Warrnambool Gift unveils two changes to 2019 edition of the race

The Victorian Athletic League (VAL) event is set to run at Friendlies Society Park on November 30 with the alterations aimed at drawing more participants.

Completing the Warrnambool Gift at an acceptable standard will see runners gain two ticks to their name for each race, which will allow them to gain a lift on their handicaps early in the season.

The Warrnambool and Terang gifts are also combining for a distance bonus competition where points will be allocated to competitors in the 800 and 1600-metre events.

The final male and female leaders gain a $250 bonus on their possible event earnings with second netting $150 and third $100.

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The Terang Gift is again marked down to run the day after Warrnambool.

Richard Wearmouth, the President of Warrnambool Gift Committee Incorporated, said the scheduling of the gifts made it hard for athletes returning to the sport from other commitments or late starters to commit.

But he hoped the introduction of more ticks and the new distance bonus competition would help drive up numbers at the event.

"The VAL have been really good at helping us promote it as it is hard to get runners to come as it is early in the season," Wearmouth said.

"A lot of runners don't get going until after Christmas and so we put a few proposals to them and they came back with these really good ones."

Entries for both events close on Monday.

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