Scratchings were prominent across all fields with runners opting out of competing in near-40C temperatures for Victorian Athletic League racing at Cricket Willow on Saturday.

Some, including newly crowned Maryborough GIft winner Matthew Eddy, were no-shows.

Others, particularly sprinters, pulled out as they advanced through heats when a bad concoction of heat and strong tail wins started to cause injury. It simply became survival of the fittest while organisers and VAL stewards worked the push through events before an impending and imposing storm front hit the region.

Even Daylesford Gift winner Collinge, aged 33, felt the strain.

The Canberra-based Collinge felt a twinge in his back after winning his Gift 100-metre semi-final but chose to race after feeling all right in his warm-up.

Collinge powered off 8.25 metres in the blue to clock a winning time of 10.69 seconds - with experienced stablemaster Paul Tancredi (6.75m) almost catching him in the gates.

"I felt Paul Tancredi catching up on me. he made good distance on me at the start," Collinge said.

"Those last five metres I could see him out of the corner of my eye so I gave one big dip."

Hayley Openshaw, from Adelaide, captured her Women's Vase and 100m title shortly after 2pm in what was her second VAL meet.

Openshaw ran second to Ballarat teenager Jess Cartledge in the Maryborough Women's Necklace 120m final on Thursday.

This time, it was her time for glory. Running off 7.75m, Openshaw clocked a winning time of 12.08 seconds to edge out Melburnian Celia Cosgriff 910m).

Openshaw's training partner Hayley Orman shared the podium with her again - third in both Maryborough and Daylesford.

Openshaw, an experienced surf life saver, was stoked to triumph in trying conditions at Daylesford - but said she still very much loved the vibe of the meet.

"It was just about trying to keep technique right with such strong tail winds," Openshaw said.

"You have to really keep your water up, stay in the shade and do minimal warm-up before going out to race."

Teenager Natalya Hall-Dekleva was Ballarat's sole Daylesford winner.

Hall-Dekleva won the novice 1600m off the 260m mark with a winning time of four minutes, 26.88 seconds.

FINALS

DAYLESFORD GIFT 100M

Derek Collinge (8.35m) 10.69secs

Paul Tancredi (6.75m) 10.711

Timothy Rosen (11.75m) 10.78

Jack Newman (4.75m) 10.811

Jonathon Rogers (11.25m) 10.82

Glenn Stephens (13m) 10.94

WOMEN'S VASE 100M

Hayley Openshaw (7.75m) 12.08secs

Celia Cosgriff (10m) 12.25

Hayley Orman (6.25m) 12.26

Danielle McDowell (15.75m) 12.31

Anna Pasquali (8.25m) 12.40

Loryn Savoia (9.25m) 12.45

Kasey Moore (10.25m) 12.66

Ebony Lane (5m) 12.66

OPEN 70M

Jake Ryder (8.75m) 7.62secs

Wade Girotto (9.25m) 7.69

Timothy Rosen (10m) 7.78

UNDER-17 100M

Lachlan Milligan (14.25m) 10.77secs

Charlie Moran (7.75m) 10.94

Benjamin Farrell (8.75m) 10.94

MASTERS 300M

Dale Jones (56m) 38.32secs

Gary Blake (66m) 38.65

John Hilditch (33m) 38.67

OPEN 400M

Justin Cohen (43m) 50.20secs

David Haigh (44m) 50.45

Lawrence Coop (38m) 50.46

WOMEN'S 400M

Danielle McDowell (50m) 57.13secs

Susan Sinclair (39m) 57.35

Celia Cosgriff (25m) 58.20

RESTRICTED 400M

Dylan Moore (72m) 49.17secs

Blake Bailey (55m) 50.46

Alec Wiltshire (45m) 50.70

OPEN 800M

Daniel Veith (56m) 1:59.42

Justin Murphy (20M) 2:02.57

Greg Hilson (88m) 2:02.92

OPEN 1600M

Charlie Brooks (180m) 4:28.98

Jordan Harvey (100m) 4:29.45

Tony Moran (260m) 4:31.17

VCCL SERIES 1600M

Natalya Hall-Dekleva (260m) 4:26.88

Colm Rothery (205m) 4:30.55

Jessica O'Hara (360m) 4:31.02