Weekly News - 2/10/17

• Nerang 100 Miler, Qld
• Fuxian Lake Highland Ultra, China

Yet again, we saw incredible sportsmanship and fortitude by AURA members in the last two days, with ultra events held in Queensland and abroad in China.

Starting locally, AURA kept an eye on the Nerang 100 Miler which kicked off Saturday morning near the Gold Coast. Runners hit a looped 25kms course across six divisions – 100mi, 100kms, 50mi, 50kms, 25kms and relay teams.

A total of 104 individuals entered the Nerang festival as well as three teams for the 100kms relay race.

Coming out on top was AURA member Kevin Muller from Upper Kedron in Qld (pictured above, courtesy Nerang 100 Miler), who smashed his 24-hour prediction in the 100mi with a time of 23:51:51, claiming first place in a field of seven runners.

Despite the heat, which rose to the mid-30s, Muller maintained some impressive split times, including hitting the 50kms mark in 5:18:47 and 130.467kms in 18:12:38.

Two more AURA members, Richard McCormick and Stephen Lewis, both ran in the 50kms event and did superbly in a field of 27.

McCormick took 15th place in a time of 6:34:00 and Lewis wasn’t too far behind, finishing the distance in 7:07:20 and claiming 20th.

Congratulations to Muller, McCormick and Lewis on their efforts at the weekend in trying conditions.

Saturday also saw the horn go off at the Fuxian Lake Highland Ultramarathon 50kms and 100kms Invitational in the Yunnan Province at Yuxi City, China (World Championships Trial Event).

Again, despite being more than 7000kms away from Australia, temperatures also hit above 30 degrees with not much shade in the afternoon, and with runners gaining an elevation anywhere between 1700-metres and 1911-metres, it was tough going on the ruthless roads.

Two AURA-nominated runners, Rachel Glasson and Tia Jones, raced in the 50kms and 100kms respectively, and we also saw members Jodie Oborne (AURA VP), Gary Mullins, Ella Jamieson, Georgie Farrar and Michelle McAdam taking on the Chinese ultra.

Jones took 4th place and Mullins claimed 13th in the 100kms while in the 50kms event Glasson was 5th, Jamieson 7th, McAdam 10th, Farrar 14th and Oborne 16th.

It was a great effort for Australian ultra running and each one of our Aussie runners showed the world what they are made of – fantastic representation of this superb sport.

Congratulations to everyone mentioned for their outstanding performances at the Fuxian Lake Highland Ultramarathon.