athlete, age, season PB time and location and contact phone number).

Ticketing

• Athletes will receive a pass as a condition of race entry; parents will have to purchase tickets.
• Athletes will be given a 3-day pass and a wristband for each day. They can be collected from the Stawell Gift Hall of Fame.
• All additional tickets must be purchased via Ticketek.
• It is advised to purchase the tickets in advance to avoid delays at the venue. Tickets details can be found via the button below: