Weekly News Report 16-10-2023

Weekly News Report 16-10-2023

Kate Dzienis • October 16, 2023
  • Hume & Hovell Ultra, NSW
  • Australian 6 Day, SA
  • BRuTUS, ACT
  • Lonely Mountain Ultra, NSW
  • Member Updates
  • Upcoming Events


We are always on the hunt for your stories and reports, so with us getting started on the next edition of Ultramag, send in your incredible tales to ultramag@aura.asn.au And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AURA-listed event specifically! You just have to be an AURA member for the 2023 year.

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

Also, don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram! Our handle is @australian_ultra so feel free to tag us in your posts and stories! 

HUME & HOVELL ULTRA

The highly anticipated Hume & Hovell Ultra was held on the weekend of 7-8 October along parts of the Hume & Hovell Walking Track in Tumbarumba, NSW. This particular event is an ultra runner’s dream, with offerings of a 100mi (with a total of 6 participants), 100km (which saw 19 finishers) and 50km.

In the Women’s 100mi, 1st Female was awarded to AURA’s very own Melissa Robertson from Long Jetty, NSW who secured her position with a brilliant time of 1D:02:45:58, whilst AURA member Lindsay Hamilton from Forde, ACT walked away with a fantastic time of 1D:04:52:26 to take home 2nd Female. Third female went to Lauren Rakose (1D:07:58:40).

In the Men’s 100mi, podium positions were won by Alex Hull (23:00:42), Anthony Metcalfe (1D:07:22:52) and Sean Robertson (1D:07:39:23).

In the Women’s 100km, Annabelle Swainston took 1st Female (14:01:54) and Bianca Pietrass-Wong won 2ndFemale (15:52:07). AURA’s own Lisa Sherman from Hillsdale, NSW secured herself 3rd Female following a finish time of 16:36:35, well done!

In the Men’s 100km, top spots were awarded to Andrew Kennedy (12:24:11), Liew Gartrell (12:45:08) and David Pearce (12:51:38).

Congratulations to our two AURA members who raced in the 100km at Hume & Hovell Ultra – David Campbell from Sydney who finished in 14:43:42, and Julie Steele from Bulli, NSW who crossed the finish line in 19:44:01.

Forty-three participants crossed the finish line of the 50km event with top spots in the Men’s 50km being awarded to Daniel Cox (5:04:16), Glenn Hangan (5:37:49) and Daniel Wallace (6:01:38), whilst for the Women’s 50km it was Gemma Jenkins (5:07:11), Sarah Burger (5:44:58) and Sasha Lee (5:50:21) respectively.

A big congratulations to our AURA members who ran in the 50km, including Lisa Krummer from Helensburgh, NSW who finished in 5:52:59 and took 4th Female, and Catherine Froome from Berrima, NSW who secured her race with 8:01:18.

To view the full list of results, click here.

AUSTRALIAN 6 DAY

It was a big week in early October, with the Australian 6 Day Ultra Marathon Festival held from 1-7 October at Thorndon Park east of Adelaide in SA. The event has a long standing history having originated in Colac, Vic and many AURA members, past and presented, have raced in it and created long lasting, fond memories.

On offer this year was the 6 Day as well as 72hr, 48hr and 24hr events. Many records were attained, and in the 6 Day itself there were 39 participants.

Kicking off results with the Men’s 6 Day, AURA’s Darren Linney from Paradise, SA secured himself the top spot after finishing the week with a whopping 735.631km whilst AURA Secretary Stephen Redfern from Engadine, NSW claimed 2nd Male following his finish of the 6 Day event with 638.724km. AURA member Greg Ponych from Wishart, Qld rounded off the podium to take home 3rd Male following a total of 602.989km.

In the Women’s 6 Day, AURA’s Annabel Hepworth from Castlecrag, NSW took 1st Female with an incredible 708.573km whilst NZ’s Kerryn Bell claimed 2nd Female (658.152km). AURA member Sabina Hamaty from Cambewarra, NSW pushed herself to get 3rd Female after securing a fantastic 537.513km.

A true testament to the distances ultra runners achieve, congratulations to every single AURA member who ran in the 6 Day event, including David Billett (553.318km), Phil Ryan (540.270km), Paola Flury (521.403km), Colin Brooks (506.059km), Tamas Lorincz (491.897km), Sandi Faddy (440.214km), Bill Bardsley (431.497km), Kelly Conroy (427.686km), Tamyka Bell (411.975km), Robert Flury (410.197km), Marie Boyd (364.503km), Cassie Smith (314.671km), Benjamin Anchor (314.606km) and Richard Crane (286.531km).

Two runners entered the 72hr, both women, so in the Women’s 72hr the top spot was awarded to Emily Breakwell (165.458km) whilst AURA’s Sandra Howorth from Horseshoe Bay, Qld took 2nd Female with a total distance of 114.049km. 

There was one participant in the Men’s 48hr – congratulations to AURA member Geoffrey Langhans from Happy Valley, SA who finished the event with a total of 206.772km and title of 1st Male.

It was the same for the Women’s 48hr, with one runner; Michelle Salerno who finished with 128.296km whilst in the 24hr event there was just one participant. Lib Smith completed the 24hr with a total of 122.817km.

BRUTUS 60KM

The BRuTUS 60km (Brindabella Ranges ultimate Trail Ultra Spectacular) was held Sunday, 8 October in the mountain ranges west of Canberra, ACT and hosted by the Ultra Mediocre runners.

For ultra runners, a 60km was on offer with top spots in the Men’s 60km awarded to Rowan Lewis (5:23:06), Jack Brand (5:42:45) and Joseph Hughes (5:42:47). In the Women’s 60km, podium finishes went to Jordan Anderton (7:30:01), Marnie Shaw (7:46:21) and Nicole Siddon (7:51:33).

LONELY MOUNTAIN ULTRA

The Lonely Mountain Ultra was held the weekend of 14-15 October in Orange, NSW and offered a wide variety of distances for runners, including a 104km (solo/relay), 50mi, 50km, 32km, 22km, 11km, and for the kids a 2km and 4km.

In the Women’s 104km Solo event, AURA’s Anna Pillinger from Fairlight, NSW took top honours with a 1stFemale finish, crossing the finish line in a whopping 12:05:06 – well over four hours ahead of 2nd Female finisher Jodie Bailey (16:08:48) and 3rd Female Kate Fitzpatrick (16:35:05).

In the Men’s 104km Solo, podium finishes were awarded to Gerald Macpherson (10:54:01), Ghale Diwakar (12:42:48) and Kieran Van Bunnik (13:28:47).

In the 104km Solo and Teams event combined, there were 39 finishers. Congratulations to AURA’s Darren Cox from Beacon Hill, NSW who finished 2nd in his age category with 14:33:40.

Twenty-one participants raced in the 50mi event. AURA’s very own Louise Clifton from Mount Victoria, NSW took 1st Female in the Women’s 50mi with a total time of 9:12:00. Second and 3rd Female were awarded to Hannah Mcrae (9:38:25) and Penny Kee (11:20:09) respectively.

In the Men’s 50mi, winners were named Ryan Tomkins (9:00:35), Bern Ward (11:17:11) and Alex Mcdonnell (11:56:33).

Heading into the Women’s 50km, AURA’s Hayley Teale from Tamborine, Qld took 1st Female after finishing the event in 5:07:26 whilst AURA member Gill Fowler from Rozelle, NSW claimed 2nd Female following a completed time of 5:15:54. Third female was awarded to Beatriz Ogilvie (5:56:53).

In the Men’s 50km, AURA’s Matthew Crehan from Northcote, Vic took home the gong with 1st Male in a time of 4:21:53. Second and 3rd positions were won by Nicholas Spanner (4:46:40) and Andrew Lennon (4:47:10) respectively.

One-hundred-thirty-one runners finished the 50km. Congratulations to all our AURA members, including Piera Kohout (6:12:10), Luke Ferry (6:16:10), Faye Lehane (6:18:20), Rene Collins (6:32:13), Kayden Penhall (6:55:33) and Rob Stoneham (6:59:50).

For a full list of results, including the 30km, 22km, 11km and kids races, click here.

MEMBER UPDATES

Congratulations to AURA’s Greg Wilson, who raced at the 2023 Chicago Marathon earlier this month on 8 October where approx. 49,000 people raced. Greg, spotted racing in his green and gold Australia singlet, secured his fastest time since 2016 with 3:32:43.

Also in member updates, AURA’s Phil Gore has landed in the US with his family ahead of Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra (in Tennessee), due to kick off on 21 October. We wish Phil all the best for his first international performance in the backyard format.

UPCOMING EVENTS

This weekend: the kunanyi Trail Series – Cascade Slide will be on 21 October in South Hobart, Tas as well as the Heysen 105 Ultra in Victor Harbour, SA; and Old Mates Backyard Ultra from 27-30 October in Upper Barron, Qld.

Bondi to Manly Ultra will be held on 28 October in Bondi, NSW and the Great North Walk Ultras in Patonga, NSW will be from 28-29 October.

Looking ahead, November will also be a busy month with the Feral Pig Ultra from 4-5 November) in Mundaring, WA; the Great Southern Stage Run from 16-18 November in WA; Hysterical Carnage Backyard Ultra from 17-19 November in Loxton, SA; GSER from 17-19 November in Harrietville, Vic; and the Stromlo Running Festival from 18-19 November in Stromlo, ACT.

Pictured: Anna Pillinger atop the podium following her 1st Female finish at the 2023 Lonely Mountain Ultra 104km.

By Kate Dzienis July 25, 2025
Read all the latest results for Ultra Adelaide, Wild Dog Backyard, 3M3D, Elephant Trail Race, Boyne Valley 50, and Backyard Ultra Trial Series - Bendigo.
By Gary Mullins July 24, 2025
Applications for the IAU Asian and Oceania 100K Championships, Bangkok, Thailand, 22-23 November 2025, are now open. About the Event The IAU Asian & Oceania 100 km Championships bring together the region’s fastest road‑ultra athletes. The race is being held in Wachirabenchatat Park, Bangkok. Applications are now open for AUTRA Members wishing to be considered for selection to the Australian Team. Please refer to the documents below for full details: Application Form Selection Criteria GIS Applications close: 8:00 PM AEST, Thursday 31st July 2025 Team announcement: Tuesday 17th August 2025 For any questions regarding the event, the selection criteria, or application process, please email: gary.mullins@autra.asn.au Representing your country is an honour few get to experience. I wish every applicant the very best as we move toward selecting a team that embodies the spirit, strength, and unity of Australian ultra and trail running. Yours in running, Gary Mullins President, AUTRA
By Gary Mullins July 23, 2025
OFFICIAL TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT 🇦🇺 Australia’s squad for the 2025 IAU 24‑Hour World Championships Albi, France 18‑19 October AUTRA is proud to celebrate the athletes who’ve been selected to represent Australia in the 24-hour World Championships. The 24-hour World Champs has a rich history in Australia. 57 runners selected since 1990. We know the above athletes will represent with pride, and inspire the next generation. Follow our socials over the next three months and follow the journey of the team.
By Gary Mullins July 22, 2025
The AUTRA Committee and members would like to congratulate all athletes selected for the 2025 World Trail & Mountain Running Championships. THE LINE‑UP Female Team: Lara Hamilton Jessica Ronan Emily Bartlett Emily Rogers Ruby Smith Patricia McKibbin Jess Jason Sarah-Jayne Miller Miah Noble Nicole Paton Kellie Angel Cecilia Mattas Hannah McRae Male Team: Fraser Darcy Iain Best Nathan Pearce Michael Kernahan Toby Lang Alec Franzke Tadhg Nolan Robert Shannon Billy Curtis Blake Turner Brodie Nankervis Vlad Ixel Ben Burgess Matthew Crehan Andrew Gaskell Thomas Dade. Congratulations to the coaches and team managers as well. The link to the full team and distances, can be found HERE . Thank you to Australian Athletics in believing and backing our Aussie trail talent. Their support gets the green and gold to the start line in Canfranc-Pirineos. 🙌🇦🇺 Follow our socials over the next 2 months to get to know the athletes. Let’s show the world what Aussie grit looks like. ✊🏽?
By Gary Mullins July 21, 2025
Join AUTRA as a State Representative! Are you passionate about ultra and trail running? Want to make a real impact in your state’s running community? We’re looking for dedicated State Representatives to: Promote trail & ultra running locally Engage in the running community and run clubs. Support race directors and represent AUTRA at races including, volunteering, and sharing event highlights Maintain strong communication, share news, spotlight race results and upcoming events, & grow membership benefits What you bring to the team: A passion for ultra/trail running and your local running scene Excellent communication and community engagement skills Current AUTRA membership and availability for bimonthly meetings and weekend events Why apply? It’s a chance to foster regional trail/ultra communities, elevate athlete experiences, and contribute to AUTRA’s national growth. Role Description: State Rep Role Description Applications close: 5pm, Monday 28th July Apply here: State Reps Application Form
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IN OTHER NEWS

By Kate Dzienis July 25, 2025
Read all the latest results for Ultra Adelaide, Wild Dog Backyard, 3M3D, Elephant Trail Race, Boyne Valley 50, and Backyard Ultra Trial Series - Bendigo.
By Gary Mullins July 24, 2025
Applications for the IAU Asian and Oceania 100K Championships, Bangkok, Thailand, 22-23 November 2025, are now open. About the Event The IAU Asian & Oceania 100 km Championships bring together the region’s fastest road‑ultra athletes. The race is being held in Wachirabenchatat Park, Bangkok. Applications are now open for AUTRA Members wishing to be considered for selection to the Australian Team. Please refer to the documents below for full details: Application Form Selection Criteria GIS Applications close: 8:00 PM AEST, Thursday 31st July 2025 Team announcement: Tuesday 17th August 2025 For any questions regarding the event, the selection criteria, or application process, please email: gary.mullins@autra.asn.au Representing your country is an honour few get to experience. I wish every applicant the very best as we move toward selecting a team that embodies the spirit, strength, and unity of Australian ultra and trail running. Yours in running, Gary Mullins President, AUTRA
By Gary Mullins July 23, 2025
OFFICIAL TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT 🇦🇺 Australia’s squad for the 2025 IAU 24‑Hour World Championships Albi, France 18‑19 October AUTRA is proud to celebrate the athletes who’ve been selected to represent Australia in the 24-hour World Championships. The 24-hour World Champs has a rich history in Australia. 57 runners selected since 1990. We know the above athletes will represent with pride, and inspire the next generation. Follow our socials over the next three months and follow the journey of the team.
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