WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 28-04-2023
Irrational SOUTH 200 & 100 Miler (SA)
Coburg 24 Hour Carnival/Australian 24 Hour Championships (Vic)
GUMBY (ACT)
Bottlebutt Bash Trail Run (NSW)
Upcoming Events
We are always on the hunt for your stories and reports, so with May Ultramag coming out next month, send in your incredible tales to ultramag@aura.asn.au And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AURA-listed event specifically!
If any corrections need to be made in any of the results listed below, please do so via email by contacting Kate Dzienis at kate.dzienis@aura.asn.au
IRRATIONAL SOUTH 200 & 100 MILER, SA
The Irrational SOUTH 200 & 100 Miler kicked off on Wednesday, 12 April in the Flinders Ranges, SA and was meant to allow for last runners to come through the finish line on Sunday, 16 April – however Mother Nature had other plans for everyone participating – runners, volunteers, crew and support.
In the very dark and very early hours of Saturday, 15 April race director Shaun Kaesler made the difficult decision to cancel Irrational due to the weather. With a drastic turn in conditions that challenged every person involved, all runners became accounted for with a swift response from volunteers and all crew.
Results will be inclement weather-based results, and as soon as they become available, we will have them published. But it’s fair to say that it was a tough and trying event, both the 200 and 100 milers, and we are aware of a great amount of AURA members who were running – including our very own president Ewan Horsburgh.
Keep an eye out for another update on the results.
COBURG 24 HOUR CARNIVAL / AUSTRALIAN 24 HOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS, VIC
The Coburg 24 Hour Carnival, which was held 15-16 April 2023 at the Harold Stevens Athletic Track in Vic, also doubled up as the 2023 Australian 24 Hour Championships.
(Please note, winners of the Championships – podium positions in both the Men’s and Women’s divisions – do not need to be financial AURA members. They simply need to win 1st, 2nd and 3rd to be recognised as Championship winners).
Runners faced difficult conditions at the Coburg 24 Hour Carnival with most of the race being run in very wet, cold and windy conditions but they persevered to produce some amazing results and finishes.
Rain was unrelenting, with over 15 hours of torrential tropical, wet season-style rain. Runners, volunteers, crew and supporters were wet, cold and continuously having to prod gazebos to stop the rain from pooling on top. Imagine a track where the track is completely sodden and flooding on one side, where there’s no escaping the water.
Competing in any of the events at the Coburg 24 Hour Carnival was a challenge this year.
In the Women’s 24 Hour Run, podium finishers and Championship winners were all AURA winners! Congratulations to 1st Female Sarah Jayamaha from Fitzroy, Vic who finished her 24 hours with a total distance of 182.961km. Taking 2ndFemale was AURA’s Fleur Douy from Coburg, Vic with 161.029km, whilst 3rd was won by AURA member Jody Dafffrom Croydon North, Vic who completed her race with a total distance of 155.559km.
In the Men’s 24 Hour Run, those who took out the top spots and in turn the Championships, were AURA member Joe Ward from Manly, NSW who took out the Championship with 1st Place and securing a total distance of 230.031km; AURA’s own Daragh O’Loughlin from St Kilda, Vic claimed 2nd Male with a stellar finish distance of 223.455km; and Simon Austin took 3rd with 209.476km.
Fantastic to see AURA members taking the Championship titles, stellar performances!
Congratulations to all our AURA members who ran in the 24 Hour Run, including Darren Linney (206.800) who took 4th Place, Phil Ryan (170.873km), David Patterson (162.520km), John Yoon (131.212km), Kevin Muller (120.400km), Bernadette Benson (102.000km), Dan Wright (101.200km), Nikki Wynd (76.800km), Tracy Feiner (76.400km) and Kerrie Bremner (34.000km).
Men’s 24 Hour Championship winners: Simon Austin (3rd), Daragh O’Loughlin (2nd) and Joe Ward (1st)
AURA Secretary Stephen Redfern with the Women’s 24 Hour Championship winners Jody Daff (3rd), Fleur Douy (2nd) and Sarah Jayamaha (1st)
In the Women’s 12 Hour Run, AURA’s Corrina Black from Mermaid Beach, Qld took 1st Female with her fantastic distance of 126.818km. Second and 3rd Female were won by Martine Nield (103.057km) and Kylie Irshad (80.813km) respectively.
In the Men’s 12 Hour Run, top podium finishes were won by James Inwood (110.464km), Heath Hocking (95.925km) and Graeme Cook (86.378km).
Well done to all our AURA members who ran in the 12 Hour Run, including Dan Symonds (80.416km), Chloe Skewes-Weir (52.034km), Allicia Heron (43.863km) and John Nuttall (24.081km).
In the Women’s 6 Hour Run, Kirstin Bull secured 1st Female with a total distance of 79.915km. Taking 2nd Female with a total distance of 62.361km was AURA member Donna Urquhart from Black Rock, Vic. Third was won by Rebecca Cowie (59.345km).
In the Men’s 6 Hour Run, 1st Male was taken by Dominic Bosher (83.246km) whilst 2nd Male was won by AURA’s very own Pramesh Prasad from Pakenham, Vic who completed a fantastic 75.485km. Mark Beddell took 3rd Male with 68.656km.
Congratulations to every AURA member for the 6 Hour Run, including Stuart Hughes (62.523km), AURA Secretary Stephen Redfern (61.663km) and Bill Bardsley (55.314km).
Onto the Women’s 24 Hour Walk! With two participants, Michelle Thompson secured 1st Female (160.934km) and Marnie Zakis took 2nd (120.216km).
In the Men’s 24 Hour Walk, AURA member from Coromandel Valley, SA David Billett secured himself the win, taking 1st Male with a total distance of 165.799kmm. Arie Kandelaars took 2nd (160.934km) and Christer Svensson took 3rd(126.742km).
Congratulations to all our AURA members who participated in the 24 Hour Walk, including Greg Ponych from Wishart, Qld who finished his race with a whopping 61.906km.
In the Women’s 12 Hour Walk, top spots went to Elizabeth Smith (65.409km), Susan Fitton (61.263km) and Elise Hess (54.279km).
For the Men’s 12 Hour Walk, AURA’s very own Bruce Watt from Capel Sound, Vic took the top spot with 1st Male with a total distance of 73.580km. Second Male was John Timms (58.017km) and 3rd went to Anubhav Tewari (25.391km).
There was one competitor in the Women’s 6 Hour Walk, Karyn O’Neill who finished on 42.972km. In the Men’s 6 Hour Walk, winners were named Rohit Sharma (40.797km), Albin Hess (39.582km) and Akshat Sharma (31.773km).
For the full list of results, including the Marathon, click here.
THE GUMBY, ACT
The 3rd GUMBY (Great Ultra Mediocre Back Yarder) was held from 21-23 April 2023 in Corree, ACT and was run in traditional backyard format style with every 6.7km lap started on the hour until only one person is left standing.
Reputed to be Australia’s toughest backyard ultra with 170m of elevation per lap, the event was held in perfect Canberra autumn weather. Thirty people lined up for the big race and all but one suffered ignominy of the Quitter’s Ceremony drowning their sorrows with a locally brewed Quitter’s Bitter (QB) by the fire.
AURA’s Pam Muston from Wamboin, NSW took the crown in The Gumby, completing 29 laps of the backyard ultra course – and still had energy to burn. She finished with a total official distance of 194.3km and it’s worth noting this was Pam’s first time running in the last one standing format. She is also the first outright female winner of The Gumby.
One of the event’s race organisers and Ultra Mediocre President Matthew Griggs says, “Our winner Pam was a first time backyard participant finishing with 29 laps, 195km and 5000m of elevation, incredible!”
AURA’s Pam Muston takes the win at the 2023 GUMBY. Photograph – Em Barrett.
AURA member Ben Grimshaw from Chifley, ACT took the Assist when he timed out on lap 29. A fantastic effort by both Ben and Pam, congratulations!
Well done to all our AURA members who ran in The GUMBY, including Elliot Cooper, Rachel Burns, Linda Estrom and Michael Thompson.
The GumBABY is run in a different format, were participants run 7 laps at any pace they like, so long as they’re on the start line every hour. The last lap is run as fast as possible, with the 1st Female and 1st Male declared the winners. The GumBABY is offset by half an hour so it doesn’t interfere with the GUMBY.
1st Female was claimed by Isla Pawson who ran her last lap in 31:18, and 1st Male was won by Rowan Lewis who ran his last lap in 25:22.
Congratulations to AURA members Bei Hu, Jillian Mitchell, and Brent Ford who all ran in the GumBABY.
This year, in its inaugural year, the winner of the GumbyMOON was AURA’s Thomas White from Kambah, ACT who finished his hot lap (lap 4) in 28:07. And a big well done to all our AURA members who raced in the GumbyMOON, including Matthew Griggs and Danielle Donegan.
AURA’s Thomas White with his 1st Place trophy for the inaugural GumbyMOON. Photograph – Em Barrett.
BOTTLEBUTT BASH TRAIL RUN, NSW
The Bottlebutt Bash Trail Run was held on 23 April 2023 and offered a 42.2km, 21.1km and 10km distance for runners.
There were 33 finishers in the 42.2km distance with top finishers for the Men’s 42.2km being Joshua Schulz (3:57:59), Alex Treglown (4:23:08) and Jacob Templeman (4:36:33). For the Women’s 42.2km, winners were named Krisztina Eszter Bal (4:14:28), Olivia Hulbert (4:36:33) and Rachel Smith (4:59:55).
Congratulations to AURA member David Bennie from Winston Hills, NSW who finished in 5:40:50!
For a full list of results, including the 21.1km and 10km, click here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The last weekend of the month will be the highly anticipated Down Under 135 from 28-30 April in Darley, Vic as well as the Lighthorse Ultra (29-30 April) in Woodvale, WA.
The Margaret River Ultra kicks off 6 May in Margaret River, WA whilst on 7 May in Glenorchy, Tas runners will enjoy the new kunanyi Trail Series – Tolosa Knights event. Ultra Perth will be held on 13 May; the Great Ocean Road Running Festival on 21 May in Apollo Bay, Vic; the Western Branch Ultra Marathon on 27 May in Mt Stanley, Qld; and Run narawntapu on 28 May in Greens Beach, Tas.
Pictured: Pam Muston wins the 2023 GUMBY. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.
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