The amazing Ravelo tops the list

[richard]

IT CAME as no surprise last night, when at a dinner to celebrate the 125th running of the Stawell Gift, Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa's astonishing victory in 1975 was named the event's greatest moment.

The Madagascan, who had finished eighth behind Jim Hines in the 100 metres final at the Mexico City Games, and had competed in Munich, was invited to Stawell by promoter John Toleman. He was given the scratch mark.

In squally, wet conditions, and on a bog track (which rises 90 cent- imetres over the distance), he powered home in 12.0 seconds, a run 11 yards inside even time. If you are ever in Stawell, it is worth visiting the museum just to watch the film of his run. It is amazing.

The Stawell Athletic Club must have argued long and hard when deciding on these 125 most memorable moments. They are surprisingly eclectic, covering the full program of events and the ranking will generate plenty of discussion.

There are just so many stories about Stawell; so many characters. Blokes with a bit of toe, who emerge out of the ether, lured by wily trainers, and the magnificent handicap system, which is part of Stawell's romance. They appear from places such as Katamatite, Bundaberg and Yapeet. They are postmen and farmers and footballers. Some made their fortune winning.

But at Stawell you can make your fortune losing as well, and these stories, which don't bear the committee's seal of approval, are told elsewhere.

Ravelo is a standout. But Josh Ross' performances are not far behind. The committee has ranked his 2005 win, off scratch, at No. 2.

Those of us who saw him surge at the halfway mark, and then gobble up his rivals over the last 30 metres before clearing away majestically, will remember that fleeting feeling forever. It is one of the best things I've seen in sport.

Punters among us also have plenty of regard for his 2003 victory when his stable fleeced the bookies — the same punters who wish they had taken some of the 66-1 on offer for Dean Capobianco in 1990 (No. 17).

Only two other runners have won the event twice. Bill Howard, an accountant from Wodonga, famously won in 1966-67 (ranked No. 3). B.P. Foley of Ascot Vale won in 1970 and 1972 (No. 13).

Miler Harry Downes (No. 4) is a legendary figure at Stawell. He is the first professional runner to break the four-minute mile — at Bendigo in 1963. Crowds caught in the autumn torpor of Grampians sunshine, icecream and beer would always look out for the mile.

Could Harry Downes chase them down? He won the Herb Hedemann mile three years in a row at one stage, all from scratch.

Cathy Freeman's performances at Stawell place her at No. 5. In 1995, as the scratch marker, she won the 400 metres. She repeated the victory in tough conditions the following year, just before heading off to the Atlanta Olympics.

Just like the Melbourne Cup, the Stawell Gift places blue-blood champions against country handicappers. Some of the world-class athletes who have come to Stawell haven't quite come to terms with the nature of the race.

Linford Christie entered the event in 1999. He drew Rod Matthews in his heat and lost. He then lost his repechage. Unsatisfied with the Stawell handicapping system, he gathered his troops (which included athletes Darren Campbell and Jamie Baulch), hired vehicles, and headed home.

He later learnt he had qualified for the semi-finals as the fastest loser in the repechage (No. 18).

John Drummond (No. 28) also competed, appearing in a head-to-toe lycra bodysuit, rarely seen at Stawell. In 1998, he won his heat off scratch, but was run out in the semi-final. He returned in 2000 but found his mark too severe.

The internationals have been coming for years. Most recently Jason Hunte from Barbados took the honours in 2003 (No. 119). George MacNeill sang O Flower of Scotland from the dais when he won in 1981 (No. 10).

The first visitor, though, was Irish champion Tom Malone, who reached the final in 1884 but broke three times and was disqualified (No. 42). The American E.S. Skinner won the 1889 Gift, but does not make the rankings. His countryman, Warren Edmondson, won the Centenary Gift in 1877 (No. 6).

Norwood "Barney" Ewell (No. 14) was a great favourite of crowds in the early 1950s. Representing the US, he had won the silver medal in both the 100 and 200 metres at the London Olympic Games in 1948.

A charismatic African-American who ran off scratch throughout the 1950 season, he was loved by the Australian crowds. He had many battles with Scot Albert Grant. But in the 1950 Gift both were gazumped by a Queenslander.

In one of the great stings of Australian punting, unknown Kenny Trewick landed the final. The committee has a long memory. While some punters would have this Gift in their top 10, it manages an official ranking of 112.

Apart from Ross, several indigenous athletes have won the Gift. Bobby Kinnear from Dimboola won the event in 1883 (No. 55). Tommy Dancey from Toowoomba won it in 1910. Lynch Cooper from Jeparit won it in 1928 (No. 82).

For many years the VFL season did not start until late April. Stawell was popular with speedy players. Three Essendon footballers have won the event: George Stuckey in 1897, Jack Grant, who also played for Geelong, in 1938, and Lance Mann in 1952.

Collingwood's "Old" Bill Twomey won the 1924 Gift (No. 22).

Dave Strickland (No. 69) won in 1900. The St Kilda footballer was the father of Olympic champion Shirley Strickland. The last footballer to win was Trevor MacGregor in 1971 (No. 23).

The Stawell Gift is a wonderful event with a deserved place in the sporting life of the nation. Perhaps, sooner rather than later, the committee could translate this list of great moments into a more comprehensive account.

Top Ten Moments

1. JEAN-LOUIS RAVELOMANANTSOA, from Madagascar, a finalist in the 1968 Mexico Olympics and three-time Olympian becomes the first athlete to win the Gift from scratch in 1975.

2. JOSHUA ROSS, who blitzed the field in 2003, emulates “Ravelo” by winning off scratch in 2005 to become the third athlete to win the Gift twice.

3. Wodonga accountant BILL HOWARD claims his first Gift in 1966 despite a broken bone in his foot. He becomes the first runner to win consecutively, in 1967, in a sparkling 11.6 seconds off five yards.

4. HARRY DOWNES, the first professional athlete to break four minutes for the mile, won seven times at Stawell, including three consecutive Herb Hedemann handicaps in 1967, ‘68 and ‘69 — all from scratch.

5. CATHY FREEMAN, produces a stunning win from scratch in the 400 metres in 1995 and follows up the next year despite miserable conditions and being continually checked and bumped.

6. American Olympian and national champion WARREN EDMONSON, main picture, wins the centenary Gift in 1977 in 12 seconds off one metre. He becomes the second American to win after E.S. Skinner in 1889.

7. Ballarat’s LEN SPRAGUE, who required heavy bandages on both feet due to fallen arches, wins the 1939 Gift from nine yards, along with the sprint handicap over 75 yards. In 1941 Sprague wins the 220 yards stewards’ purse off scratch, setting a professional world record of 21.1 seconds.

8. St Kilda’s JOHN STONEY produces one of the best runs at Central Park to finish an agonisingly close third in the 1949 Gift off two yards.

9. JOHN MCCRACKEN, a multiple winner at Stawell, wins a titanic struggle with Harry Downes in the Herb Hedemann handicap in 1964. Both run off scratch, with McCracken prevailing in 4:02.8 in a race Stawell historians refer to as the Mile of the Century.

10. On his eighth visit, Scot GEORGE MCNEILL wins the 100th running of the Gift in 1981 at the age of 34. After racing to victory in 11.9 seconds off four metres, he sings O Flower of Scotland on the podium.


Source
theage.com.au

Image: Ravelo, or to use his full name, the stunning photo of
Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa's astonishing victory in 1975