2020 AURA ULTRA PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AWARD VOTING

Alexis Oosterhoff • February 10, 2021

The “AURA Ultra Performance Of The Year Award” is now open for voting by AURA Members. Nominations were received from 1st to 7th of February, and these were shortlisted to the top five nominations as judged by the AURA Committee. The “AURA Ultra Performance Of The Year Award” will be announced on Wednesday 17 February. Voting will close at 11:59pm Tuesday 16 February.

All 5 choices must be made for the form to be valid and submit.

Nomination 1: Annabel Hepworth, Across the Years 10 day performance 2019/2020

Nomination: Annabel Hepworth for her win at the 2019/2020 across the years 10 day race in Arizona USA. This was an amazing performance from an Australian who not only became the 1st female finisher for the race but also was able to win the event outright with her total distance of 1192.156km

Along the way Annabel was able to achieve some amazing milestones at this event with joining the 1000km club. She also achieved during the race a 6 day split of 471.459miles (758km) which was a PR for Annabel and which gave her the best distance over a 6 day distance for the year.

A fantastic achievement and a great ambassador to the sport of multi-day racing for the Australian ultra community.

Nomination 2: Chris Murphy, Big Dog International Last One Standing performance

Nomination: In a year that was turned upside down for most, Chris’s performance at Big’s International in October stood out for so many reasons.

Just two months earlier, Chris was in the last three at the same venue for the Clint Eastwood, pulling out after a freak injury while looking fresh after 27 hours. The challenge to go longer was even greater at Big’s International with a much smaller field that consisted only of the selected Australian team (18).

With Ryan Crawford having to pull out at 30 hours, after a huge few months leading in (including winning at the Clint Eastwood), it didn’t seem that it could go much longer with only Chris and the irrepressible Barry Loveday remaining. What we witnessed for the following 16 hours was nothing short of incredible. Barry was clearly in deteriorating shape but hour after hour, he got out of his chair to facilitate Chris’ continuing. Barry’s part in this, given the LOS format, cannot be overstated. But the camaraderie Chris showed toward Barry throughout this time was admirable and certainly helped Barry immensely, while also maintaining his own condition and form.

The end result, as we know, was that Chris managed to finish the last lap when Barry was finally spent and was timed out. He broke the Australian record of 41 hours (set at The Clint Eastwood in 2019), setting a new mark of 46 hours/laps.

While the numbers are impressive and the format very different from most events, it was the manner in which Chris conducted himself through the last third of the event that stood out. His empathy and concern for Barry, while drawing the very best out himself, was humbling to watch and a credit to Chris’ integrity as well as his ability.

Nomination 3: Michael Hooker, Birdy’s Backyard Ultra performance

Nomination: Michael not only completed a whopping 40 laps (40 hours) of the 6.71k loop, but his average loop time of under 34 minutes over those 40 laps is undeniably the best consistent average over 24 hours on the Backyard Ultra circuit anywhere in the world. His efforts were absolutely world-class.

Nomination 4: Stephanie Auston, Australian Women’s Open record at Gold Coast 50km

Nomination: Australian Representative and previous 6ft Track Marathon winner has shown once again that she is a demon on both mountainous races trail as well as the fast flat stuff. Nailing the GC50 to secure the win as well as the female Australian 50km record in a blistering 3:17:26, placing 3rd overall.

Nomination 5: Stephen Redfern, Hong Kong 4 Trails performance

Nomination: The Hong Kong 4 Trails Ultra Challenge is a 298km ultra across Hong Kong’s 4 long trails with an accumulative elevation of 14,500m. Taking place over Chinese New Year, athletes race the clock to starting at 9am on the first day of CNY to finish before 9pm and #Breaking60 hours.

The 2020 edition was the most competitive yet with a total of 7 finishers under 60 hours and 5 survivors under 72 hours out of the 33 competitors. Stephen Redfern completed the event in 54hours 46mins, the fastest known non Hong Kong runner to finish the event.

Stephen brings a terrific attitude and an infectious passion and love to the sport. He completed this event using his ever-evolving mindset and strong will to be the best he can be!

I believe this event plus all the other runs such as his Garage Ultra, FKTs and more that Stephen completed in 2020 during a tough year, make him a very worthy contender.

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AUTRA Race Report 19-7-2026

By Kate Dzienis • July 19, 2026

Race results for 2026 Southern Sydney Track Ultra, 3M3D, Ultra Adelaide and Boyne Valley 50.

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