TWO BAYS TRAIL RUN RACE DIRECTOR REPORT

Kate Dzienis • January 29, 2018

Contributed by Rohan Day, Race Director, Two Bays Trail Run

Just a few weeks after Two Bays Trail Run (January 14), also the AURA Short Course National Trail Championships. The annual delayed summer holiday. On a coast. Another coast. Anywhere but the Mornington Peninsula. Because there is no holiday prior to Two Bays.

Half a day off for Christmas, and keep it rolling.

Two Bays race day weather was brilliant. About 20 degrees with cloud. Rain the previous day had firmed up the sand on the infamous Wallermerriyong ‘road’ section of the course (loose sandy track.)

The highlight was Lucy Bartholomew’s F56 race record (4:33:58), taking nine minutes off the previous record.

The women settled into their podium positions quickly and then held them.

The M56 race was the entertainer.

Francesco Ciancio led a small pack of himself, Ash Bennett and Sasha Ruda.

They came into the midpoint together and then it blew apart on Arthurs Seat on the return – Ciancio withdrew. Ruda faded to 10th outright, Bennett came home in second, and Majell Backhausen, who had been running a minute or two back, came through for the win. Backhausen’s second half was only four minutes slower than his first half, which I’d argue is getting it right at this distance, on this course.

There was the disappointment of having to disqualify a couple of (otherwise) podium people in the 28kms.

Both transgressors of the 500ml-Water-Carrying-Device rule. Both were inadvertent errors, and while disappointed, they did take the situation well.

Inevitably the discussion with others goes along the lines that the front end 28kms runners on a cool day don’t need a water carrying device.

Correct.

Assuming all goes right, and assuming it’s going to stay cool.

And assuming it’s all about the frontend runners, which it isn’t.

That rule was written for the main herd who need to drink during the run, and in light of the fact that the run occurs in mid-January, in summer.

So should we go easy on the frontend about that rule?

No.

Firstly, it’s a race. And in the interests of a level playing field everyone carries the gear they signed up to carry, and that was listed on the website for the preceding 12 months (years, actually).

Secondly, the frontend are the local heroes and can lead by example.

I do feel a little sorry for frontend newbies to trail running though. The rules vary from race to race as the courses and logistical concerns vary from race to race. It’s a hard way to learn that you have to read the specific rules for each race prior to running, but I don’t see another way.

Personally, I know I’ve selected which events to enter based on mandatory gear requirements in the past. Though some entrants seem to prefer the Enter-Then-Whinge model.

On the AURA side of things, it was good to see that the entire M56 podium were AURA members and that in the F56 race it only had to roll back one position. Nice to have as little performance distinction between the two titles as possible.

There were 285 finishers in the 56kms race. We did hit a high of over 350 entrants in the 56kms, but as per usual many requested to be put in to the 28kms fun run as race day looms.

Slowly the percentage of women runners inches higher. We’ve had as low as 18% in the 56kms, but it was 25% this year (the 28kms run for comparison has 43%).

The 56km results can be found here, with full event results available on the event website. Next year’s event is scheduled for Jan 13, 2019.

Featured Top: Tash Fraser, winner of the women’s event in the 56kms. Photograph – Cassandra Gash.

Image Above: The AURA men’s podium finishers. Photograph – Cassandra Gash.

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2026 AGM Notice of Meeting

By Dave Martin • March 31, 2026

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

AUTRA Race Report 30-3-2026

By Kate Dzienis • March 30, 2026

Kunanyi Mountain Run, Tas Buffalo Stampede Festival (Australian Long Trail Championships), Vic Cairns 50, Qld Lithgow Ridgy-Didge Trail Run Festival, NSW Southern Cross 24 Hour, SA Upcoming Events WEEKLY RACE RECAP FOR 30-3-2026 As always, we're continuously on the hunt for your stories and reports, so get those race reports and photographs in to ultramag@autra.asn.au with the following information: Word document, single spaced Include the name of the event, the date and the location anywhere in the report (just a bullet point at the top is great) Please attach photographs to the email – do not put images in the body of your Word doc. You’ll just get me emailing you back asking for the photos sent in the correct way! As many photos as possible. With our new website, it’s now easier than ever to include a nice gallery in each race report No PDFs please And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AUTRA-listed event specifically! You just have to be an AUTRA member for the 2026 year. Also too, if you’ve run in a non-AUTRA listed event anywhere on home soil or internationally, we’d love to include your race results and experience in our Member Updates, so please do reach out to us via email to kate.dzienis@autra.asn.au If any corrections need to be made in any of the results listed below, please alert me via email.