WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 10-03-2023

Kate Dzienis • March 10, 2023

Race Report & Memberships
Belair Marathon, SA
RunningWorks Lark Hill Dusk to Dawn, WA
World Mountain & Trail Championships, Austria
Upcoming Events

We are always on the hunt for your stories and reports, so with March Ultramag due out soon, send in your incredible tales to ultramag@aura.asn.au And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AURA-listed event specifically! And don’t forget, that if you’re not a member of AURA, it only costs $49 for the whole year!

BELAIR MARATHON, SA

Ultra Series’ Belair Marathon, held on Saturday 4 March in Belair National Park, SA saw competitors race in marathon distance, a half marathon, 10km and 5km in warm weather.

Top positions in the Men’s Marathon were awarded to Luke Davison (3:56:52), Kieran Rooke (4:01:16) and Thibault Delacroix (4:05:03).

In the Women’s Marathon, top spots went to Dannielle Vanderheul (4:39:33), Sarah Melville (4:52:05) and Briony Weckert (5:00:08).

Congratulations to all our AURA members who ran in the Belair Marathon, including the legendary Barry McBride(5:35:40), Peter Goss (5:47:01), Geoffrey Langhans (5:55:13), Dave Brown (5:55:39) and Dawn Parks (7:50:47).

LARK HILL, WA

An old favourite over in WA, the RunningWorks Lark Hill Dusk to Dawn took place last weekend in Port Kennedy from 3-5 March, 2023. On offer was a 100mi, 100km, 50km, 25km and a children’s 45 minute event.

Dusk to Dawn is run on a loop course along a 3km limestone track with about 200m of soft sand and a minor undulation towards the start/finish.

There were 4 competitors in the 100mi (an even split of 2 Women, 2 Men).

In the Women’s 100mi, AURA’s very own WA shining star Jen Millum from Karnup took the top spot, finishing her total distance of 162.25km in 19:42:05. A big congratulations to Jen on this spectacular effort, who went in with a goal of securing a sub 20 hour race. Rachel Evans took 2nd Female after finishing 100.30km in 23:19:11.

In the Men’s 100mi, the two top positions were awarded to Jamie Back (1:11:37) and Nick O’Neill (56.05km in 16:41:55).

There were 5 competitors in the 100km (4 Men, 1 Woman). In the Men’s 100km, the winner was named Yann Urban (11:48:40) with the two runners after him not finishing the distance: Taka Nukumizu (70.59km in 8:47:07) and Glen Zuvela (70.59km in 10:21:39). For the Women’s 100km, Shannon Wakefield finished with 64.71km in 11:51:56.

There were 16 runners in the 50km ultra event (9 Men, 7 Women).

Starting with the Men’s 50km, AURA’s well known Phil Gore from Darling Downs took the race in his stride and managed to secure himself a 1st Male placing after finishing the event in 3:48:54. Second and 3rd Male were awarded to Justin Kelly (3:55:57) and Craig Weller (4:41:59).

It was no surprise to see the ever talented AURA runner Jessica Smith from Perth take 1st Female in the Women’s 50kmafter crossing the finish line in 5:10:01. Lara Louw (5:47:42) and Bekka Staal (6:24:19) won 2nd and 3rd respectively.

WORLD MOUNTAIN & TRAIL RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS NEWS

Athletics Australia, together with AURA and ITRA Australia, are inviting athletes to nominate for selection in the Australian team to contest the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships to be held in Innsbruk-Stubai, Austria from 6-10 June.

To be considered for selection, nominations must be received by 23:59 (Australian Eastern Daylight Time) on Sunday 26 March 2023 and you can head here for more info:

https://www.athletics.com.au/our-events/2023-world-mountain-and-trail-championships/?fbclid=IwAR2otbgpJP3BCFiq3YBFWfo8aaiV6rQpEO57-pu44-7h3VQQlebKnoEqRFA

This is an opportunity to be a national team representative for the mountain and trail running communities. The 2022 team consisted of a fantastic number of AURA members, including Nick Muxlow from SA (Short Trail Race 40km), Matt Crehan from Vic (Long Trail Race 80km), Joshua Chugg from WA (Long Trail Race 80km), Tom Dade from Vic (Long Trail Race 80km), Montana McAvoy from Qld (Up Mountain 8.5km and Up Down Mountain 11.2km), Simone Beckfrom Vic (Up Down Mountain 11.2km), Sarah Ludowici from WA (Long Trail Race 80km), Lou Clifton from NSW (Long Trail Race 80km), Jessica Schluter from Qld (Long Trail Race 80km) and Gill Fowler from NSW (Long Trail Race 80km).

UPCOMING EVENTS

Don’t forget that race entry discounts are available to AURA members once you log in and visit the Race Discounts Page.

This weekend, kicking off tomorrow on Saturday 11 March is the Australian Alpine Ascent (AAA) in Charlottes Pass, NSW with offerings of 73km, 53km and 22km trail racing. Also tomorrow is the SA Track Ultra, held at the SA Athletics Stadium with kick off at 8am for a 50km and 100km.

Will records be broken next weekend at Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra in WA? News is that it’s now the world’s biggest backyard ultra thanks to the number of entrants who will be starting their loops on Friday, 17 March at Herdsman Lake.

The very well-known Noosa Ultra-Trail will start its weekend of running festivities on Thursday, 23 March with closing ceremonies to be held on Sunday, 26 March near Tewantin, Qld. Events include a 100km and 80km for ultra runners. The weekend is busy with the kunanyi Mountain Run in Tassie also held 24-26 March – and it’s doubling up as AURA’s Short Course Trail Championships. The Lithgow Ridgy-Didge Trail Run Festival kicks off Saturday, 25 March in Lithgow, NSW with a 50km ultra event for the long distance runners, whilst the Sri Chinmoy 48hr Track Festival starts on Friday, 24 March to finish on the Sunday at the AIS Athletics Track in Canberra, ACT – the event will double up as AURA’s 48hr Australian Championships.

Let’s not stop there though. Sunday, 26 March will be the date for the Washpool World Heritage Trails hosted by Coffs Trail Runners in NSW.

Now that is a busy weekend of ultra running!

Pictured: Entrants of the 100mi at the 2023 RunningWorks Lark Hill Dusk to Dawn. (L-R) Jamie Back, Rachel Evans, Nick O’Neill and AURA member Jen Millum. Photograph – Ilze Roux.

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Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater