Inaugural Gift hailed a success

Westrac Bunbury-Geographe Gift chairman Tom Dillon has hailed the inaugural event a success and hopes to make next year’s event bigger and better.

Mr Dillon said while he was disappointed with the size of the crowd on Sunday, he was pleased with the way the event was run.

“The crowd was understandable as we had the Dockers and Eagles game on the day which will have stopped a few people coming down,” he said.

“It was the initial Gift, the toe in the water, but we know already that next year will be bigger and better.

“It was a great weekend and the weather was fantastic.”

Mr Dillon said it was terrific to have two WA athletes win the men and women’s finals.

“To see the girl from Leonora win the main race was brilliant,” he said.

“I tried to wind Dylan Panizza up but the elastic band broke in the last 10m of the final.

“It’s an outstanding weekend and it will grow to be an international event.”

Mr Dillon praised the efforts of the volunteers over the two-day event.

“This could not have happened without the volunteers, it could not have happened without the sponsors,” he said.

“It became a fully funded event so we couldn’t ask for more.

“It was a pitched-in effort and we want to see Bunbury and the South West get behind it and make it bigger and better so that we can have an international event sooner rather than later.”