Powercor Stawell Gift Champions Crowned
Published Tue 19 Apr 2022
Harrison Kerr and Carla Bull claimed the crowns at the 140th Powercor Stawell Gift Carnival today (Easter Monday).
Harrison Kerr ran the fastest winning time in the final of the Powercor Stawell Gift since 1995 to take home the $40,000 prize purse. His winning time of 11.845 seconds off 9.25m saw him live up to his tag as the hot favourite as he stormed home ahead of Hamish Lindstrom in 12.007s, Jesse McKenna in 12.164s, New Zealand champion sprinter Eddie Nketia off scratch in 12.268s, Tom Griffin in 12.357s and Kyle Nicolussi in 12.397s.
Carla Bull finished off an incredible weekend in Stawell, taking out the Change Our Game Women’s Gift to back up from her 70m Women’s title on Sunday. Bull, from Parkwood on the Gold Coast, won in 13.774s with a handicap of 6m.
Clare de Salis was a close second in 13.788s. Mia Gross gave her nearest competitor 5m but stormed home to round out the podium in 13.800s. Cassandra Wang LeCouteur finished fourth in 13.834s, with Lucy Carter 5th in 13.847s, followed by Danielle Shaw in 13.884s.
A clearly delighted Bull said she was overwhelmed with how the weekend went for her. “I’m absolutely stoked and lost for words. It was such a close race, the other competitors in the final were all truly amazing.”
Kerr put injury behind him to recover and improve his speed this season and believed he was coming into form at the right time to confidently win today. “I am so happy everything came together in my 8th year of competing. To get up against some of the serious talent we have on the track is amazing,” Kerr said.
Nick Fieldler, who also coached 2021 Powercor Stawell Gift winner Ed Ware, said he knew in the last few weeks Harry would be a really good chance. “He just kept getting faster and faster at training. He surpassed what I expected him to do, he ran out of his skin and I wasn’t expecting that. I can’t fault a thing he did and he is an absolute joy to coach,” said Nick.
The AIA Vitality Invitational Women’s Handicap 1000m saw a host of Australia’s elite middle-distance women descend upon Central Park, with Tokyo Olympian Georgia Griffith reigning supreme off her mark of 7m.
After the field set an aggressive early pace, it was Griffith who timed her run to perfection, roaring around the home bend to clinch the victory and sash ahead of 1500m national champion Abbey Caldwell (7m) and Australian record holder Linden Hall (scratch).
Fellow Olympian Catriona Bisset (2m) had her work cut out for her from the gun, fighting on valiantly over the final lap as she soaked in the Central Park atmosphere in front of a bumper crowd.
2018 Powercor Stawell Gift winner Jacob Despard won the Furphy Chris Perry Memorial Backmarkers Invitational Handicap 120m beating 100m National champion Jake Doran into second, with 2017 Stawell Gift winner Matthew Rizzo in 3rd place. Queensland teenage sensation Torrie Lewis was fourth.
The Stawell Athletic Club Jack Donaldson 200m was won by Dion Paull in 20.878s.
Brady Threlfall took out the Northern Grampians Shire Council Herb Hedemann Invitation Handicap in 4:2.215s.
The Bill Howard Handicap 100m winner was Jack Wolff who also took out the Arthur Postle 70m Handicap.
The new SYPAQ Defence Forces Handicap was won by the backmarker Corey Tuddenham running off the scratch mark.
16-year-old Bella Pasquali was the emotional winner of the SYPAQ Lorraine Donnan 400m Handicap, mentioning her mother Anna when accepting the trophy who won the same event in 2017.
The Stawell Family Central Park Frontmarkers Handicap 400m was won by Michael Dinan in 47.694s.
RESULTS Full results for Day 3 of the Power Stawell Gift Carnival are here:
https://www.stawellgift.com/on-the-track/results-2022/
PHOTOS for Day 3 here:
https://www.lukehemer.com/gallery-collection/2022-Stawell-Gift/C0000cCCwxRTvhHA
By Stawell Gift
Posted: 19/4/2022
