2019 AURA AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Rob Donkersloot • February 1, 2020

AURA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 AURA Awards.

Australian Female Ultra Runner of the Year For outstanding single or collective performances by a female.

Amy Lamprecht has been selected as the Australian Female Ultra Runner of the Year for 2019. Amy returned consistently high ranking performances in all the events she participated including first place at Ultra Trail Australia, first place at Bruny Island, first place at Convicts & Wenches, and second place at Cradle Mountain. Without doubt a spectacular year of running by Amy.

Australian Male Ultra Runner of the Year For outstanding single or collective performances by a male.

The winner for this award goes to to Ash Watson, who had an fantastic year with multiple top finishes on trail and road. His performances included winning the Surf Coast Century, Great Ocean Road, Two Bays events as well as first place at the 50km Australian Championships on road at Canberra in a very smart time of 2:59:40.

Helen Stanger Award For the greatest single best ultra running achievement by a female under the age of 60.

Bernadette Benson, is the winner for her Australian open women’s record for 100 miles (15:24:44) set at the Sri Chinmoy 24 Hour race at Campbelltown in June.

Bryan Smith Award For the greatest single best ultra running achievement by a male under the age of 60.

Kay Bretz ran a massive 259.670 km total at the 2019 World Championships in Albi, France. This was the largest Australian total ever in a World Championships. The distance is the fourth best ever achieved by an Australian, and the furthest ever run on foreign soil. A worthy recipient of the Bryan Smith Award.

Young Female Ultra Runner of the Year For outstanding single or collective performances by a female under the age of 30.

Nicole Vaughan had a great year in 2019 including a very impressive first place at the Coburg 24 Hour race where she ran 191km. Other results includes sixth at the Australian 100km Championships, and 6th at Great Ocean Walk.

Stephanie Auston had an outstanding year of racing in 2019, including 19th place at the Trail World Championships in June, 1st place at the Brisbane Trail Ultra (60km), Australian Alpine Ascent (50km), Six Foot Track (45km), Snowies Trail Run Festival (50km) and Two Bays (56km), and 2nd place at Tarawera 100km (NZL). Stephanie was announced as joint recipient in March 2020 following the idenficiation of an error in the AURA membership database after the awards had been announced.

Young Male Ultra Runner of the Year For outstanding single or collective performances by a male under the age of 30.

Dan Symonds, this is the second year in a row Dan has won this award. In 2019 it was his second place and impressive 362km set at the Canberra 48 Hour event as well as his participation at the World 24 Hour Championships in France that saw him deservedly selected a second time.

Cliff Young Award For the greatest single best ultra running achievement by a male over the age of 60.

Mick Francis, for his second place at the Gold Coast 100km road race, running an impressive time of 9:23. Mick also recorded numerous top results at events in his home state of Western Australia, finishing first in his age category for every event he entered in 2019.

Shirley Young Award For the greatest single best ultra running achievement by a female over the age of 60.

Marie Boyd wins the Shirley Young Award for her new Womens W70 age group record for the 6 Day event when she recorded 385.019km at the Adelaide 6 Day race, averaging 64km per day.

Ultra Performance of the Year Award Nominated by and voted on by the AURA members

Kay Bretz is the winner of the AURA Ultra Performance of the Year Award for 2019 for his 259km run at the 24 hour World Championships. This award was voted by AURA members, so true recognition for Kay by his peers. Congratulations also to Lou Clifton, Amy Lamprecht, Bernadette Benson and Clay Dawson for being nominated.

Pictured: Amy Lamprecht, 2019 Australian Female Ultra Runner of the Year, and Ash Watson, 2019 Australian Male Ultra Runner of the Year

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Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater