2019 AURA ULTRA PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AWARD VOTING

Rob Donkersloot • January 23, 2020

The “AURA Ultra Performance Of The Year Award” is now open for voting by AURA Members. Nominations were received from 14 January, and these were short listed to the top five nominations as judged by the AURA Committee. The “AURA Ultra Performance Of The Year Award” will be announced on Thursday January 30. Voting will close at 11:59pm Wednesday 29 January.

Nomination 1: Amy Lamprecht Ultra Trail Australian win

Nomination: Amy’s win at UTA this year was quite special, she finished 11th outright was first by over an hour. This all came from a non professional who works full time, is a mother of 3 and a grand mother of 3.

Nomination 2: Bernadette Benson, new Australian women’s 100 mile record

Nomination: After an initial attempt in April 2019 at the 100 Mile record, Bernadette was able to return to the track at Sri Chinmoy 24 Hour (Campbelltown Athletics Centre, Sydney), in June 2019 to earn the Australian Women’s Open 100 mile record, (last held by Jodie Oborne (2015) – 15:33:56) taking about 9 minutes off the former open women’s record.

Her 100-mile time was 15:24:44, a stellar performance.

This was a grand achievement for Bernadette and worthy of recognition, not only is a significant improvement on the 2015 record, Bernadette was able to achieve it at age 50, laying down a new and real challenge for the younger women ultra runners.

Record: 100-mile time was 15:24:44.

Nomination 3: Clay Dawson, Australian 100km Championships run in 6:54:03

Nomination: This was Clay’s debut 100km race and a National Championship winning run at the 2019 Ned Kelly Chase – where he ran 6hrs 54min 03sec for a race record and A-Qualifying run for the 2020 World Champs. This makes him the 6th fastest Australian 100km runner of all time and 3rd Fastest on Australian Soil.

Nomination 4: Kay Bretz, 259.67km run at World 24 Hour Championships

Nomination:

Kay Bretz ran a massive 259.670 km total in the 2019 World Championships in Albi, France. This is the largest Australian total ever in a World Championships which is tough environment to perform in. The distance is the fourth best ever achieved by an Australian, and the furthest ever run on foreign soil.

Not only did he deal with the heat, weave in and out of the crowd and not let his debut overwhelm him but he ran the event with a big smile remaining positive and was a big inspiration for the whole team.

Nomination 5: Lou Clifton, 2019 Ultra Trail World Tour Ranking

Nomination: In 2019 Lou Clifton ranked 13th female in the Ultra Trail World Tour annual ranking making Lou the highest ranking Australian female in the 2019 list. Her achievements at Ultra Trail Mt Fuji (second female) and Cappadocia Ultra Trail (first female and new course record) secured her 13th position.

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Location : Bangkok, Thailand Dates : November 21 - 24 2025 Role Type : Volunteer Position Time Commitment : Pre event planning + Travel Application Deadline : 7th September 2025 Thank you for your interest in supporting the Australian team for the 2025 IAU Asian 100k Championships. This role goes far beyond logistics. It’s about leadership, inclusion, and creating a positive, empowering environment for athletes competing on the world stage. AUTRA is committed to opening doors for those outside traditional pathways. We strongly encourage applications from coaches, former athletes, club leaders, volunteers, and passionate community members. You don’t need to have served on a board or managed a team before as we’re looking for people who genuinely care, are highly organised, and can proudly represent our athletes and country. Role Overview As Team Manager, you’ll work closely with AUTRA President Gary Mullins and Vice President Geoff Russell to prepare and support the national team before and during the championship. Pre-Departure Australia Act as the main contact for selected athletes and crew Assist with final entry forms and travel planning Prepare a Championships Agenda in alliance with the Team Managers Agreement Document Coordinate flights, uniforms, and team communications Help identify and organise crew support Attend online team planning meetings On the Ground in Thailand Be present and ready as athletes arrive Ensure all athlete needs are met so they can focus fully on their race Attend all technical meetings and represent the team professionally Coordinate team attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies Ensure the team and crew are prepared, organised, and calm Address any issues that arise with efficiency and discretion Provide hands on leadership and moral support throughout the 24 hour race Support Provided Accommodation in Bangkok for 3 - 4 nights will be provided by AUTRA An official team uniform will be supplied A volunteer allowance of $1500 will be provided to acknowledge your time and service during the championship period What You’ll Need Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Strong organisational ability under pressure A calm, inclusive, and athlete first mindset Commitment to AUTRA’s Code of Conduct Member of AUTRA Applying To apply for the role of Team Manager please CLICK HERE and fill out the Application Form. Applications Close on the 3rd September 2025 Selection Process Following the application deadline, the AUTRA Committee will review all submissions and select the most suitable candidate. All applicants will be contacted by Gary Mullins within 7 days of applications closing. Gary Mullins AUTRA President