WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 20/6/2019

Sri Chinmoy 24hr, NSW
Mirrim Wurnit Backyard Ultra, Vic

The Sri Chinmoy 24hr event kicked off the weekend in style when participants began their trek on the track from Saturday, June 15 in Campbelltown, NSW. According to reports from hosts the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, all 41 entrants assembled trackside for the 9am start – an auspicious augury considering usually there are a few no shows.

For the men in the 24hr category, Daragh O’Loughlin from St Kilda, Vic took 1st Male after completing 552 laps of the course, culminating in a whopping 220.887km.

Belgrave, Vic’s Stuart Hughes claimed 3rd Male with his steady and solid 210.161km journey after 525 laps.

Donna Urquhart from Black Rock, Vic triumphantly took 1st Female with her 530 laps that resulted in 212.099km.

Simone Hayes from Gymea Bay, NSW took 2nd Female with 198.024kms whilst Harrison, ACT’s Kelly-Ann Varey held on to claim 3rd Female after a successful 24 hours with 143.109km.

Congratulations to all 24hr participants including Barry Keem (162.000km), Sabina Hamaty (161.612km), Bernadette Benson (161.200km), Colin Wiley (130.000kms), Rod Rainey (101.200), Tony Wilms (86.334km) and Matthew Eckford (74.400km).

Benson claimed numerous Open and F50 Canadian and Australian records up to and including 100 miles (full details to be verified).

Rainey also put in a stellar performance being the oldest runner in the M70+ category and securing more than 100km.

Onto the 12hr event at Sri Chinmoy, it was Stephen Redfern from Heathcote, NSW who took top honours, securing 1st Male with 131.877km whilst John Pearson from Coolum Beach, Qld held on to claim 2nd Male after his finish of 125.275km.

Big congratulations and high fives to Paul Gay (83.796km), Philip Balnave (64.279km) and John Nuttall (61.376km) who also ran in the 6hr.

And in the 6hr, it was the impressive Kerrie Bremner from Nicholls, ACT who took 1st Female after a successful 62.694km – well done!

Mirrim Wurnit Back Paddock Ultra

Also on Saturday we saw the running of the last-man-standing formatted Mirrim Wurnit Back Paddock Ultra on a private property (Grace Park) in the Macedon Ranges near Romsey, Vic.

The lap course consisted of about 6.7km loops on trail with total elevation over the course about 170m; each hour runners are required to complete one lap, and the lap must be completed, with the runner at the start line in time for the next lap. If they are not back, or not at the start line, then it’s a DNF.

The last person to complete a lap on their own, the last man or woman or standing, wins.

In other words, a bit like some kind of endless demented parkrun.

WA ultra runner David Giles from Willetton was the last man standing having completed 33 laps, and came away the winner.

Right behind Giles was Shane Holstein from Alfred Cove, WA who went away with 32 laps of the course whilst David Turnbull from Glenelg South, SA held on to finish up on 29 laps.

What amazing efforts from everyone who ran in the inaugural Mirrim Wurnit ultra race. Congratulations goes out to Ben Hirst (28 laps), Christopher Wilder (27 laps), Kevin Muller (25 laps), Simon Neale (17 laps), Melissa Robertson (17 laps), Michael Cardiff (14 laps), George Mihalakellis (11 laps) and Thomas Billett (7 laps).

The next AURA-listed events on the calendar are AAA Racing’s Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT 100/22) from Brassall to Yarraman in Qld this weekend, and the Tower Trail Run in Mt Gambier, SA with a 56km distance.

Pictured: David Giles at the Mirrim Wurnit Back Paddock Ultra. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.