Weekly News Report 10-01-2022

Kate Dzienis • January 10, 2022

OMFG Trail Running Festival, WA
Sun Run, SA
Upcoming Events & News

OMFG Trail Running Festival

What an incredible way to kick off the year for the 2022 ultra running season on the AURA listed calendar of events! The OMFG Trail Running Festival kicked off bright and early on Saturday, 8 January offering participants a number of distances to choose from including a 6km, 10km, 16km and 25km*.

Held along the Eagle View and Heritage Trails in John Forrest National Park, WA one of the highlights of the festival is running through the Swan View Railway Tunnel, which was originally opened in 1896. Remaining a train tunnel until 1966, it’s now one of the finest preserved trail running tunnels in the state.

In the women’s 25km, podium finishes went to Rachel Nathan who took 1^st Female in 2:32:21 and AURA member Jessica Smith from Perth who secured 2^nd Female in a speedy 2:41:51. Amy Ross took 3^rd Female in 2:46:06.

For the men’s 25km event, 1^st Male was won by Tony Pfaff (2:18:57), 2^nd Male went to Volker Gartz (2:19:10) and 3^rdMale was claimed by Richard Chilcott (2:20:53).

Congratulations to all our AURA members who raced in the 25km division, including David Murphy (2:29:34), Michael Hooker (2:38:03), Geoff Quinton (3:38:50) and Diane Breant (3:54:06).

Podium spots for the women’s and men’s 16km event were Nicola Hibbert in 1^st Female (1:38:11), Sharon Beattie in 2^ndFemale (1:46:18) and Rachel Clifton-Simms in 3^rd Female (1:48:16); Graeme Bamber in 1^st Male (1:17:12, Isaac Neretlis in 2^nd Male (1:25:46) and Justin Wakefield in 3^rd Male (1:32:49).

A full list of results can be viewed here.

Sun Run

GoodRunning’s Sun Run, the first event in a 2-event summer series, was held on Sunday, 9 January along the River Torrens Linear Pathway in Felixstowe, SA. On offer was a 60km ultra distance, which saw 4 runners participate, and 3 finish.

In the preliminary results, 1^st Male went to Dylan Claridge (6:05:17), 2^nd Male went to Andy Savage (6:49:32) and 3^rdMale went to AURA member David Billett who completed the course in 6:58:52.

A full list of results can be viewed here.

Upcoming Events

With the current pandemic still hitting states all across the country, it’s advised to keep an eye on events’ FB pages or websites if you have entered a race; alternatively, race directors will always communicate with their participants and volunteers on the next course of action.

Hares and Hounds, hosted by AAA Racing, was scheduled to be held in Beerburrum, Qld last weekend however it’s been postponed to this weekend Saturday, 15 January to ensure safer conditions for all involved following horrific weather systems in the region.

Two Bays Trail Run is due to be held on Sunday, 16 January in Dromana, Vic and offers a 56km ultra distance. The event is also doubled up to be AURA’s Australian Short Trail Championships.

The 2022 Australia Day Ultra is scheduled for 22 January, providing up to 100km for ultra runners in the WA south west town of Australind, whilst the Sandman 50 will be held the last weekend of January, on the 29^th, offering a 50km trail run from the Old Dunsborough Boat Ramp in WA.

News

We love making mention of AURA members when they achieve incredible results at other races across the country and around the world, so if you or someone you know is an AURA member and they’ve had an amazing event that isn’t AURA-listed, email kate.dzienis@aura.asn.au and keep us in the loop!

We also want your race reports and story ideas for our monthly Ultramag digital magazine. Without your tips and leads, there wouldn’t be an Ultramag, so please consider contributing at least once in the new year where you get a chance to share your ultra running experiences with other members! Send all stories and photos to ultramag@aura.asn.au to get in for the next edition.

*Although no ultra distance was on offer at the OMFG Trail Running Festival, the event is partnered with AURA to encourage participants to get on the trails and be involved in an all-inclusive race where there is a possible likelihood ultra distances could be on offer in the future; also, if a race director of the said event has other events listed with AURA, they are welcome to list and partner with us.

Any discrepancies in results, or if you have found yourself missing from our report, please email kate.dzienis@aura.asn.au for any and all corrections.

Pictured: Jessica Smith with her 1^st Female trophy in the OMGF Trail Running Festival’s 25km event. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.

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AUTRA News Report 11-09-2025

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.

Team Manager 2025 IAU Asian and Oceania 100K Championships

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