WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 29-03-2023

Noelis Rheault on the 100km at Noosa Ultra-Trail.

Noelis Rheault, far left, on the podium after his 100km at Noosa Ultra-Trail.

Simone Hayes (far right) on the podium after her 80km at Noosa Ultra-Trail.

SRI CHINMOY 48HR TRACK, ACT (AUSTRALIAN 48HR CHAMPIONSHIPS)

The Sri Chinmoy 48 Hour Track Festival, which kicked off on Friday, 24 March 2023 at the Australian Institute of Sport in the ACT, also doubled up as the 2023 Australian 48 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).

What incredible performances on the track! Need I say more?

In the 48hr, there were 21 participants in total (8 women, 13 men).

American Camille Herron set a new 48 Hour World Record, passing the mark set last month by Joasia Zakrzewski at Taipei Ultramarathon with a final distance of 411.458km; Camille passed that in 45:08:06. Taking 1st Female with a new Women’s Record, she took it in 435.336km (270.505mi) and a total of 1,088 laps around the track. Camille also secured herself a number of other records including 1st Female to be the Overall American Record Holder at any distance.

In 2nd Place for the Women, it was Gesiane Nascimento who finished with 259.849km in 649 laps and in 3rd it was Paola Flury with 243.784km in 609 laps.

However, because Herron and Nascimento are non-Australians, the 1st Place Female title in the Australian 48hr Championships went to Flury, whilst 2nd Female went to Beck Myors (226.160km) and 3rd Female to AURA’s Karen Woon Cheung Chan from Coogee, NSW who finished with a total of 219.089km. 

A big congratulations to AURA men who filled out the podium in the 48hr. Joffrid Mackett from Gordon, ACT secured 1st Male with 294.973km in 737 laps, Greg Wilson from Kyneton, Vic who took 2nd Male with 287.404km in 718 laps and David Billett from Coromandel Valley, SA who won 3rd Male after finishing with a total of 266.705km in 666 laps. 

RECORDS! Mackett secured himself a new Australian Record in the Open 48hr Walk and Centurion 100mi, whilst Wilson a new M70 Australian Record: 200km and 48hr! 

Spectacular performances by everyone in the 48hr! Congratulations to Matthew Griggs (238.400km), Peter Murphy (212.450km), Ron Schwebel (207.623km), Zed Slotnick (205.607km), Annabel Hepworth (200km) and Paul Gay (186.285km).

In the 24 Hour, there were 15 participants (9 women, 6 men)

In the Men’s 24 Hour, the top spot was awarded to AURA member Grant Brisbin from Woy Woy, NSW who won 1stMale after a fantastic 225.197km in 543 laps. 2nd Male was won by Ullas Narayana (220.636km) and 3rd was taken by Troy Ruivenkamp (173.407km). Well done to AURA’s Richard Crane from Farrer who secured himself 66.767km in his event.

In the Women’s 24 Hour, AURA’s very own Maree Connor from Newcastle, NSW took the honours of top spot with a total distance of 212.650km in 512 laps. AURA member Amanda Pavey from Heathwood, Qld took 2nd Female with 194.143km in 468 laps whilst Priyanka Bhatt took 3rd Female (184.577km).

Congratulations also to our members Lisa Sherman (182.547km) and Kathryn Austin (121.093km) in the 24 hour!

16 runners participated in the 12 hour event (6 women, 10 men).

In the Men’s 12 Hour, AURA member Kevin Muller from Wodonga, Vic secured himself 1st Male after completing 138.015km in 345 laps as well as claiming a new M50 12hr Australian Record! Congratulations Kevin, a well-deserved record! Second Male went to Daragh O’Loughlin (124.618km) and 3rd went to Stuart Wallace (110.072km).

In the Women’s 12 Hour, 1st and 2nd Female went to Sharon Pieterse (92.518km) and Niboddhri Christie (90.518km) respectively, whilst 3rd Female was won by AURA’s Leah Weeden from Harrison, ACT who took the podium finish after completing 87.718km in 219 laps. 

Well done to AURA member Brent Ford from Gungahlin, ACT who ran 73.526km in 183 laps.

There was also a 6 Hour event, in which 24 runners participated (12 women, 12 men).

In the Men’s 6 Hour, podium finishes went to Baden Reynolds (79.461km) and AURA member Tom Allen from Lyneham, ACT who took 2nd Male after completing a total distance of 71.865km in 173 laps. Third Male went to Ashley Colquhoun (71.236km).

In the Women’s 6 Hour, 1st Female was won by Kelly Bennett (54.185km), 2nd Female by Nikki Whelan (54.146km) and 3rd Female by AURA member Kerrie Bremner from Nicholls, ACT who completed 62.679km in 127 laps.

Congratulations to all our AURA members who raced in the 6 Hour, including John Nuttall (54.374km), Bei Hu(50.541km), Kirsten Maplestone (43.060km), David Von Senden (29.443km) and Dominic Bullock (27.370km).

For the full list of results, click here.

PHOTOS

Kirsten Maplestone fan-girling over Camille Heron at the Sri Chinmoy event.

Joffrid Mackett in the 48hr. Photograph – Jillian Mitchell.

Greg Wilson in the 48hr. Photograph – Jillian Mitchell.

Matthew Griggs in the 48hr. Photograph – Jillian Mitchell.

AURA member Brent Ford sporting his club shirt in the 12hr. Photograph – Jillian Mitchell.

KUNANYI MOUNTAIN RUN, TAS (AUSTRALIAN SHORT COURSE TRAIL CHAMPIONSHIPS)

The kunanyi Mountain Run was held across the weekend (24-26 March, 2023) in Tasmania, and doubled up as this year’s Australian Short Course Trail Championships. On offer for ultra runners was the Ultra 67km race, which saw 111 participants run in.

(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).

In the Men’s 67km, Andrew Gaskell took 1st Male (7:52:25) whilst AURA member Nigel Hill from Bullengarook, Vic took home 2nd Male after a spectacular run and crossing the finish line in 8:18:28. Liam Crozier took 3rd Male (8:23:17).

In the Women’s 67km, top spots were awarded to AURA’s very own Sarah Ludowici from Sydney, NSW who took 1st Female in a spectacular time of 9:09:27; Jasmine Sargeant (9:13:19) and Meagan Brown (9:27:03).

Congratulations to all our AURA members who ran in the kunanyi Mountain Run 67km solo event, including Jessica Schluter (9:56:49), Gill Fowler (10:17:32), Gerard Riordan (10:53:15), Geoffrey Langhans (12:07:44) and Shiree Yap (12:42:40).

For the full list of results, click here.

LITHGOW RIDGY-DIDGE TRAIL RUN FESTIVAL, NSW

Blue Mountains Fitness hosted the Lithgow Ridgy-Didge Trail Run Festival over the weekend (25 March, 2023) in the beautiful ridges on Hassans Walls above Lithgow. For ultra runners, there was a 50km event options, whilst others got a chance to participate in a 42km, 30km, 22km, 13km and 7km.

35 runners raced in the 50km, with only 3 DNFs.

In the Men’s 50km, podium finishers were named Marc Brown (5:38:16), Steve Bushby (5:43:10) and Ryan Mckernan (6:05:00). In the Women’s 50km, winners were Florentina Dulceanu (6:27:06), Kristy Killesteyn (6:50:56) and Madie Garnache (7:06:38).

For the full list of results, click here.

WASHPOOL WORLD HERITAGE TRAILS, NSW

He 13th running of the Washpool World Heritage Trails was, according to race director Keelan Birch, the biggest year of the event to date. Held on Sunday, 26 March 2023 entries sold out quickly and in the end 150 runners took part in the event with the 50km (44 participants) and 25km (83 participants) having the largest fields to date.

It was the 2nd year the Coffs Trail Runners organised and hosted the race, and in the 50km division, participants enjoyed cooler conditions of the day and no one took a wrong turn.

In the Men’s 50km, a new course record was secured by 1st Male winner Tait Hearps who finished the distance in 3:49:31 – a full 10 minutes faster than the previous record. Second Male was won by David Waugh (4:32:26) and 3rd Male was claimed by Will Davies (4:38:24).

In the Women’s 50km, the top podium spot was awarded to Belinda James (4:53:13) whilst 2nd Female was won by AURA’s Clare Palmer from Glenreagh, NSW who crossed the finish line in 4:54:08, less than one minute behind the winner (she posted the 4th fastest 50km time in the race’s history). AURA member Lou Clifton from Mt Victoria, NSW took 3rd Female in 5:02:46 – a stellar effort on the back of Six Foot Track two weeks ago.

Congratulations to AURA member Adrian Marchioro from Clunes, NSW who finished his 50km event in a fantastic time of 5:33:00. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

It’s April next weekend, so that’s a wrap for March!

Go West hosted by AAA Racing will be held on 1 April and allow runners to traverse the Flinders-Gooldman Conservation Estate in Ipswich, Qld from one end to the other and back.

The Cairns 50 will also be held from 1-2 April with a 50km option for ultra runners; this is a road ultra through the Redlynch Valley rainforest and cane fields.

Tamworth Trailblazer kicks off on Sunday, 2 April in Tamworth, Qld offering runners a 60km (4 laps) option for ultra runners; known to be the race ‘where fun goes to die’. The highly anticipated Dead Cow Gully Backyard Ultra in Runnymede, Qld will start on 8 April and continue until there is only one person standing while the Irrational South 100 & 200 miler hosted by Ultra Series SA in the Flinders Ranges will see runners leave the start line on Wednesday, 12 April.

From 15-16 April, runners will race in the 2023 Coburg 24 Hour Carnival in Coburg, Vic which will also double up as this year’s Australian 24 Hour Championships.

That’s not it for April though!

The GUMBY (Great Ultra Mediocre Back Yarder) will be held from 21-23 April in Corree, ACT whilst the Bottlebutt Bash Trail Run kicks off on 23 April in Herons Creek, NSW. Down Under 135 in Darley, Vic will be held from 28-30 April and WA’s Lighthorse Ultra in Woodvale will kick off 29 April.

Pictured: AURA members Matthew Griggs, Greg Wilson (great shirt Greg!) and Justin Hiatt at the 2023 Sri Chinmoy 48 Hour Track Festival. Photograph – Supplied/FB.