Weekly News Report 31-05-2023

Kate Dzienis • May 30, 2023

AGM Outcome
Great Ocean Road Running Festival, Vic
Run narawntapu, Tas
Upcoming Events

We are always on the hunt for your stories and reports, so with June 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

AGM OUTCOME

AURA’s AGM was held on Wednesday, 24 May and unfortunately we saw president Ewan Horsburgh step down from the role after a successful three years in the position. We wish Ewan all the best; thanking him for all the time he’s given the association in growing it to what it is today.

As we say goodbye to Ewan though, we welcome on board Simone Hayes, who moves from the Treasurer role into President – AURA’s first ever female to do so. Simone has an incredible background of ultra running behind her and is extremely passionate and dedicated to the sport. You can read her President’s Letter here, which has been released as a part of the May edition of Ultramag.

The AGM also saw a new array of State Representatives into the fold. Every year, AURA asks its members to put their hands up and become representatives of the association, thus representing the sport of ultra running, in their home state. To see our amazing collection of State Reps for the 2023-24 year, you can click here!

GREAT OCEAN ROAD RUNNING FESTIVAL, VIC

It was a record breaking Great Ocean Road Running Festival on 21 May, where participants could opt to enter anything from 6km to a 60km ultra, both road and trail. The event saw a record 9,350 registered participants compete across all nine events, and it was a sell-out event for the ultra – of which there were 161 finishers.

An incredible result in the Men’s 60km, with AURA’s Dion Finocchiaro from Brighton, Vic taking home 1^st Male with an astonishing time of 3:50:15 – a decent 20 minute lead ahead of 2^nd Male getter Theo Langlois (4:10:04). Ben Harris held on for 3^rd Male (4:18:03).

In the Women’s 60km, we also so an AURA top spot claimed, with AURA member Alice Hall from Scarborough, WA claim 1^st Female following a stellar finish of 4:58:54. Tara Carson took 2^nd Female (5:00:25) whilst AURA’s very own Kathleen Judge from Tugun, Qld walked away with a fantastic 3^rd Female, crossing the finish line in 5:06:40.

Congratulations to all our AURA members who ran in the 60km including Phil Ryan (5:31:22) and Dmitry Pupkov(5:35:44).

For the full list of results, including the marathon and half marathon, click here.

RUN NARAWNTAPU, TAS

Held on 28 May at narawntapu National Park in Greens Beach, Tas the Run narawntapu offered a scenic, stunning and culturally rich environment for endurance runners of all levels – athletes were given the option to enter the 52km, 25km or 12km with a cap of 200 runners in total on the day.

In the Men’s 52km, podium finishes were awarded to Jamis Turner (4:08:32), Grant Houniet (4:09:54) and Gareth Hinds (4:10:48). In the Women’s 52km, winners were Suzi Stiso (4:48:43), Laura Fitzgerald (5:30:06) and Jacqueline Goudy (5:59:05).

Congratulations to AURA member David Campbell who finished the race in 5:24:48, a job well done!

To see the full results, including the 25km and 12km, click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

June sees the BUTTER 24/48 in Southport, Qld from 2-4 June, the Red Dirt Backyard Ultra in Karratha, WA from 10-11 June, the Southern Sydney 24hr Ultra in Leumeah, NSW from 10-12 June, and the Adelaide 24hr Festival in Glen Davis, NSW from 10-11 June.

The Glow Worm Tunnel Marathon Weekend will be held from 16-17 June in Glen Davis, NSW and the Kennards Hire BVRT100s – which is doubling up as the 100 Mile Australian Championships – will be held in Ipswich, Qld from 17-19 June.

Antsy for Anstey is due on 17 June in Tea Tree Gully, SA whilst the Australian Backyard Masters kicks off another year in Runnymede, Qld from 17-20 June. Transcend will be held on 25 June at Walyunga National Park, WA.

Pictured: The Top 2 of the Great Ocean Road Running Festival’s 60km Men’s event: (L) 2^nd Male Theo Langlois and AURA’s Dion Finocchiaro with his 1^st Male win.

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Team Manager 2025 IAU Asian and Oceania 100K Championships

By Gary Mullins • September 8, 2025

Location : Bangkok, Thailand Dates : November 21 - 24 2025 Role Type : Volunteer Position Time Commitment : Pre event planning + Travel Application Deadline : 17th September 2025 Thank you for your interest in supporting the Australian team for the 2025 IAU Asian 100k Championships. This role goes far beyond logistics. It’s about leadership, inclusion, and creating a positive, empowering environment for athletes competing on the world stage. AUTRA is committed to opening doors for those outside traditional pathways. We strongly encourage applications from coaches, former athletes, club leaders, volunteers, and passionate community members. You don’t need to have served on a board or managed a team before as we’re looking for people who genuinely care, are highly organised, and can proudly represent our athletes and country. Role Overview As Team Manager, you’ll work closely with AUTRA President Gary Mullins and Vice President Geoff Russell to prepare and support the national team before and during the championship. Pre-Departure Australia Act as the main contact for selected athletes and crew Assist with final entry forms and travel planning Prepare a Championships Agenda in alliance with the Team Managers Agreement Document Coordinate flights, uniforms, and team communications Help identify and organise crew support Attend online team planning meetings On the Ground in Thailand Be present and ready as athletes arrive Ensure all athlete needs are met so they can focus fully on their race Attend all technical meetings and represent the team professionally Coordinate team attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies Ensure the team and crew are prepared, organised, and calm Address any issues that arise with efficiency and discretion Provide hands on leadership and moral support throughout the race Support Provided Accommodation in Bangkok for 3 - 4 nights will be provided by AUTRA An official team uniform will be supplied A volunteer allowance of $1500 will be provided to acknowledge your time and service during the championship period. What You’ll Need Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Strong organisational ability under pressure A calm, inclusive, and athlete first mindset Commitment to AUTRA’s Code of Conduct Member of AUTRA Applying To apply for the role of Team Manager please CLICK HERE and fill out the Application Form. Applications Close at 5pm 17th September 2025. Selection Process Following the application deadline, the AUTRA Committee will review all submissions and select the most suitable candidate. All applicants will be contacted by Gary Mullins within 7 days of applications closing. Gary Mullins AUTRA President