WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 12-04-2023

WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 12-04-2023

Kate Dzienis • April 12, 2023
Go West (Qld)
Cairns 50 (Qld)
Tamworth Trailblazer (Qld)
Dead Cow Gully (Qld)
Upcoming Events

We are always on the hunt for your stories and reports, so with April Ultramag coming out by the end of the month, send in your incredible tales to ultramag@aura.asn.au And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AURA-listed event specifically!

If any corrections need to be made in any of the results listed below, please do so via email by contacting Kate Dzienis at kate.dzienis@aura.asn.au

GO WEST, QLD

Hosted by AAA Racing, Go West saw runners traverse the Flinders-Goolman Conservation Estate in Purga, Qld on Saturday, 1 April (2023). On offer were a variety of distances including a marathon, 30km, half marathon, 10km and 5km in near perfect conditions for most of the day.

This was Go West’s inaugural year and proved to be a testing course!

In the Men’s Marathon, top podium spots were awarded to Sebastian Betten (4:22:06), Kevin Angerer (4:38:26) and Lachlan Smeed (4:44:20). In the Women’s Marathon, winners were named Bonnie Van Wilgenburg (4:20:46), Kate Knell (4:45:46) and Robyn Robertson (4:47:02). 

Congratulations to AURA member Kris Ryan from Pacific Pines, Qld who finished her Go West marathon distance in a fantastic time of 7:01:40 and AURA’s Paul Wood from Boronia Heights, Qld who completed the event in 7:39:58. AURA member John Grieves from Graceville, Qld acted as the marathon’s sweeper and finished in 7:58:37.

For the full list of results that include the 30km and half marathon, click here.

CAIRNS 50, QLD

The Cairns 50 was held the first weekend of the month, 1-2 April in beautiful Cairns, Qld but conditions were hot and humid! For the 50km 6am start, it had already hit 24 degrees with 93% humidity – temps hit a max of 31 for later finishers. 

“The forest sections of the path along Freshwater Creek were cool and the first hour or so relatively pleasant…but those sections exposed to the sun were brutal,” race director Josh Duff explained.

In the Men’s Cairns 50, winners were named Rob Dendle (3:22:16), Bryan O’Mahony (3:49:58) and Levi Chalmers (4:01:28) whilst for the Women’s Cairns 50, top spots went to Sophia Vinecombe (4:28:00), Rachel Matthews (4:34:33) and Kryssi O’Hare Siplon (4:37:57).

“Male winner Rob Dendle from the Sunshine Coast took it out hard and led from start to finish for a big win and a course record by over 30 minutes,” RD Josh said.

“Second place Bryan O’Mahoney also broke the course record but still 25 minutes behind first.

“For the second year in a row, the female winner came from the Gold Coast, this time being Sophie Vinecombe. But it was a much tighter tussle than the men’s, with 3rd female and Cairns local Kryssi O’Hare Siplon leading until the 33km mark and Rachel Matthews coming through to take 2nd in the 5kms.”

There were 45 finishers in the 50km event.

Congratulations to all our AURA members who raced in the 50km, including Jo van Gorp from Mount Sheridan who finished her race in a fantastic 6:52:31.

For the full list of results (including the 30km, 10km and 5km), click here.

TAMWORTH TRAILBLAZER, QLD

The Tamworth Trailblazer in Qld was held on 2 April 2023 and provided a variety of options for runners, including a 10km, 15km, 30km and for ultra runners a 45km and 60km.

There were six finishers in the Men’s 45km, with podium positions won by Ben Stewart (7:07:29), Kody Fitzroy (7:23:11) and Sam Baker (7:35:27).

In the Women’s 45km, there were 2 competitors – Olivia Hulbert (7:23:11) and Nicole Hunter (9:37:07).

For the Men’s 60km there were a total of 4 finishers, with top spots going to Steve Bain (10:04:10), Alex Treglown (10:34:20) and Vince Villarosa (10:42:16).

In the Women’s 60km, there was 1 competitor – congratulations to AURA member Clare Palmer from Glenreagh, NSW who secured a fantastic finish time of 9:54:52. Well done on a stellar performance, Clare!

To view all results, including the 10km, 15km and 30km, visit here.

DEAD COW GULLY, QLD

All eyes were on the Dead Cow Gully backyard ultra last weekend from 8-11 April in Qld, where Ryan Crawford took the title of Last One Standing after completing a total of 42 loops and James Blanton the Assist with 41 loops.

Congratulations to our AURA members who ran in Dead Cow Gully, including Joshua Duff from Bentley Park, Qld (20 loops), Charlotte Roberts from Deception Bay, Qld (19 loops), Robert Knowles from Paddington, Qld (15 loops), John Pearson from Coolum Beach, Qld (14 loops), Adam Lusk from Auchenflower, Qld (13 loops), Carl Schodde from Carindale, Qld (9 loops) and Warren Ansell from Tamworth, NSW (7 loops).

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Irrational South 200 & 100 Miler is already underway in the Flinders Ranges, SA with the 200mi participants leaving the start line early this morning (Wed, 12 April).

This weekend (15-16 April) will see the Coburg 24 Hour Carnival, which is doubling up as the Australian 24hr Australian Championships, to be held in Coburg, Vic at the Harold Stevens Athletic Track. Next weekend (21-23 April) is the GUMBY – the Great Ultra Mediocre Back Yarder in Corree, ACT, whilst on 23 April is the Bottlebutt Bash Trail Run in Herons Creek, NSW.

The last weekend of the month will be the highly anticipated Down Under 135 from 28-30 April in Darley, Vic as well as the Lighthorse Ultra (29-30 April) in Woodvale, WA.

Pictured: 100 mile club at the 2023 Dead Cow Gully. Photograph – Dead Cow Gully/FB.

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.
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
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IN OTHER NEWS

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.
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
August 29, 2025
David Martin heads out with Kevin Matthews on WA's unofficial Choo Choo Run.
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