{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2022}} [[File:Burnie Gift Finish (1925).jpeg|right|300px|thumb| [[Ted Terry|E.R. Terry]] of Pyengana (11 yds), wins the 1925 Burnie Gift in 13 secs from A.M. Stuart (Hobart), M. Campbell (Devonport), and G.F. Triffett (Queenstown)<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23788475 Burnie Sports, ''The Mercury'', (Friday 2 January 1925), p.8.] [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2021521 Sports in the Country, ‘’The Argus’’, (Friday, 2 January 1925), p.2.]</ref>]] The '''Burnie Gift''' is a professional footrace held in [[Burnie]], [[Tasmania]] during an annual sports carnival, held on a grass track at [[West Park Oval]] on [[New Year's Eve]]. It is conducted by the Tasmanian Athletic League in conjunction with the Burnie Athletic Club. The Burnie Gift is a sprint event conducted over the traditional 'Gift' distance of 120 metres.
Athletes are allocated [[handicapping|handicaps]] with a range from scratch (running the full 120 metres) to the current limit of 12.00 metres. An athlete off 12.00m would run 108 metres. Most athletes (and winners) run from a handicap between 5.0m and 10.0m, thereby covering anywhere from 115m to 110m. Handicaps are assigned by a panel based on an assessment of each athlete’s track performances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sitedesq.sportstg.com/assets/siteDesq/3729/documents/Tasmanian%20Athletic%20League%20Sprint%20Handicapping%20Guidelines%202017-2018.pdf|title=Tasmanian Athletic League Sprint Handicapping Guidelines 2017 / 2018 | author=Tasmanian Athletic League | publisher=sportstg.com}}</ref> Athletes are separated by lane ropes as opposed to painted lanes on synthetic tracks. The finish line is a finishing gate that each athlete must run through to record a time.
The Burnie Carnival is the premier running carnival in Tasmania and is considered one of the 'big three' professional Gifts in Australia along with Victoria's [[Stawell Gift]] and the Bay Sheffield in South Australia. Along with the feature event, the Burnie carnival includes races over 90m, 400m and 1600m. The Burnie carnival is one of three Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals conducted over a seven-day period from 26 December to 1 January. The other carnivals are held at Latrobe and Devonport.
== History == First run in 1885, it was initially held as the Sheffield Handicap and was renamed to Burnie Gift for the 1908 event.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65203854 |title=BURNIE ATHLETIC CLUB. |newspaper=[[The North Western Advocate and The Emu Bay Times]] |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=25 September 1907 |access-date=4 August 2020 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The carnival was traditionally held on New Year's Day, but switched to New Year's Eve in 2019. Two carnivals were held in 2019.<ref>{{cite news|title=Burnie Carnival moving from New Year's Day to New Year's Eve|url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/6287959/burnie-carnival-moving-from-new-years-day-to-new-years-eve/|date=23 July 2019|author=Alex Fair|publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> The distance was originally 130 yards, and switched to 120 metres in 1973. The Women's Gift was introduced in 1995, although was known for the first few years as the Women's 120m Handicap.<ref name=women>{{cite web | url=http://www.burniegift.com/women | title=Women Competing at the Burnie Gift | access-date=13 January 2018 | publisher=burniegift.com}}</ref>
[[Dean Capobianco]] (1991) was the first athlete to win the race off scratch (running the full 120 metres). [[Josh Ross (sprinter)|Joshua Ross]] (2004 and 2007) is the only man to have won the Gift twice off the scratch mark. Capobianco and Ross are the only national 100m champions to have won the Gift.{{fact|date=July 2022}}
In 2018, Hobart sprinter [[Jack Hale (sprinter)|Jack Hale]] was given an unprecedented handicap of -1 metres, giving him 121 metres to run.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5145003/hale-set-to-do-a-bit-extra/ | title=Hale set to do a bit extra | author=Brad Cole | date=1 January 2018 | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref>
== Winners ==
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Men's Burnie Gift !! Women's Burnie Gift |- | 2025 || Hamish Lindstrom || Ebony Newton<ref>{{cite web|url=https://live.tastiming.com.au/burnie2025|title = 2025 Burnie Carnival Results}}</ref> |- | 2024 || Logan James || Kayedel Smith<ref>{{cite web|url=https://live.tastiming.com.au/burnie2024|title = 2024 Burnie Carnival Results}}</ref> |- | 2023 || Saye Morris || Mia Spencer<ref>{{cite web|url=https://live.tastiming.com.au/burnie2023|title = 2023 Burnie Carnival Results}}</ref> |- | 2022 || Jesse McKenna || [[Torrie Lewis]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://live.tastiming.com.au/burnie2022|title = 2022 Burnie Carnival Results}}</ref> |- | 2021 || Ryan Tarrant || Kysha Praciak<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://live.tastiming.com.au/burnie2021|title = 2021 Burnie Carnival Results}}</ref> |- | 2020 || Aaron Leferink VIC || [[Hana Basic]] VIC<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://live.tastiming.com.au/burnie2020|title = 2020 Burnie Carnival Results}}</ref> |- | 2019 || Abdoulie Asim GAMBIA || Morgan Gaffney TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/6562597/gaffney-asim-collect-historic-burnie-gift-wins/ | title=Morgan Gaffney, Abdoulie Asim win 2019 Burnie Gifts | author=Alex Fair | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> |- | 2019 || [[Ashley Moloney|Ash Moloney]] QLD<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5832863/big-win-for-moloney/ | title=Big win for Ash Moloney in the Burnie Gift | author=Alex Fair | date=1 January 2019 | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> || Bec Kovacic TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5832873/a-day-that-kovacic-will-never-forget/ | title=Burnie Gift win a day that Bec Kovacic will never forget | author=Alex Fair | date=1 January 2019 | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> |- | 2018 || Daniel Reeves TAS || Kiani Allen TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5146354/reeves-sprints-to-burnie-gift-victory/ | title=Reeves' sprints to Burnie Gift victory | author=Alex Fair | date=1 January 2018 | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> |- | 2017 || Jorden Englund TAS || Morgan Gaffney TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-02/burnie-2016-new-years-day-sports-carnival/8157326 | title=Burnie Gift: Tasmanian Morgan Gaffney outpaces Olympian Morgan Mitchell in 2017 race | author=Carla Howarth | date=3 January 2017 | work=ABC News}}</ref> |- | 2016 || John Howe TAS || Lilly Castle TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-02/tasmanian-runner-takes-out-burnie-gift/7064164?section=tas | title=Tasmanians take out Burnie Gift and Women's Wheel against star-studded line-ups | author=Lauren Waldhuter | date=2 January 2016 | work=ABC News}}</ref> |- | 2015 || Simon Fitzpatrick VIC || Kimberley Geelan TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/2793156/burnie-carnival-results/ | title=Burnie Carnival results | date=1 January 2015 | publisher=The Advocate}}</ref> |- | 2014 || [[Adam Coote]] VIC || Cara Boustead VIC<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-02/victorian-runners-dominate-at-the-burnie-carnival/5181884 | title=Victorian runners dominate at the Burnie carnival | date=2 January 2014 | work=ABC News}}</ref> |- | 2013 || Jacob Despard TAS || Morgan Gaffney TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-02/o27shea-shines-at-burnie-carnival/4450342 | title=O'Shea's clean sweep of Tasmania's cycling carnivals | date=2 January 2013 | work=ABC News}}</ref> |- | 2012 || [[Brendan Cole (athlete)|Brendan Cole]] ACT || Laura-Jane Hilditch VIC<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/700923/winner-close-to-tears/ | title= Winner close to tears | author=Shannon Shephard | date=1 January 2012 | publisher=The Advocate}}</ref> |- | 2011 || Robbie James SA || Morgan Gaffney TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/4382090/history-for-gaffney-with-third-gift-win/ | title=History for Gaffney with third gift win | date=1 January 2017 | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> |- | 2010 || Ollie Wurm VIC || Sandy Loring TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-01-02/local-athletes-big-winners-at-burnie-carnival/1196092 | title=Local athletes big winners at Burnie Carnival | date=2 January 2010 | work=ABC News}}</ref> |- | 2009 || Clay Watkins SA || Alicia Wrench-Doody SA<ref name=history1987>{{cite web | url=http://www.burniegift.com/history-1987-to-present | title=The Burnie Gift, history 1987 to present | publisher=burniegift.com}}</ref> |- | 2008 || Duncan Tippins SA || Olivia Mills TAS<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 2007 || Joshua Ross NSW || Melissa Kay TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-01-02/macfarlane-beats-men-to-take-burnie-carnival/2164290 | title=MacFarlane beats men to take Burnie Carnival honours | date=2 January 2007 | work=ABC News}}</ref> |- | 2006 || Cameron Yorke WA || Katie Moore VIC<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/537109/burnie-carnival-2006/ | title=2006 Burnie Carnival | date=2 January 2006 | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> |- | 2005 || Luke Whitney TAS || Megan Hines NSW<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 2004 || [[Josh Ross (sprinter)|Joshua Ross]] NSW || Madelin Poke TAS<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 2003 || colspan="2" | ''Carnival abandoned due to rain'' |- | 2002 || Darren Rogers WA || [[Anne-Marie Mouri-Nkeng]] CAMEROON<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 2001 || Craig Brown VIC || Tamika Johnston TAS<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 2000 || Matt Stevenson TAS || Melissa Kay TAS<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 1999 || Simon Bresnehan TAS || Emma Marshall TAS<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 1998 || Shaun Turale TAS || Kasey Kuusisalo TAS<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/639805/burnie-gift-anger/ | title=Burnie Gift anger | date=2 January 1998 | publisher=The Examiner}}</ref> |- | 1997 || Paul Pearce VIC || Emma Marshall TAS<ref name=history1987></ref> |- | 1996 || David Downie TAS || [[Lauren Hewitt]] VIC<ref name=history1987></ref> |-< | 1995 || Paul Slupecki VIC || Donna Collins NSW<ref name=women/> |- | 1994 || Shane Hearn WA || |- | 1993 || Simon Bresnehan TAS || |- | 1992 || Todd Ireland VIC || |- | 1991 || [[Dean Capobianco]] WA || |- | 1990 || Robert Kirsopp VIC || |- | 1989 || John Riggs TAS || |- | 1988 || Anthony Grima VIC || |- | 1987 || Frank Corsello VIC || |- | 1986 || Mark Hipworth VIC || |- | 1985 || Wayne Johncock TAS || |- | 1984 || Gary Wescombe TAS || |- | 1983 || Lee Berwick TAS || |- | 1982 || Michael Geary TAS || |- | 1981 || Neil King VIC || |- | 1980 || Gary French TAS || |- | 1979 || Ian Hagger VIC || |- | 1978 || Gary Wescombe TAS || |- | 1977 || Steve Roach TAS || |- | 1976 || Kevin Portch NSW || |- | 1975 || Gerard Thompson TAS || |- | 1974 || John Mowat VIC || |- | 1973 || Max Seymour TAS || |- | 1972 || Ralph Heffernan TAS || |- | 1971 || Barry Poulter NSW || |- | 1970 || Kerry Badcock TAS || |- | 1968 || Phillip Lincoln TAS || |- | 1929 || Len Bugg TAS<ref name=history1987></ref>|| |- | 1928 || Len Bugg TAS<ref name=history1987></ref>|| |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090912033642/http://tal.org.au/htm/burnie.html Tasmanian Athletic League] * [https://www.theadvocate.com.au/news/local/sport/athletics/boring-night-turns-into-ripper-of-a-day/1716683.aspx "Boring night turns into riper day" ''The Advocate''] * [http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/sport/other/alicia-finally-makes-her-mark/1398722.aspx "Alicia finally makes her mark" - The Independent Weekly]
[[Category:Athletics in Tasmania]] [[Category:Sport in Burnie]] [[Category:Running in Australia]]