RECORDS AND RANKINGS 2017

Kate Dzienis • January 29, 2018

By Jodie Oborne, AURA Vice President and Records/Ranking Officer

There were again several outstanding achievements by Australian ultra runners at local events and internationally throughout the year in 2017. But the number of record applications is down on previous years. This could be due to the fact that the major World Championship events are now biannually with only two major World Championships conducted in 2017. The 24 Hour held in Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 1 and 2, and the Trail World Championships on June 9 and 10.

The rankings are a good guide for those seeking selection, and the competition in some events is quite fierce. It’s a great time for ultra running in Australia.

A current list of rankings can be found on the AURA website.

A number of notable performances were achieved at the Adelaide 24 Hour in the past few years and 2017 was no exception. In 2016, Tia Jones ran a fast 100kms in the 12-hour event to secure a place in the 100kms World Championships team later that year. In 2017, she returned in her debut over 24-hour and pulled off another significant performance. In Adelaide, Tia claimed records for the 100 miles (16:52:31), 200kms (22:26:21), and 24 hours (210.648kms).

While no open records were broken in 2017, Tia achieved a World Age Best Performance at her final event of the year, a 6-hour in Barcelona, Spain. This is yet to be ratified by the International Association of Ultrarunners, but Tia now joins Shirley Young (W70 24 hours, 12 hours, 6 hours, W65 6 hours) and Tina Torpy (W60 50kms) – all Australian women with World Age Best Performances. Australian Men with World Age Best Performances include George Perdon, George Audley, Cliff Young, Drew Kettle and Yiannis Kouros.

At the National 100kms Championships held on the Gold Coast, Pam Muston had a great run, finishing third in the National Championships and securing a W55 age record for 100kms.

Only one male record application was received in 2017. The M65 category has a number of members with the potential to challenge records, and this year John Nuttall secured the 6-hour record in Sydney with 65.491kms – a fantastic result which had him ranked third in his age category internationally in 2017.

A complete list of Australian Records and Australian Age Records ratified in 2017 can be found in the table below.

Distance/Time	Record Type	Athlete	Venue	New Record	Date
6 Hours	Australian M65	John Nuttall	Sydney, NSW	65.491km	08-Jul-17
100km	Australian W25	Larissa Tichon	Auckland, NZ	8:54:27	07-May-17
12 hours	Australian W50	Tia Jones	Bruce, ACT	128.689km	18-Mar-17
100 miles	Australian W50	Tia Jones	Adelaide, SA	16:52:31	9-Jul-17
200km	Australian W50	Tia Jones	Adelaide, SA	22:26:21	9-Jul-17
24 hours	Australian W50	Tia Jones	Adelaide, SA	210.648km	9-Jul-17
6 Hours	Australian W50	Tia Jones	Barcelona, SPAIN	74.671km	16-Dec-17
100km	Australian W55	Pam Muston	Gold Coast, QLD	10:17:07	11-Jun-17

6 days	Australian W55	Dipali Cunningham	New York	764.438km	29-Apr-14

< Older Post

Newer Post >

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