2026 Victorian Masters 30 Athletics Gift Registration

Victorian Masters 30+ Athletics Gift – 4th edition Sunday February 15th, 2026 at Ross Reserve [home of Dandenong-Springvale VMA venue], Noble Park. Start 9.45am.

Introduction: Get excited! Experience for yourself the excellence of this recently (2025) re-opened world class, athletics facility by entering the 2026 VMA Gift! The “Gift” is a competition in the VMA’s Masters 30+ summer events series. Victorian Masters Athletics (VMA) is proud to present the 4th edition” of this event, believed to be the only one of its kind to feature all Track & Field Disciplines in a single competition for prizemoney. 

What is it? Athletes will compete against each other in events, all with handicaps of different types according to the event type, with the aim being to create a "level playing field" where every athlete has a chance to win! A description of all the events that will be contested on the day, the types of handicaps and the minimum event prizemoney, can be viewed in the draft program.

Who can enter? To enter you need to be 30+ years of age and a Masters’ affiliated athlete. Interstate and Overseas athletes are welcome to compete by invitation.  Any non-masters affiliated athlete will be required to join Victorian Masters Athletics (VMA) – for the low introductory new member cost of just $25/athlete. For non-affiliated Masters athletes, membership of VMA will be required in order to be able to complete the online entry form. This affiliation will also allow athletes to enter other VMA 30+ events in 20265.  Note: Membership and event entry costs cover the staging of the event (including) insurance cover and the digital timing system that will be used this year.

Cost of entry. $15 / event (individual events - relays are free) + (i) $10 Admin. fee to offset cost of Officials & (ii) a nomination of a friend or family member to assist with helper duties at the event or paying of an extra $10 where this not an option (note we prefer the names of helpers!). Entries close at 9pm on Monday February 9th. No late entries will be accepted after the entries closing date or on the day. Refunds will be given up until the Friday before competition in the event of injury or unforeseen personal circumstances that arise.

Conditions of entry for events with handicaps. All athletes entering that have run regularly this season in the following competitions will be granted a place in the event/s they have entered, provided they have competed in those events or similar this season and adequate performance data is available. The competitions are (i) Victorian Masters mid-week venues (ii) any AV events (iii) Victorian Athletics League events (iv) other VMA competitions eg. Track & Field Pentathlon, Landy events (held in November) or State Championships, Track & Field & Throws Pentathlons held in early 2025; (v) interstate State Athletics or Masters events for which performance data can be supplied and is able to be verified. Athletes are also to welcome to email information on their performances, including guidance on where this information can be viewed to vmagift@vicmastersathletics.org.au. An independent VMA handicapper will review all performance data accordingly. Should the handicapper deem that they are unable to make a proper judgement of a handicap of any athlete from competition data / information available (for an event they have entered) and this is not able to be satisfactorily resolved, then a refund for that event will be provided. Where the data may be deemed to be limited in nature (eg. if just for one or several performances) an entry may be accepted but with the handicap being set conservatively. All decisions regarding acceptability of entries will rest with the Event Manager based on recommendations of the handicapper. 

Events description. The following is a description of events. In all events the winners, and 2nd/3rd placegetters will receive a sash and prize money and/or vouchers from event sponsors. The events described below are first labelled by type and grouped (eg. ‘Sprint’, ‘Throws’), so scroll down to the event/s which align with your participation interest. If you have any questions please contact the Event Manager, Rob Mayston on 0437 487 277. 

Sprint (short #1): 110m. Format: Qualifying (all run 110m) + Semi-Final + Final (both from distance marks). Field will be split as, “Fast"/ “Legends” based on ability / handicap. The field will be split according to a benchmark time/110m (to be established based on entries) by the handicapper. The first round will be a qualifying round where all athletes run the full 110m and strive for their best performance to qualify to progress in the event. The results from the qualifying round will be assessed in conjunction with the pre-event assigned handicaps to determine those who will progress to the next round. The VMA handicapper at this point also reserves the right to make minor adjustment to originally based handicaps at their discretion based on performance in the qualification round. 

Sprint (short #2): 200m. A new event for the VMA Gift in 2026. Format: +Qualifying: Field will be split as, “Fast” / “Legends” based on ability / handicap - subject to numbers#. The field will be split according to a benchmark time/200m (to be established based on entries). Format: Qualifying + Final ("Fast" &"Legends")#. The first round will be a qualifying round where all athletes run the full 200m and strive for their best performance to qualify to progress in the event. The results from the qualifying round will be assessed in conjunction with the pre-event assigned handicaps to determine those who will progress to the next round. The VMA handicapper at this point also reserves the right to make minor adjustment to handicaps at their discretion based on performance in qualification.  

Sprint - Short Hurdles (distances as per respective age-groups). A new event for the VMA Gift in 2026. Format: All ages running their respective distances. No Heats, timed finals if required. Winner/ placegetters to be determined on a % of season-best (SB) basis.  

Sprint (long): 400m. Format: +Qualifying: Field will be split as, “Fast” / “Legends” based on ability / handicap. The field will be split according to a benchmark time/400m (to be established based on entries). Format: Qualifying + Final ("Fast" &"Legends"). The first round will be a qualifying round where all athletes run the full 400m and strive for their best performance to qualify to progress in the event. The results from the qualifying round will be assessed in conjunction with the pre-event assigned handicaps to determine those who will progress to the next round. The VMA handicapper at this point also reserves the right to make minor adjustment to handicaps at their discretion based on performance in qualification.  

Sprint: Relay: 4 x 200m. Mixed. Prizes: 1st: “Winner take all” $200. Handicap basis: total of individual handicap times of all four runners competing. There is no event entry cost for this Relay. No limit on the number of teams. Format: There will be two age-band categories that will apply as a basis for the formation of a relay team: (i) all runners aged 60+ on April 12th (ii) any age. Each Hub can enter up to one relay team per age category. The handicaps of all runners to be assessed. An athlete can only compete in one 4x200m relay.  Team Captains (nominated by their Hub) are to enter relay teams via email (NOT ENTRY FORM) to vmagift@vicmastersaths.org.au the names of each relay team member, to be four runners + up to two emergencies (date of birth of runners to be obtained from entry form). Changes can be made up until Friday February 13th (has to be prior to competition due to requirement to assess handicaps).  The first runner from each team will start “on the clock” supervised by race marshals, with time penalties applying if an athlete starts before being called to start. The first runner will run in lanes before “cutting in” after running the initial bend (ie. @ 300m back straight start, having run approx.. 100m). Subsequent baton changes will be as for a 4x200m relays supervised by race marshals. 

Middle distance: 1,500m. Handicap basis: Times. Format: Athletes will start “on the clock” supervised by race marshals, with time penalties applying if an athlete starts before being called to start. 

Middle distance: Relay: 4 x 800m. Mixed. Prizes: 1st: “Winner take all” $200. Handicap basis: total of individual handicap times of all four runners competing. There is no event entry cost for this Relay. No limit on the number of teams. Format: There will be just a single all age category that will apply for this event. Each Hub can enter up to one relay team. The handicaps of all runners to be assessed. Team Captains (nominated by their Hub) are to enter relay teams via email (NOT ENTRY FORM) to vmagift@vicmastersaths.org.au the names of each relay team member, to be four runners + up to two emergencies (date of birth of runners to be obtained from entry form). Changes can be made up until Friday February 13th (has to be prior to competition due to requirement to assess handicaps).  The first runner from each team will start “on the clock” supervised by race marshals, with time penalties applying if an athlete starts before being called to start. The first runner will run in lanes before “cutting in” after running the initial bend (ie. @ 300m back straight start, having run approx.. 100m). Subsequent baton changes will be supervised by race marshals. 

Long distance: 5,000m. Format: Athletes will start “on the clock” supervised by race marshals, with time penalties applying if an athlete starts before being called to start. 

1500m & 3000m Walk: Format: Athletes will start “on the clock” supervised by race marshals, with time penalties applying if an athlete starts before being called to start. 

Throws: (‘Trio’): Discus, Javelin, Shot Put (all three). Handicap basis: Season’s best (SB). Format: All athletes compete in all three events. There will be a Qualifying round and then a Final. In qualifying all three events to run simultaneously with athletes competing in random event order as drawn by lots. At each event an athlete will have up to three throws.  At the end of qualification the SIX athletes with the highest % of SB will qualify for the Final to be called "the top 6 shootout" (TTSSO). The performances from Qualifying will not count for Final. For the TTSSO, the public (if they wish) at the event will be invited "to be ringside" (at safe viewing positions) to watch the 6 finalists have two further throws in each discipline...in order Discus (1st), Shot (2nd), Javelin (last). The lowest ranked qualifier overall from Qualifying will throw first in all three final rounds and then other finalists accordingly. As its name suggests the TTSSO is just that - where the athletes in only having two throws/event are competing “in a pressure situation”. The aim is to make it like "T20 throwing". A commentator with a laptop for scoring will make regular calls on a “live ranking” of the six throwers during the final. The athletes’ final rankings for the competition final will be according to % SB of their final 6 throws only. 

Jumps (‘Duo’): High Jump, and either Long Jump or Triple Jump– best of these two events will count. Mixed. Handicap basis: Seasons Best (SB). Format: Athletes can compete in either two or three events ie. High Jump (mandatory) and Long Jump &/or Triple Jump – their choice. The best two SB% results from (i) High Jump & (ii) Long or Triple Jump, will determine the placegetters.  The three events will be run in series. In the Long & Triple Jumps athletes will get three jumps. Event entry general Information

VMA is also pleased to announce our sponsors for this event!!  Liberty Finance, Runners Paradise, Captain Snooze, Kieser, Harvey Norman.

Refunds

Refunds will be given up until the Friday before competition in the event of injury or unforeseen personal circumstances.

Privacy Statement

In this Privacy Statement, "Personal information" has the same meaning as in the Privacy Act 1988. Victorian Masters Athletics (VMA) are committed to protecting and security of the personal information we hold about you. Personal information provided in this entry form will be used to:

• Process your competition registration
• Provide you with competition and results information
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