WEEKLY NEWS BRIEF – 10/10/2018

Adelaide 6 Day
Sri Chinmoy Ultra
Haunted Pines Ultra
Western Coastal

With a barrage of amazing events held over the last few days, it’s easy to see how busy the ultra community is as we move into the tail end of the year. The Adelaide 6 Day kicked off on Saturday, September 29 and finished on Friday, October 5 and we had an array of AURA members successfully participate – for starters, there’s no need for an introduction to the first place podium finisher, Darren Linney from Paradise, SA who dominated throughout the six days.

He completed a total distance of 800.959kms and according to on-the-ground reports, looked strong throughout the event.

Not to be outdone, there was another spectacular performance on the cards, with Annabel Hepworth from Annandale, NSW securing 1st female/2nd overall with a total of 742.803kms. Yet to be confirmed with results still provisional, but Hepworth unofficially ran the longest distance for a female in a six day event in the world this year.

Second male/3rd overall went to Coromandel Valley’s David Billett (677.945kms) while 3rd male/4th overall was taken by George Alexandropoulos (587.344kms) from North Dandenong, Vic.

Congratulations also goes out to John Timms, who at age 76 was the oldest runner on the course and who provisionally set a new 75-79 male age group 500k national record. He completed a total distance of 504.665kms.

Well done to all those who raced at the Adelaide 6 Day, including Tony Wilms (433.587kms), Steven Houldsworth (421.209kms), Cherie Rothery (353.846kms), Cassie Smith (329.331kms), Douglas Kewley (133:997) and Barry McBride (19.957kms).

Kavan Dedman from Seaview Downs, SA took out 1st place in the 72hr event with a total distance of 181.042kms, and in the 48hr it was Qld’s Stephen Wright who secured 1st place with 255.085kms and Brad Boyle with 3rd male in 161.235kms.

The Sri Chinmoy Trail Ultra 105 was held on Sunday, October 7 in the ACT, and it was another AURA-filled podium finish for our members. Brendan Davies from Woodford, NSW took out 1st place, completing the 105kms distance in 9:38:31, while Mick Thwaites held strong to 2nd after finishing in 11:00:07.

First female went to Pam Muston from Wamboin, NSW who completed the event in 13:44:55.

Over in WA, the Ultra Series WA’s first event for the Forest Series kicked off on Saturday night, with the Halloween themed Haunted Pines Ultra where participants were encouraged to dress in costume and run through a middle-of-nowhere pine forest from 7pm.

A plethora of AURA members dressed for the occasion, where in the men’s 50k Rob Freitag aka Edward Scissorhands took out 1st male/1st overall with 4:48:21 and Alexis Oosterhoff claimed 2nd male 5:48:01.

Sarah Farrell was 1st for the women with a time of 5:09:47, and she was closely followed by 2nd female Beck Hefferon (5:12:00). Congratulations to all those who took on the spooky 50kms, enduring the endless dark, including Emma Luscombe (6:44:36), Frank Chauveau (6:50:20), Mike Gibbon (6:59:32), Tina Jones (7:08:40), and Sue Robertson (7:08:40).

AURA members also participated in the 25k, and the race saw Andrew McLeish take out 1st place with a time of 1:55:25. High fives go to Robert Colligan (2:30:48), Nick Goddard (2:39:48), Jen Millum (2:54:58), Gemma Hamilton (3:09:47), Peter Barry (3:22:56) and Lucia Caravia (3:22:57).

Congratulations also to those who ran in the 12.5k – Joanne Dean, Kate Dzienis, Kerri Klumper, Shon Fry, Louise Wallace, and Gary Wilmot.

Chris Lark from Belmont smashed it and claimed 1st place in his time of 58:16, while Butler’s Glen Smetherham took 2nd, not far behind Lark and chasing him with a total end time of 1:00:36.

The Western Coastal 50k was also held over the weekend, and we would like to congratulate all of those runners who participated.

Next on the calendar for AURA-listed events is the Great Ocean Walk in Vic, Hume & Hovell Ultra in NSW, and Washpool Trails 50k in NSW.

Pictured: Adelaide 6 Day top 3 finishers Annabel Hepworth, Darren Linney, and David Billett. Photograph – Ultra Runners South Australia/Facebook.