WEEKLY NEWS – 23/05/2018

WEEKLY NEWS – 23/05/2018

Kate Dzienis • May 23, 2018

Great Ocean Road Running Festival, Vic
Ultra-Trail Australia, NSW

Two major races took place over the weekend, and we couldn’t be more proud of all our AURA members who participated in either one.

The Great Ocean Road Running Festival was held on Sunday, May 20 with the event’s 60kms ultra marathon start line from Lorne, Vic.

In a massive effort, and with a time of 4:18:50, AURA member Natasha Fraser from Ballarat, Vic was the overall winner, sweeping in and claiming the title of first place in a field of 84 runners. She truly showed what ultra running is about, all while making it seem so effortless as she crossed the line an entire 11 minutes ahead of the second place getter from Malaysia.

Congratulations also goes to Gregory Farrell (5:17:44) and Mike Pickavance (6:21:22) who completed the distance in great times!

Ultra-Trail Australia was another big event race held, in the glorious Blue Mountains. About 965 runners took to the 100kms event, and our AURA members did so well it’s hard to know where to begin!

Forty-one year old AURA member Brendan Davies from Woodford, NSW took home the title, claiming his second UTA 100kms with a time of 9:18:10 – crossing the finish line proudly with an Australian flag.

First female through the chute was Kellie Emmerson from Kilsyth in Vic, where she claimed victory in the 100kms with a time of 11:05:48. The 32-year-old led for the majority of the race, battling it out with runner Jessica Carroll throughout the distance, but came out on top with a nine minute difference.

A whopping congratulations to everyone who ran at UTA this year in the 100kms, including Ewan Horsburg (11:03:11), Gary Mullins (11:35:20), Howard Norton (11:50:43), Katherine McMillan (12:17:09), Malcolm Gamble (12:31:07), Simon Neale (12:55:48), Todd Paul (13:07:43), Sarah Ludowici (13:28:04), Ben Hirst (13:41:00), Ben Jozefiak (13:44:33), Mak Sawa (13:49:59), Chris Lewinski (13:53:22), Stuart Hughes (14:00:34), Joe Lewis (14:23:16), Ash Daniels (14:33:16), Wayne McMurtrie (14:55:00), David Campbell (15:20:27), Brad Malone (15:38:42), Piera Kohout (15:51:33), Alan Wheat (16:17:14), Roylene Stanley (16:50:54), Lauren Shay (17:35:17), Andrew Speakman (17:37:07), Darryl McKenzie (18:43:07), Stephen Wright (19:24:44), Mark Barger (20:02:04), Martin Thomas (20:56:38), Justin Parise (21:53:59), Eloise Simons (22:33:50) and Samantha Post (27:20:15).

About 1822 runners participated in the 50kms event, and if you’re an AURA member who participated, we’d love to hear from you! Send through a race report or story about your experience on the course to ultramag@aura.asn.au


Pictured: Natasha Fraser winning the Great Ocean Road Running Festival’s 60kms Ultra Marathon event. Photograph – Supplied.

Pictured Above: Brendan Davies at the finish line of UTA this weekend. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook. 

By Kate Dzienis September 11, 2025
Run The River Half, Qld Murphys Creek Challenge, Qld Lighthorse Ultra, WA Kunanyi Trail Series, Rialannah, Tas Upcoming Events WEEKLY NEWS REPORT FOR 12-09-2025 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 2025 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.
By Gary Mullins September 8, 2025
Location : Bangkok, Thailand Dates : November 21 - 24 2025 Role Type : Volunteer Position Time Commitment : Pre event planning + Travel Application Deadline : 17th September 2025 Thank you for your interest in supporting the Australian team for the 2025 IAU Asian 100k Championships. This role goes far beyond logistics. It’s about leadership, inclusion, and creating a positive, empowering environment for athletes competing on the world stage. AUTRA is committed to opening doors for those outside traditional pathways. We strongly encourage applications from coaches, former athletes, club leaders, volunteers, and passionate community members. You don’t need to have served on a board or managed a team before as we’re looking for people who genuinely care, are highly organised, and can proudly represent our athletes and country. Role Overview As Team Manager, you’ll work closely with AUTRA President Gary Mullins and Vice President Geoff Russell to prepare and support the national team before and during the championship. Pre-Departure Australia Act as the main contact for selected athletes and crew Assist with final entry forms and travel planning Prepare a Championships Agenda in alliance with the Team Managers Agreement Document Coordinate flights, uniforms, and team communications Help identify and organise crew support Attend online team planning meetings On the Ground in Thailand Be present and ready as athletes arrive Ensure all athlete needs are met so they can focus fully on their race Attend all technical meetings and represent the team professionally Coordinate team attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies Ensure the team and crew are prepared, organised, and calm Address any issues that arise with efficiency and discretion Provide hands on leadership and moral support throughout the race Support Provided Accommodation in Bangkok for 3 - 4 nights will be provided by AUTRA An official team uniform will be supplied A volunteer allowance of $1500 will be provided to acknowledge your time and service during the championship period. What You’ll Need Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Strong organisational ability under pressure A calm, inclusive, and athlete first mindset Commitment to AUTRA’s Code of Conduct Member of AUTRA Applying To apply for the role of Team Manager please CLICK HERE and fill out the Application Form. Applications Close at 5pm 17th September 2025. Selection Process Following the application deadline, the AUTRA Committee will review all submissions and select the most suitable candidate. All applicants will be contacted by Gary Mullins within 7 days of applications closing. Gary Mullins AUTRA President
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By Kate Dzienis September 11, 2025
Run The River Half, Qld Murphys Creek Challenge, Qld Lighthorse Ultra, WA Kunanyi Trail Series, Rialannah, Tas Upcoming Events WEEKLY NEWS REPORT FOR 12-09-2025 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 2025 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.
By Gary Mullins September 8, 2025
Location : Bangkok, Thailand Dates : November 21 - 24 2025 Role Type : Volunteer Position Time Commitment : Pre event planning + Travel Application Deadline : 17th September 2025 Thank you for your interest in supporting the Australian team for the 2025 IAU Asian 100k Championships. This role goes far beyond logistics. It’s about leadership, inclusion, and creating a positive, empowering environment for athletes competing on the world stage. AUTRA is committed to opening doors for those outside traditional pathways. We strongly encourage applications from coaches, former athletes, club leaders, volunteers, and passionate community members. You don’t need to have served on a board or managed a team before as we’re looking for people who genuinely care, are highly organised, and can proudly represent our athletes and country. Role Overview As Team Manager, you’ll work closely with AUTRA President Gary Mullins and Vice President Geoff Russell to prepare and support the national team before and during the championship. Pre-Departure Australia Act as the main contact for selected athletes and crew Assist with final entry forms and travel planning Prepare a Championships Agenda in alliance with the Team Managers Agreement Document Coordinate flights, uniforms, and team communications Help identify and organise crew support Attend online team planning meetings On the Ground in Thailand Be present and ready as athletes arrive Ensure all athlete needs are met so they can focus fully on their race Attend all technical meetings and represent the team professionally Coordinate team attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies Ensure the team and crew are prepared, organised, and calm Address any issues that arise with efficiency and discretion Provide hands on leadership and moral support throughout the race Support Provided Accommodation in Bangkok for 3 - 4 nights will be provided by AUTRA An official team uniform will be supplied A volunteer allowance of $1500 will be provided to acknowledge your time and service during the championship period. What You’ll Need Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Strong organisational ability under pressure A calm, inclusive, and athlete first mindset Commitment to AUTRA’s Code of Conduct Member of AUTRA Applying To apply for the role of Team Manager please CLICK HERE and fill out the Application Form. Applications Close at 5pm 17th September 2025. Selection Process Following the application deadline, the AUTRA Committee will review all submissions and select the most suitable candidate. All applicants will be contacted by Gary Mullins within 7 days of applications closing. Gary Mullins AUTRA President
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