LARK HILL DUSK TO DAWN RACE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Kate Dzienis • March 27, 2018

Contributed by David Kennedy, Race Director, Lark Hill Dusk to Dawn

Lark Hill Dusk to Dawn was held for the 7th time over the Labour Day long weekend in WA at the beginning of March. We had a big field this year with the kids race and 25kms both being quite popular and also good numbers in the 50kms and 100kms.

The kids race is always a great way to kick off the longer events as the children race around a shortened ~800m course for 45-minutes. The next generation of ultra runners is looking good with many big totals run in warm conditions.

As the sun was setting though, the grown-ups got underway with the longer events in good conditions. As darkness descended many runners grabbed their headlamps for a few laps, but it wasn’t long before the full moon rose and many runners were able to see well enough to do without.

Shaun Kaesler got off to a fast start in the 50kms but Peter Duff gradually closed the gap. Eventually Shaun held on for his first ultra win with ‘Duffy’ in 2nd place and Jason Phillips taking 3rd. In the women’s race Clare Wardle also took out her first ultra win from Raquel Rae and Lisa Grinham.

In the 100kms Margie Hadley was out for a training run but she was still out front by herself winning by over an hour and setting a course record. Jen Millum was on debut over 100kms and impressed all with a solid 2nd place ahead of Susan Brown, who worked hard to beat the cut off and was successful with 3rd place. In the men’s race Nick O’Neil took the win from Michael Head and Filippo Fusi, another runner on debut over 100kms.

Thanks to Chris Lark who not only did a great job with the timing but sponsored the race through Salming shoes and Squash+RunningWorks (and also took out a sneaky win in the 25kms!). It was great to see so many runners in Salming shoes, which just continues to get better and better.

Thanks to my volunteers Jon Phillips, Sean and Shirley Treasure, Sasha Silk and Pam Mac. It was great having them all help and catching up with them. Thanks to the helpful spectators and crew such as Frank Chauveau because these races wouldn’t be the same without you. And thanks to the Secret Rocky Runners club for providing a great atmosphere with all your runners and crew.

It was great having Rob Sutton back again as our sole east coast visitor this year. Rob ran a solid 50kms despite a heavy cold and actually seemed to be in better shape after the race. If you’re looking for a flat, cool 50kms or 100kms trail race, put this one on your calendar for next year!

Pictured: The kids race at Lark Hill Dusk to Dawn earlier this month. Photograph – Shannon Dale/Facebook.

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2026 AGM Notice (15 April 2026)

By Dave Martin • March 14, 2026

AUTRA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday 15 April 2026

AUTRA statement regarding Snowies Trail Run Festival

March 12, 2026

AUTRA has been in direct contact with the organisers of the Snowies Trail Run Festival, In2Adventure, regarding a recent situation involving an athlete and the event’s in‑person safety briefing requirements. In2Adventure has confirmed that the situation was discussed directly with the athlete at the time. From In2Adventure’s account, and for the purpose of clarifying the public record, AUTRA notes the following points: At no stage was the athlete prevented from breastfeeding at the event. The organiser states that the following options were offered to enable the athlete to participate while still meeting safety requirements: a quiet and private space where she could breastfeed while still being present at the briefing; the option to receive the required briefing at the 30 km start line after the start; and the option to change her registration to the 21 km event, where the briefing is conducted on the start line. At no stage prior to event registration on Saturday night did the athlete contact the organiser to advise of her situation or request alternative arrangements, which limited what could be put in place at the time. Face‑to‑face safety briefings have always been a requirement for In2Adventure events due to the remote and higher‑risk nature of the trails. AUTRA was aware that in‑person briefings were used and had not raised concerns about that general approach. The organiser has indicated that this requirement is driven by safety, duty‑of‑care and insurance obligations, and follows previous experience where remote or online briefings resulted in athletes starting events without critical safety information. The organiser maintains that the event was not conducted in a manner that was intended to be non‑inclusive, inflexible or discriminatory, and that decisions made on the day were based solely on safety requirements that apply equally to all participants. AUTRA’s aim in issuing this statement is solely to clarify the context and ensure that the public record reflects the information provided to us by the organiser.