A sculpture by Port Elliot-based artist Stephen Harrison will be gifted to the winner of the Hahn Men’s Stage 4 of the Santos Tour Down Under on 19 January.

The gift will be presented at the first finish held in Port Elliot in the 25-year history of the international cycling event. 

The wooden sculpture ‘In the Balance’ portrays a sailing ship battling stormy seas and draws inspiration from local maritime history. 

Stephen Harrison says it is a compliment to have his work chosen by Alexandrina Council as a gift for the stage winner. 

“To represent Port Elliot, to have something locally-made presented to the winner of the stage which is travelling right past the gallery is a lovely compliment,” he says. 

“My wooden sculpture portrays a sailing ship entangled in the tumultuous embrace of stormy seas. Crafted intricately, it pays homage to the vibrant maritime legacy along the South Australian coastline. 

Horseshoe Bay in Port Elliot is now a popular tourist destination but in the late 1800s it was a notorious ‘ship trap’ and the site of seven wrecks between 1853 and 1864, including four ships in 1856. 

The bay's shipwrecks include the Flying Fish, commemorated in the name of the local café and the signage at the Port Elliot Surf Life Saving Club. 

For further information on the Santos Tour Down Under Hahn Men’s Stage 4 event in Alexandrina, visit the council website, or the official tour website.