WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 31-08-2022

Sink Or Survive 500, SA
IAU 100km World Championships, GER
Wonderland Run, Vic
Bright Running Festival, Vic

It’s been a jam packed week-and-a-bit in ultra racing re AURA listed events, so 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 – AURA members AND race directors – 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 September edition.

SINK OR SURVIVE

Another insane event hosted by the team at Ultra Series, Sink or Survive offered ultra runners a chance to run a 500km stage race either solo or as part of a team. From Saturday 19 August to Sunday, 27 August 2022, participants ran along the coastline on a point-to-point trail skirting the Yorke Peninsula in SA.

As its inaugural year, Ultra Series’ Shaun Kaesler said that for the future, he wanted to keep the event intimate, full of meaning and full of soul – which would mean from 2023 there would be an official cap of 20 solo entries and 30 team entries.

This year saw 6 participants take on the 500km solo event, with AURA’s very own Kay Bretz from Prahran, Vic take victory as 1st Male in an accrued time of 61:21:27 (3d 13:21:27). Second Male was Geoffrey Barnes with 78:36:12 (3d 06:36:12) whilst 3rd Male was named as Stewart Mason with 85:02:27 (3d 13:02:27).

For the women’s solo, AURA member Ronnette Davies from Adelaide, SA claimed a proud 1st Female after completing her SOS 500 in a total of 88:55:42 (3d 16:55:42) together with Julie Sager – a shared podium spot finish! Gayle Cowling finished 2nd Female in 94:05:53 (3d 22:05:53).

There were four teams participating in the event too – 2x duos and 2x trios.

Duo team Consistent WALE, which consisted of AURA members Harmony Waite from The Vines, WA and Andy Thompson from Mundaring, WA finished 1st with a total time of 65:39:10. Twalk The York duo team completed the relay stage race in 90:53:34.

In the trio teams, Morfey Madness finished in 54:46:02 whilst Gone Running Back Next Week finished in 58:28:53.

For the full list of results click here.

IAU 100KM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

AURA’s Aussie team of runners for the IAU 100km World Championships in Berlin-Bernau, Germany showed the world what they were made of last weekend, with the event held on Saturday, 27 August. The team, consisting of Clay Dawson, Clare Palmer, Anna Pillinger, Andrew McConnell, Dion Finocchiaro, Corrina Black, Greta Truscott, Michelle McAdam, Grant Schmidlechner and Jacqueline Kellerman, ran their hearts out in a competition that saw a total of 198 athletes compete (89 women and 109 men).

Floriane Hot from France and Haruki Okayama from Japan are the 2022 IAU 100km World Champions. Both athletes completed the distance in impressive times, Floriane in 7:04:03 and Haruki in 6:12:10.

In the Women’s Individual Competition, Camille Chaigneau from France (7:06:32) was 2nd and Caitriona Jennings from Ireland (7:07:16) took 3rd  In the Men’s Individual Competition, Jumpei Yamaguchi from Japan (6:17:19) was 2ndand Piet Wiersma from The Netherlands (6:18:47) took 3rd.

The weather conditions and flat course were favourable for participants and allowed them to open and maintain fast pace throughout the day.

In the Team Competition, it was a very strong performance from the Japanese men who secured Gold. France and South Africa earned Silver and Bronze respectively.

The event saw a solid performance by the USA women’s team who secured Gold, whilst France and Japan earned Silver and Bronze.

Regardless of the podium standings, it was an incredible effort by the Aussies, with their performances second to none! Results are as follows:

Men:

Dion Finocchiaro       6:48:14 (21st)
Grant Schmidlechner 6:53:45 (30th)
Andrew McConnell  7:05:37 (39th)
Clay Dawson            7:40:52 (64th)

Women:

Michelle McAdam     8:09:08 (33rd)
Jacqueline Kellerman 8:28:14 (46th)
Greta Truscott           8:52:51 (59th)
Clare Palmer             8:59:23 (63rd)
Corrina Black           9:03:45 (67th)
Anna Pillinger            11:22:48 (88th)

For the full list of results click here.

WONDERLAND RUN

The Wonderland Run was held the weekend of 27-28 August at Grampians National Park in Halls Gap, Vic with the 65km ultra distance starting on the Sunday.

Top podium positions were awarded to Steve Buchanan for 1st Male (6:41:46), Oowan Davies for 2nd Male (6:53:44) and Majell Backhausen for 3rd Male (7:28:16). Robyn Hansen won 1st Female (8:53:06), whilst Ady Mckenzie and Toni Gracie tied for 2nd (9:47:06) and Rachel Balding received 4th Female (9:55:10).

Congratulations to all our AURA members who ran in the 65km Wonderland Run, including Lochie Ngo (10:26:55), Jonathan Ennis-King (10:55:20), Isobel Ross (11:10:04), Ron Tait (11:10:04), Jody Daff (11:18:31) and Tony O’Connell (12:25:17).

For the full list of results click here.

BRIGHT RUNNING FESTIVAL

The Bright Running Festival offered a 50km ultra trail event on Saturday, 27 August in Bright, Vic.

In the Men’s 50km, Macauley Jones took 1st Male (4:56:26) whilst AURA member Jamey Pemmelaar from Kensington, Vic held on for a close 2nd Male with his total time of 5:03:48. Brent Anderson claimed 3rd Male (5:15:21).

In the Women’s 50km, Mary-Louise van Dyk took 1st Female (6:18:26), Jackie Goudy took 2nd (6:33:25) and Tania Willey took 3rd (6:48:37).

For the full list of results click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

First up for the month of September is the Cairns Port Douglas Trail Ultra from 3-4 September in Port Douglas Qld offering an 80km and 120km in the ultra distance categories. The GV Last Man Standing kicks off on 9 September in Shepparton, Vic whilst the Barossa Run starts on 10 September in the Barossa Valley, SA with an out and back looped course, loops consisting of 21.1km. There is a 50km and 63.3km on offer.

The Glasshouse 100, which doubles as this year’s Australian 100 Mile Championship, kicks off on 10 September in Beerburrum, Qld, and the same weekend sees the Great North Walk Ultras in Patonga, NSW.

The Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail 100 starts on 11 September in Canberra, ACT and the following weekend sees the No Time To Die Frontyard Ultra (16-18 September) in Adelaide, SA as well as the Surf Coast Century on 17 September in Anglesea, Vic.

Rounding off the month of September is WTF from 24-25 September in Dwellingup, WA and the Yurrebilla 56km Ultra Marathon on 25 September in Athelstone, SA.

To see our full AURA calendar click here.

Pictured: The Aussie team for the 2022 IAU 100km World Championships, Germany. Photograph – Simone Hayes.