WEEKLY NEWS BRIEF – 28/12/2018

Kate Dzienis • December 28, 2018

Sandman 50, WA
Membership renewals reminder
Points competition

Our last weekly news brief for 2018!

Sandman 50

The Sandman 50k was the last AURA-listed event for the year, and was held in Dunsborough, WA on Sunday (December 23). Tony Smith from Tapping secured 1st Male in a time of 4:04:22 and was closely followed by visitor Ben Nicholls, hailing from Timboon, Vic who crossed the finish line in sub 4:20 for a 2nd Male with a time of 4:19:36.

Congratulations also to Alex Keys from Leederville who secured his 50km in 4:37:53 and Spearwood’s Logan Vickers (5:22:14).

No events are being held this weekend, but the first race of the year for 2019 will be the Narrabeen All Nighter on January 5 in Narrabeen, NSW. The main event is a multi lap trail race (on a 5.275km out and back loop) to complete the furthest distance in 12 hours.

Membership Renewal Reminder & Competition

Also, a reminder to everyone that if you renew your membership, or become a member, before December 31 you will go into the draw to win a free entry into any 2019 AURA-listed event as well as up to $500 towards travel and accommodation! Just head to the Members tab at the top of the site.

2018 Points Competition

The 2018 Points Competition tally has been updated with all event results, magazine contributions, records and organiser contributions for the year – all that’s left is to add your individual volunteering contributions. If you’ve helped out at an AURA-listed event this year, and would like that contribution recorded in the points comp, please complete the form linked from the article here. You’ll also find a link to the current points tally where you can double-check that we’ve got all your details correct for the year.

Wishing everyone a prosperous start to the new year, and we truly hope to see you all on board with AURA and staying a part of an amazing community of ultra runners!

Pictured: Tony Smith wins the Sandman 50k on December 23 in Dunsborough, WA. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.

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2026 AGM Notice (15 April 2026)

By Dave Martin • March 14, 2026

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

AUTRA statement regarding Snowies Trail Run Festival

March 12, 2026

AUTRA has been in direct contact with the organisers of the Snowies Trail Run Festival, In2Adventure, regarding a recent situation involving an athlete and the event’s in‑person safety briefing requirements. In2Adventure has confirmed that the situation was discussed directly with the athlete at the time. From In2Adventure’s account, and for the purpose of clarifying the public record, AUTRA notes the following points: At no stage was the athlete prevented from breastfeeding at the event. The organiser states that the following options were offered to enable the athlete to participate while still meeting safety requirements: a quiet and private space where she could breastfeed while still being present at the briefing; the option to receive the required briefing at the 30 km start line after the start; and the option to change her registration to the 21 km event, where the briefing is conducted on the start line. At no stage prior to event registration on Saturday night did the athlete contact the organiser to advise of her situation or request alternative arrangements, which limited what could be put in place at the time. Face‑to‑face safety briefings have always been a requirement for In2Adventure events due to the remote and higher‑risk nature of the trails. AUTRA was aware that in‑person briefings were used and had not raised concerns about that general approach. The organiser has indicated that this requirement is driven by safety, duty‑of‑care and insurance obligations, and follows previous experience where remote or online briefings resulted in athletes starting events without critical safety information. The organiser maintains that the event was not conducted in a manner that was intended to be non‑inclusive, inflexible or discriminatory, and that decisions made on the day were based solely on safety requirements that apply equally to all participants. AUTRA’s aim in issuing this statement is solely to clarify the context and ensure that the public record reflects the information provided to us by the organiser.