WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 27-04-2022

Dead Cow Gully, Qld
Sydney International 100km, NSW
Lighthorse Ultra, WA
The Gumby, ACT

 Another brilliant fortnight showcasing how all of our AURA members went over the weekend with their respective events! 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.

DEAD COW GULLY BACKYARD ULTRA

All eyes were on the Dead Cow Gully Backyard Ultra the weekend of 16-18 April, 2022 in Runnymede, Qld with a cohort of spectators not only on the ground on site, but on the socials too.

It was a fantastic event hosted by Timothy Walsh, and not only did we see an amazing abundance of ultra runners tackle the backyard format, but Dead Cow actually broke the Australian record for the largest contingent of finishers in a backyard ultra at the 24 hour mark – 22 to be exact!

It was all in a day’s work though for the last one standing though, with Barry Loveday taking out the title after finishing 37 laps. AURA’s Joshua Duff from Bentley Park, Qld however claimed the Assist with 36 laps.

A total of 22 runners reached the all new Australian record for the largest contingent of 24hr+ participants, with Nicole Jukes the only female on the list – those in bold are AURA members.

There were 163 starters, however the sleep deprived race director was too busy handing out bags of cow poo and scrambling to keep the entire event afloat with 300 people on site to provide a full list of starters – so if you’re an AURA member and you ran in the Dead Cow Gully, please drop us an email and send a race report for the May edition of Ultramag.

Barry Loveday (37), Joshua Duff (36), Ryan Crawford (34), Travis Saunders (32), Drew Willis (31), Brett Standring (31), Rhys Williams (31), Nicole Jukes (30), Sean Lyons (30), Petr Mikeska (30), James Blanton (30), Rowan Cassidy (30), Chris Murphy (30), Matt Fitzgerald (30), Mick Freeman (28), Kevin Muller (27), Phil Fowler (27), Alex McCann (26), Chris Van Leer (25), Kyle McLennan (25), Kevin McCann (24) and Trevor Smith (24).

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL 100KM

Also doubling up as the Australian 100km Championships, the Sydney International 100km was held the weekend of 23 April with a last minute change of venue due to floods impacting the Regatta Centre. Unfortunately, it meant that the 50km and half marathon were cancelled, with only the 100km being run at the Narrabeen Sports & Recreation Centre. There were 19 starters.

AURA’s Dion Finocchiaro from Brighton, Vic put on a spectacular performance to claim 1st Male with a time of 6:30:43.

“Beyond happy with that one,” he said.

“I must admit, I was really scared of failure for this one given I didn’t finish my last two attempts at the distance. The rain the day before, and a forecast for more rain…I was scared of failure; I had little expectations and just wanted to run to feel and see what happened from there.”

He missed out on the Australian Record by 77 seconds, but his race was incredible and impeccable with everyone at the venue and on the socials cheering him on.

AURA’s very own Clay Dawson from Karalee, Qld secured himself 2nd Male after finishing his brilliant 100km in 7:07:25 whilst AURA member Andrew McConnell from Watson, ACT took home 3rd Male following a fantastic performance of 7:17:06.

In the women’s event, AURA’s Corrina Black from Mermaid Beach, Qld claimed 1st Female with a spectacular finish time of 8:36:39, whilst AURA member Greta Truscott from Malabar, NSW took 2nd Female following a time of 8:49:11. AURA’s Clare Palmer from Glenreagh, NSW won 3rd Female after finishing her race in 8:54:35.

An incredible podium list for both the men’s and women’s events!

A massive congratulations to the AURA contingent who ran in the 100km event, including Stuart Hughes (10:29:21), Pam Muston (11:23:33), Philip Balnave, Bernadette Benson and Barry Keem.

Three records are also yet to be ratified:

Dion Finocchiaro’s Australian 50 mile and 6 hour, as well as Pam Muston’s W60-65 11:23:33.

For the full list of results, click here.

LIGHTHORSE ULTRA

The Lighthorse Ultra was held at Perry’s Paddock in WA the weekend of 23-24 April and offered runners a 2.5km circuit course in a 24hr, 12hr, 6hr, 3hr and 1hr. It’s worth noting that according to USWA’s Shaun Kaesler, Lighthorse set a new Australian Record with 76 ultra marathoners in the 24hr event.

Lighthorse also saw a large number of former and current serving men and women participant in the weekend’s distances, including AURA member Julia Mackay who has served for over 40 years and has been in Psychology Corps the entire time. She is a Major, and is currently posted to 7 Health Company – she took her webbing for several laps, and represented in army kit.

Kicking it off with the women’s 24hr event, AURA’s Jen Millum from Karnup, WA claimed the title of 1st Female after finishing a total of 73 laps and covering a total distance of 182.610km. Cherie Savin secured 2nd Female (66 laps) and Ilze Roux took 62 laps for 3rd Female.

In the men’s 24hr, AURA member Kevin Matthews from Perth, WA took 1st Male following a total of 82 laps, which meant securing a distance of 207.360km. Conor Quinn got 2nd Male (74 laps) and Neily Rae took 3rd Male (69 laps).

Congratulations to the large list of AURA members who ran in the 24hr event, including Tim Bond (160.030km), Tristan Cameron (150km), Lizelle Smith (147.400km), Frank Chauveau (137.930km), Sue Robertson (130.170km), Andy Thompson (125.060km), Mark Caldwell (125km), Shaun Kaesler (124.760), John Herzfeld (117.400km), William Wallace (112.50km), Will Chan (100km), Kate Ashfaq (80km), Julia Mackay (72.610km) and Paul Hadfield(72.50km).

In the women’s 12hr, AURA’s Margie Hadley from Henley Brook, WA held on to take the lead and claim 1st Female with 47 laps and a total of 118.940km, whilst Jessica Smith from Perth, WA also an AURA member, held on to take 2ndFemale after 40 laps and 100.660km. Darlene Dale took 3rd Female with 34 laps.

In the men’s 12hr, AURA’s Phil Gore from Darling Downs, WA claimed 1st Male after 54 laps and a total of 136.390km). Michael Bellmon took 2nd Male (46 laps) and Neil Williams took 3rd (42 laps).

Congratulations to all AURA members in the 12hr, including Greg Benn (80.720km), Pamela Williams (72.50km), John Fisher (52.530km) and Linda Phillips (50.080km).

In the women’s 6hr, AURA’s Nicola Hibbert from Tapping, WA won 1st Female with 24 laps and a total of 60.880km. Martina Tairea claimed 2nd Female and Cherie Pettit claimed 3rd.

In the men’s 6hr, 1st Male went to Carl Harrison (27 laps) and 2nd went to Kyle Chrystie (26 laps). Well done to AURA’s Adam Loughnan from Karrinyup, WA who took 3rd Male following 25 laps and a total of 62.50km.

Congratulations to everyone who raced in the 6hr event, including James Sawyer (37.50km).

*Lighthorse results are interim results as of publication and some may not include the final extra distance before the siren blew.

For a full list of results, click here.

THE GUMBY

The GUMBY (Great Ultra Mediocre Back Yarder) was held in Corree, ACT over the weekend and offered not only an LOS format event, but also the GUMBaby – a race of 8 laps along the GUMBY course from Sunday morning, with a total distance of 53.6km and the winner declared as the first person across the line on lap 8.

It was an AURA member who won the GUMBY backyarder – Ben Grimshaw from Chifley, ACT was awarded the title of Last One Standing after finishing a total of 26 laps for a total run distance of 174.33km. 

A big congratulations to all our AURA members who DNFd at the GUMBY, including Matthew Griggs (107.28km), Nathan Queripel (100.57km), Elliot Cooper (100.57km), Joe Hujs (100.57km), Tracy Watson (80.46km), Cassie Cohen (80.46km), Chris Wilder (67.05km), Allicia Heron (60.34km), Leah Weeden (40.23km) and Justin Hiatt (33.52km).

In the GUMBaby, Georgina Beech claimed 1st Female and Roman Lewis 1st Male. Well done to all those AURA members who ran in the GUMBaby, including Ellen Bradley, Chris Wilder, Chris Berendt and Kirsten Schulz.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Down Under 135 kicks off mid-May (13015 May) in Blackwood, Vic, whilst that same weekend the calendar sees the Kep Ultra V2 (14 May) in Mundaring, WA and the Kieser Great Ocean Road Running Festival (14-15 May) in Apollo Bay, Vic.

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

ULTRAMAG

We also 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! Email kate.dzienis@aura.asn.au or ultramag@aura.asn.au with either your race report or a story lead.

Pictured: Winners of the Sydney International 100km. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.