WEEKLY NEWS REPORT – 10/9/2019

Kate Dzienis • September 10, 2019

Birdy’s Backyard Ultra, WA

Birdy’s Backyard Ultra

AURA members from WA took on the inaugural Birdy’s Backyard Ultra at the weekend, which began on Friday (September 6) on a private property in the hills of Perth.

Participants took on an official 6.7km loop course, with requirements to be at the start line ready to go again on the hour, every hour until there was a last one standing.

Forty-five runners had their names on the whiteboard when the first lap began, but Birdy’s proved to be a tough course with a fair bit of elevation.

In the end, after a gruelling 21 hours, it was Michael Hooker who took title of winner and last one standing following an incredible performance of completing 21 laps, or approximately 140.70km.

Best three performances by the men were Hooker, Jimmy Brook (20 laps) and AURA’s very own Sergio Gustinetti from Tuart Hill (17 laps).

Best three performances by the women were AURA member Jen Millum from Karnup (13 laps), AURA’s Margie Hadley from Henley Brook (11 laps), and Ky Lee Bell (10 laps).

Congratulations to all our AURA members who took on the inaugural Birdy’s Backyard Ultra – there were a lot of happy faces for this new format in the state, with many thrilled to be given a wooden spoon when DNFing – Darlene Dale, Barbara Fieberg, Robert Freitag, Sophee Gregory,Beck Hefferon, Shane Holstein, Kathryn Hookham, Jutta Kober, Kevin Matthews, Wayne McMurtrie, Alexis Oosterhoff, Shaye Pett, Andre Pienaar, Glen Smetherham, Georgia Snowball, Cheryl Tatterton, Logan Vickers and Harmony Waite.

It was also fabulous to see a number of our members donning the new AURA t-shirts at Birdy’s!

Other Events

There were a number of other events across the country (non AURA-listed) and we saw a few AURA members participate in those.

Sadly, due to out-of-control bushfires in the area, the Coastal High 50 in Queensland was cancelled. The AURA community wishes everyone to stay safe and ensure the safety of themselves and their families as first priority.

The River Run 100km was held on Saturday (September 7) in Brisbane, Qld with fabulous performances by AURA members.

Greg Ponych from Wishart, Qld took 1st Male with an astounding time of 9:47:01.

Not stopping there, Annabel Hepworth from Annandale, NSW claimed 2nd Female after crossing the finish in 11:12:22 and Kristy Ryan from Pacific Pines, Qld held on to claim 3rd Female with her time of 11:30:17.

They were outstanding 100km performances by these runners.

Also on Saturday was the Kowen Moonlighter 12hr event in Wamboin, NSW where again, our AURA members did amazingly well.

Congratulations to Isobel Ross from Boronia, Vic who claimed 1st Female following a distance of 90.600km and also to Peter Fitzpatrick (75.500km), Samantha Post (64.340km), Arnold Campbell (60.400km) and Leah Weeden (52.850km).

Last but not least was the Backyard Blister at The Branch, NSW which featured a last one standing race that started on Friday (September 6) as well as a 12hr event (September 7).

In the last one standing race, it was Geordi Maclean from NSW who claimed the title, winning outright while Emma-Leigh Heighway won the 12hr event. We are still waiting on official results to see if any AURA members participated.

Coming up

Coming up on the AURA-listed calendar of events is the Great North Walk Ultras (100mi, 100km, 50mi, 50km) on September 14 in Teralba, NSW; the Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail Ultra (100km) on September 14 in Acton, ACT; and Run the Great Whitsunday Trail 57km) on September 15 in Airlie Beach, Qld.

AURA members, please submit your race reports, in a Word document with high resolution images attached to the email, to ultramag@aura.asn.au to be featured in the next edition of Ultramag.

Pictured: AURA members Wayne McMurtrie and Sophee Gregory getting ready to hit out at another lap at the inaugural Birdy’s Backyard Ultra. Photograph – Andrew Yeatman.

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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