Bay Sheffield winner remembers his win 50 years on, ahead of this year’s live streamed event

It was much harder to get a good look when David Grubb claimed victory in the Bay Sheffield 50 years ago. This time you can watch it here.

Former Bay Sheffield winner David Grubb won the race in 1970 off the backmark. Grubb chats to The Advertiser ahead of this year’s race which will be live streamed on advertiser.com.au Picture: Keryn Stevens

Former sprinter David Grubb can’t remember too much about his famous win at the 1970 Bay Sheffield.

CLICK OR TAP HERE TO WATCH THE BAY SHEFFIELD LIVE STREAM ON DECEMBER 27 AND 28

Grubb, a powerfully built backmarker, claimed the sash in the state’s most prestigious footrace from a two-yard or 1.8m handicap.

The victory came off the shortest handicap of the event’s history up to that day.

This month’s Bay Sheffield will mark 50 years since Grubb’s triumph.

He can, however, recall the pride he felt after winning the race.

“I don’t remember a lot to be honest,” Grubb, now 77, said.

Former Bay Sheffield winner David Grubb during the 1970 race. Picture: Supplied, SAAL

“I was very happy.

“It wasn’t so much about the money in those days, but the prestige of winning the Bay Sheffield in those days was a huge thing to achieve.

“I was back more than anybody else previously to that, so I suppose everyone else thought I wouldn’t be able to do it.

“But where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

For the first time in its history, the South Australian Athletic League’s Bay Sheffield will be live streamed exclusively by The Advertiser and The Messenger on advertiser.com.au.

The two-day event starts on December 27 and will culminate with the 120m men’s and women’s race on December 28.

SA’s richest footrace will be the third SAAL meet to be live streamed on advertiser.com.au this year, following that of November’s Kensington Gift and December’s Brighton Gift.

“It’s (the live streaming is) great,” Grubb, who also won the Bendigo Gift in 1967, said.

Grubb retired from professional racing not long after his Bay Sheffield win.

1970 Bay Sheffield winner David Grubb ahead of this year’s race. Picture: Keryn Stevens

His record, meanwhile, was eventually broken.

Nine-times national sprint champion Josh Ross won the Bay Sheffield off scratch in 2017 and became the first sprinter to earn the sash running off scratch.

Grubb said having a good coach and being ultra competitive helped him succeed.

“I adopted the attitude that everybody is an enemy when you step on to the track — you’ve just got to win,” Grubb said.

“I had a very good trainer, Keith Aiston, he had won the World 75-yard professional championship many years earlier.

“Having a great trainer and having the competitive nature that you must have if you’re going to be a sprinter helped me.”

And his advice to current sprinters and Bay Sheffield hopefuls — “put in the hard work on the training track, listen to your coach, do the best you can and enjoy it.”

EVENT SCHEDULE:

DAY ONE (December 27):

■ 11.30am — 120m Little Athletics girls heats

■ 11.40am — 120m Little Athletics boys heats

■ 11.55am — 400m Little Athletics boys/girls heats

■ 12.05pm — 120m restricted heats

■ 12.30pm — 120m Little Athletics girls heats

■ 12.35pm — 120m Little Athletics boys final

■ 12.40pm — 800m Little Athletics boys/girls finals

■ 12.45pm — 400m Little Athletics boys/girls finals

■ 12.55pm Little Athletics Presentations

■ 1.05pm — 70m women heats

■ 1.40pm — 70m men heats

■ 2:15pm — break

■ 2.30pm — 550m over-35 heats

■ 2.40pm — 550m under-18 heats

■ 3.00pm — 550m women heats

■ 3.10pm — 800m men heats

■ 3.30pm — 120m under-14 heats

■ 3.45pm — 120m semi-finals restricted

■ 3.55pm — 70m women semi-finals

■ 4.10pm — 70m men semi-finals

■ 4.25pm — break

■4.40pm — final and presentation Masters Association 800m

■ 4.50pm — final and presentation 550m over-35s

■ 5pm — final and presentation 550m under-18

■ 5.10pm — final and presentation 550m women

■ 5.20pm — Final and presentation 800m men

■ 5.30pm — Final and presentation 120m under-14

■ 5.40pm — Final and presentation 120m restricted

■ 5.50pm — Final and presentation 70m women

■ 6pm — Final and presentation 70m men

DAY TWO (December 28):

■ 11am — 800m under-18 heats

■ 11.15am — 120m under-18 girls and boys Bay Sheffield heats

■ 11.45am — 120m under-18 boys’ Bay Sheffield heats

■12.10pm — 120m women’s Bay Sheffield heats

■12.50pm — heats 120m men’s Bay Sheffield heats

■1.25pm — final and presentation 1600m men

■1.35pm — final and presentation 800m under-18

■1.45pm — Mascots race/children’s races/officials’ break

■ 2.10pm — 120m Over-35 heats

■ 2.30pm — 120m under-18 girls’ Bay Sheffield semi-finals

■ 2.40pm — 120m under-18 boys’ Bay Sheffield semi-finals

■ 2.50pm — 550m men heats

■ 3.10pm — 120m Women’s Bay Sheffield semi-finals

■ 3.40pm — 120m men’s Bay Sheffield heats

■ 4.10pm — Bay Sheffield Hall of Fame/Bay Sheffield Winners’ Motorcade

■ 4.25pm — final and presentation 1600m over-35

■ 4.35pm — final and presentation 120m over-35

■ 4.45pm — final and presentation 120m under-18 girls’ Bay Sheffield

■ 4.55pm — final and presentation 120m under-18 boys’ Bay Sheffield

■ 5.05pm — final and presentation 1600m women

■ 5.15pm — final and presentation 1600m selected backmarkers

■ 5.25pm — final and presentation 550m men

■ 5.35pm — Singing of National Anthem

■ 5.40pm — parade of finalists 120m women’s Bay Sheffield

■ 5.45pm — final and presentation 120m women’s Bay Sheffield

■ 5.55pm — parade of finalists 120m men’s Bay Sheffield

■ 6pm — final and presentation 120m men’s Bay Sheffield

■ 6.10pm — presentation of the Frank McHugh trophy