The World’s Greatest (or silliest) Nude or Underwearing Footrace. The Meredith Gift is a completely nude or underwearing exposition that takes place on Sunday afternoon, in the Amphitheatre, to an enthralled full crowd of around twenty five million. The Gift track is a straight line across the Amphitheatre, with a mild incline, spills and thrills. Power walk it your way.
Why and How
See below for The Rules. Anyone can enter (it’s free), as long as they are nude or underwearing.
It all started in 1994 when one of the bands was late to arrive on the Sunday. What do we do, we wondered. Have a race involving the patrons. Winner gets cold beer. Someone wandered to the front of the stage as this was being announced and asked what they’d win if they did it in the nude. MORE cold beer, of course. The following year the race was held again – as it was a talking point from the year before – and several people got nude, completely on their own accord. The year after we had to limit entry to only fully nude people, as there were so many people wanting to run.
If you haven’t seen a Meredith Gift, it’s pretty funny. There’s always a crash, nude people tumbling along at speed or non-speed, grass burns, injured bits, etc.
Last year, serendipity graced us in the form of torrential rain and a mud pit. The result: a power walk adaptation to stop the nation.
As such, two new prize categories were introduced. ‘Best in Show’ will again reward the entrant displaying the most pageantry, finesse, zeal and creative adornment of their nude or underwearing self. ‘Best Finish’ will serve as a nod towards the strangest, most fearless and exciting race finish.
Historical Gift Footage
Here is a montage of some Gifts from the early 90s through to mid 2000s.
Prizes
There will be three heats, before heat winners compete in a final loop around the track. As introduced in 2023, no heats will be gendered. Each heat will include a mix of ‘speed’, ‘best finish’ and ‘best in show’ category entrants, making for a spectacle for those track-side! Regardless of the glory they are vying for, entrants must be nude or underwearing (the least amount of clothes they feel comfortable wearing), with creative self-garnishing encouraged. A golden robe is awarded to a standout competitor in each race category – “Speediest”, “Best Finish” and “Best in Show”.
Register
Registration happens Sunday afternoon at the sign-up area towards the left of the stage (near Southbank and the DJ Booth) from 1:30pm. You will need to sign an Indemnity Form. The Gift runs at about 2pm Sunday.
The Rules of the Meredith Gift
- Anyone can enter.
- As a power walking event, you have to keep one foot on the ground at all times. High-tech cameras and IOC adjudicators will keep an eye on those feet; keep em’ on the ground.
- Best mates must think it through before doing any daring.
- ALL entrants must register and sign an Indemnity Form.
- ALL entrants must be nude or underwearing (the least amount of clothes you feel comfortable wearing).
- Racing spikes and carbon plated running shoes are not allowed.
- Any entrant wearing lycra will be made to fish phones out of the composting toilets.
- The crowd must collectively go ‘ORGHH’ and recoil when runners fall over.
- Please look after yourself and others – only enter if you feel comfortable doing so.
- No Dickheads.