McSweyn v Hoare at 1 mile on the grass in Tasmania - 12/29/2022

I could actually see Centro do something like this. He's been hopping in low key 5ks for the past few months as he gets back in shape from his knee surgery, which I think is great.

The sprint events were pretty entertaining. The standout talent was Tori Lewis, who has run 11.33 age 17:

what does it mean to race "from scratch"?

DQ the winner for wearing illegal shoes for a track race ;)

Running from scratch means that you are not granted a handicap--a shorter distance to run. You'll be running the full race distance.

Somewhat similarly, a "scratch" golfer is one with no handicap; a golfer with, say, a ten handicap will typically play an average 18-hole golf course at ten over par. If you pair them in a handicap-tournament situation, the ten-handicapper will "win" by scoring no more than nine strokes over the scratch golfer's score.

This thread is similar to a recent Mottram thread.

Australians aren't afraid to race, the opposite to Americans.

Throwback to another local aussie meet with top notch camera work and commentary ("if the hairs aren't standing on the back of the neck, then check ya pulse cause you might be dead").

12:24

Many thanks. I Appreciate the gold knowledge too

Golf*

That looked like a well handicapped race.

Australia has the longest running pro track system in the world. It's a great day out.

And you couldn't pick the non-binary out there at all.

today’s race starts just after the 7:45 mark (ie near the very end) of this video:

it's been said multiple times through the thread but wow the commentating and coverage of this event is unmatched in the states. This event is probably one of the more difficult races possible to cover and film (i think the finish of this race could have been zoomed out better but who am i to complained theres 40 people on the track).

I just imagine an event like this being put on in the US and it would point out our embarrassing lack of translation from sport to home spectator and even our ability to hold an successful meet outside the obvious ones such as Pre, Mt. SAC, or USAs.

I had no idea about this style of racing until this thread (Ollie didn’t quite explain the concept on coffee club). It was really enjoyable and may be another way of growing the sport in the US if you sprinkle a few of these throughout the year. You stick a few pros in there with some hobby joggers and mix it with betting, which seems like all the rage right now, and it seems pretty engaging for the spectator whether they follow the sport or not.

Yes, betting on sports is a new phenomenon.

Here's the best example of an Aussie Handicapped 3200m.

McSweyn, Brett Robinson, Jack Rayner, Ryan Gregson, Dave Mcneil, Ben Buckingham - all Aussie Olympic runners mixing it up with the plebs and an amazing finish.

Parkdale Gift 2021

'From Scratch' means that the athlete starting from the back of the field at the start of the race (the 'Backmarker') is starting from the zero metres starting point of the race. eg in the mile race in question here, Hoare and McSweyn are starting at the mark where they have exactly 1609 metres to run - the 'scratch mark'.

The other athletes in the race are 'handicapped' according to their abilities, previous race times, previous results - similar to how horses are handicapped by the weight that they have to carry.

So, for example, if an athlete in this race had a handicap of 100 metres, they would start the race 100 metres in front of the 'scratch' mark, and they would have exactly 1509 metres to run, etc etc. This handicap system applies to all of the events run at these pro running meets - from 70 metre sprint race, all the way up to 2 mile (3200 metre) races. The idea (like horse racing) is for the race to have the closest finishing result possible, based on the abilities of the athletes in the race. Now, this doesn't always happen, (much the same as in horse racing), and it's not an exact science, but it does lead to many exciting race finishes, as you will see from the links below.

This type of 'Professional' running has a history dating back to the mid 1800's.

Here are some links for you all to have a look at, to get a better picture:-

The 'Stawell Gift' carnival is Australia's most prestigious and richest pro running meet. The main race, a handicapped 120 metre sprint race has a prize pool of $60, 000, and the winner receives $40,000. This event was first run in 1878, in the small Victorian gold mining town of 'Stawell', hence the name.

It's when you remove yourself from the start list, but then show up anyway.

Did they race again in Burnie two nights later?

FYI there are no virgins in Tasmania. Just ask their cousins.