WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 18-05-2022

WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 18-05-2022

Kate Dzienis • May 18, 2022
Down Under 135, Vic
Kep Ultra V2, WA
Kieser Great Ocean Road Running Festival, Vic
Upcoming Events

It was an exciting weekend of racing the last couple days with amazing performances by AURA members in WA and Vic, and as always we cover the results with how everyone did.

As always, if you find any discrepancies at all with your timed result, or have noticed a name missing, please email kate.dzienis@aura.asn.au with the information required.

We are always wanting to publish your race reports too in our monthly Ultramag digital magazine, so please consider putting fingers-to-keyboard and emailing us your experiences – they don’t have to be about AURA listed events either. So long as you’re an AURA member, we want to hear all about it! Email ultramag@aura.asn.au to get into the May edition.

DOWN UNDER 135MI

Known as one of the Southern Hemisphere’s ‘gnarliest races’, the Down Under 135 was held across the weekend, from 13-15 May with runners traversing across the single trails of the Lerderderg and Wombat state forests in Vic – but there was only winner this year.

It was a spectacular performance by AURA member Thomas Dade, who hails from Mt Martha (Vic), claiming the top spot, finishing the gruelling distance of 135 miles (220km) in 53:07:53.

Well done to all the AURA starters who gave the Down Under 135 a red hot crack, including Damian Smith, former winner David Giles, Ben Nicholls, Isobel Ross, Mathew Schubert, Chris Wilder and Simon Neale.

KEP ULTRA V2

The Kep Ultra V2 was held on Saturday, 14 May with runners making their way either along the 75km or 100km course which run along the Kep Track and Heritage Trail between Woorooloo and Mundaring. 

Six women and 10 men finished the 100km, whilst 9 women and 10 men completed the 75km.

In the Women’s 100km, AURA’s Margaret Hadley from Henley Brook took control of her race and led the way with a 1st Female finish, crossing the finish line in 9:26:53. Second Female was taken by Sophie Giles with a time of 10:31:01 whilst 3rd Female went to Veronika Kretzer in 11:38:36.

In the Men’s 100km, AURA member Kevin Matthews from Perth secured 1st Male when he completed his race in 10:07:54. Second Male was won by Tom Radonic in 10:37:19 while 3rd Male went to Trevor Bosveld in 10:40:37.

Congratulations to all our members who ran in the 100km, including Nicola Hibbert (12:14:05), Gabe Alves (13:58:30) and John Herzfeld (13:58:30). 

In the Women’s 75km, AURA’s very own Kate Jenour from beautiful Donnybrook claimed 1st Female with a finish time of 9:16:37. Second Female went to Darlene Dale (9:59:50) and 3rd to Lara Louw (10:54:50).

In the Men’s 75km, 1st Male was won by Nathan Reeves (8:01:44), 2nd Male was taken by David White (8:03:57), and 3rd was claimed by AURA member Andrew Jackson from Winthrop, WA who crossed the finish line in 8:41:03.

Well done to the gorgeous Sue Robertson, our AURA member from Noranda, WA who completed the 75km distance in 11:11:15.

KIESER GREAT OCEAN ROAD RUNNING FESTIVAL

Almost 8,000 registered participants took part in the weekend’s Kieser Great Ocean Road Running Festival, marking the 18th edition of the event. There were nine distances to choose from, starting with the 1.5km all the way through to the ultra 60km.

AURA member Dion Finnocchiaro from Brighton, Vic took out the men’s 44km marathon, fresh from running at the 100km Championships earlier this month, whilst AURA’s Kirstin Bull from St Kilda, Vic claimed 1st Female in the women’s 44km marathon. Congratulations to you both!

In the 60km ultra event, the top male and female to cross the finish were Zac Beasley (4:05:22) for the men, whilst AURA’s very own Sarah Jayamaha from Fitzroy, Vic took out the women’s competition in a time of 4:41:59.

Congratulations to our AURA members who raced in the 60km at the Kieser Great Ocean Road Running Festival, including Jamey Pemmelaar (4:50:29), Kath Judge (5:07:50) and David Patterson (5:48:53). Eighty-eight runners in total finished the 60km.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The West Macs Monster kicks off 20 May and the Belair Marathon finishes off the month in Belair, SA on 28 May.

ULTRAMAG

We want your race reports and story ideas for our monthly Ultramag digital magazine. Without your tips and leads, there wouldn’t be an Ultramag, and there would be nothing for you to read, 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! Plus you get a bonus point for contributing, in the points competition!

Email ultramag@aura.asn.au with either your race report or a story lead.

Pictured: The start line of the 2022 Down Under 135, with Isobel Ross in the foreground (left), and Thomas Dade (left) shaking hands with David Giles. Photograph – Down Under 135mi/Supplied. 

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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