WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 22-03-2023

Kate Dzienis • March 22, 2023

Australian Alpine Ascent (AAA)
SA Track Ultra
Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra
News Abroad
Upcoming Events

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

AUSTRALIAN ALPINE ASCENT, NSW

The Australian Alpine Ascent was held on Saturday, 11 March 2023, providing a 73km, 53km and 22km trail run. Participants raced through Kosciuszko National Park, starting and finishing at Charlotte Pass Village.

There were 28 finishers in the 73km division.

Congratulations to AURA member Andy McConnell from Watson, ACT who took 1st Male in the Men’s 73km event, crossing the finish line in 6:47:35. A stellar effort! Second and 3rd Male were won by Ryan Degan (7:51:56) and Dave Gwyther-Marchant (8:30:23).

In the Women’s 73km, podium finishes were awarded to Paige Strudwick (9:03:20), Tegan Porter (9:11:43) and Amanda Wheatley (9:37:47).

There were 96 finishers in the 53km race.

In the Men’s 53km, winners were named Myles Kinchington (4:44:43), Tony McEntee (4:53:41) and Cameron Luksich (5:18:57). In the Women’s 53km, it was Ellie Deakin (5:51:40) 1st, Kristin Bjerregaard (5:57:54) 2nd and Prue Davies (6:12:43) 3rd.

Congratulations to AURA members Jillian Mitchell from Mawson, ACT who finished the 53km in 7:25:13 and Joel Anderson from Throsby, ACT who completed his race in 7:38:17.

SA TRACK ULTRA, SA

The SA Track Ultra was held on Saturday, 11 March 2023 at the SA Athletics Stadium and offered a 50km and 100km for ultra runners.

In the Women’s 50km, AURA’s very own Tanya Caro from Golden Grove, SA took 1st Female with a total time of 5:55:24. Second Female went to Kay Parkin with 7:24:16 and 3rd was won by Stacey Miller with 8:51:12.

Congratulations to AURA member Melissa Knowles from Kilburn, SA who completed her 50km in 12:20:00.

In the Men’s 50km, Daniel Farrugia took 1st Male with 4:34:34 and Dylan Hayes won 2nd with 4:47:37. AURA’s very own Geoffrey Langhans from Happy Valley, SA took 3rd Male after finishing the 50km event in a fantastic time of 5:31:49.

In the 100km there were 2 competitors.

Michelle Salerno finished the Women’s 100km in 14:21:46 and Ben O’Brien finished the Men’s 100km in 14:59:49.

HERDY’S FRONTYARD ULTRA, WA

The highly anticipated Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra kicked off on Friday, March 17 at Herdsman Lake, WA and continued all the way through until the very early hours of Monday morning.

For two years running, AURA’s Phil Gore from Darling Downs, WA has held on the title of this particular race, winning it every year since its inception in 2021.

In 2021, he won it on 48 laps with AURA member Kevin Matthews taking the Assist on 48 laps. In 2021, Phil won it again, and increased his PB, taking the title on 50 laps whilst AURA’s Chetan Sadhana claimed the Assist on 49 laps.

This year, in 2023, Phil took it even further and won Herdy’s after an astonishing win on 57 laps, with a new Assist named as Michael Bellmon on 56 laps.

Congratulations to all our AURA members who raced at Herdy’s, including Tim Kacprzak from Vic (51 laps), Chetan Sadhana (36 laps), Jen Millum (30 laps and ‘last’ female standing), Ben Hirst (29 laps), Kevin Matthews (28 laps), Jessica Smith (28 laps), Brad Halls (25 laps and proudly sporting an AURA shirt), Michael Hooker (24 laps), Rob Parsons (24 laps), Gabe Alves (21 laps), Tristan Cameron (13 laps), Graham Tottey (12 laps), John Cooke (10 laps), John Herzfeld (10 laps), Andy Thompson (7 laps), Jason Kell (6 laps) and Claudia Seke (3 laps),

NEWS ABROAD

A couple of our AURA members have been abroad this month, imprinting the trails, roads and tracks in international racing.

AURA Secretary Stephen Redfern and AURA member Melissa Robertson both travelled to Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee, USA following their invitations into the 2023 Barkley, which kicked off on Tuesday, 14 March. We are all aware of how gruesome this particular race is with 54,200ft of accumulated vertical climb (and descent) and the allowance of only 40 participants permitted to run the loops (5x 20 mile loops with a total distance of about 100 miles or longer that must be completed in 60 hours).

Stephen completed his first lap in about 11 hours, and upon starting his second loop came back in 7 hours due to the brutality and cold weather. Congratulations on being the fourth Aussie to have officially completely one entire loop at Barkley!

Melissa Robertson gave it her best efforts however did not finish her loop in the allocated 12 hours; she’s recovering well and hope to see her tackling Barkley again!

AURA member Margie Hadley also travelled internationally this month to race in the Run Rome Marathon (Italy) on Sunday, 19 March. She secured herself a sub-3 hour marathon with a total time of 2:59:58 and finishing 10th Female. Well done on a fantastic result, Margie.

UPCOMING EVENTS

It’s a big weekend in ultra racing this Friday, Saturday and Sunday!

Noosa Ultra-Trail will be held this weekend, from 23-26 March in Tewantin, Qld followed by the Sri Chinmoy 48 Hour Track Festival at the AIS in the ACT from 24-26 March – it doubles up as the Australian 48hr Championships.

The kunanyi Mountain Run, also doubling up as the Short Course Trail Australian Championships, will be run from 24-26 March in Mt Wellington, Tas and the Lithgow Ridgy-Didge Trail Run Festival kicks off on 25 March in Lithgow, NSW.

The Washpool World Heritage Trails will be held on 26 March in Gibraltar Range, NSW.

Pictured: AURA member Michael Hooker (centre) at the weekend’s Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra. Photograph – Noeko.

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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