WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 8-1-2021

Kate Dzienis • January 8, 2021

Reindeer Run, SA
6 Inch Trail Ultra, WA
Coming Up

The new year is upon us, and after a whirlwind holiday season break races are slowly starting to creep back onto the AURA-listed calendar of events. Here is a recap of some of the end-of-year events!

Reindeer Run
GoodRunnings’ Reindeer Run was held on December 13, 2020 and offered participants a variety of distances including a 2.5km, 5km, 10km, 15km, half marathon, full marathon and six-hour. The course followed a 2.5km loop along the river near the bustle of Glenelg, and was GoodRunnings’ first foray into timed ultras.

Five runners hit the start line for the 6hr with 2 men and 3 women participating.

In the women’s podium finishes went to Erika MacDonald who completed 48.028km, Julie Reid with 37.662km and Rie Cooper with 12.875km.

For the men it was Hazem Kutieleh in 1st place (55.359km) and Benjamin Anchor 2nd (33.475km).

6 Inch Trail Ultra
The last event on our calendar for 2020 was held in WA’s regional south on Sunday, December 20, the 6 Inch Trail Ultra, a race very much anticipated by Western Australian runners. The full distance for participants is a 47.5km trail, whilst the half option provides 23.4km and is done on the second half of the full distance.

For the men in the full, 1st place went to Hamish Mcelwee (3:17:40), 2nd was won by Josh Tighe (3:18:56) whilst 3rd was earned by Dale Zabiela (3:23:13).

For the women, Ariarn Huston took 1st pole position (4:05:02), Marlene Lootz claimed 2nd (4:05:27) and 3rd was claimed by Kate Bevilaqua (4:07:51).

Congratulations to all our AURA members who ran in the full including Michael Carroll (3:53:39), Tony Stahl (4:16:16), Paul Hopwood (4:26:27), James Brook (4:26:35), Adam Loughnan (4:40:19), Ian North (4:52:16), Beck Hefferon (4:52:25), Chris Kirkwood (4:54:47), Timothy Bond (4:58:39), Harmony Waite (5:20:51), Darren Jenkins (5:22:42), Barbara Fieberg (5:37:22), Karen Mickle (5:40:07), Rebecca Kirkwood (6:01:02), Jason Kell (6:03:04), Vincent Naylor (6:25:10), Alexis Oosterhoff (6:34:30), Mark Caldwell (6:35:31), Margaret Hadley (6:47:55), Lucia Caravia (7:01:44), John Fisher (7:11:38), Rosa Haywood (7:33:20), Louise Wallace (7:37:41), Emma Luscombe (7:40:52) and Georgia Snowball (7:41:10).

Coming Up
The Sun Run hosted by GoodRunnings was originally meant to be held on January 3 however due to COVID-19 related concerns, the date has been changed to January 16. All participants have been contacted with further information sent through to their emails.

Participants are being offered two early start times now to cater for social distancing – a 5am start and a 6am start, and can enter a number of distances including a 1km, 2.5km, 5km, 7.5km, 10km, 15km, a half marathon, 30km, a full marathon, 50km and a 60km.

Run to Wynn, another GoodRunnings event, is due to take place on January 10 – this weekend. Held in Tea Tree Gully, the course consists of a 10km out-and-back loop along the Dry Creek corridor from Wynn Vale Dam onwards. Participants can race in a 1km Kids Dash, 3km, 5km, 7.5km, 10km, 15km, half marathon, 30km, 42.195km and a 50km.

The annual Two Bays Trail Run is only just over a week away, ready for racers on January 17. A multi-faceted course between Dromana on the Port Phillip Bay side and Cape Schanck on the Bass Strait side, the event is a 28km crossing (or 56km double crossing) of the Mornington Peninsula. Two Bays is usually capped at 1500 runners, however due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year the event will see only 500 participants. Stay updated on their Facebook page for more information if they will allow for more entries.

The Australia Day Ultra is being offered again in WA, and the ultra community usually makes its way down south to Australind, about 190km south of Perth, for this memorable event. A fast and flat course, many PBs have been made throughout the years and in 2021 will be held the weekend of January 23. Distances available include 100km, 75km, 50km, 25km and a kids 6km.

The last event for the first month of the year will be the Sandman 50, also in WA but further south of Perth, in Dunsborough. The event is a 50km race from Old Dunsborough boat ramp to the state-famous Busselton Jetty and back, and is on the beach with the nominal race line within 3 metres of the water’s edge.

Pictured: AURA member Jutta Kober, who raced in WA’s 6 Inch Trail Ultra’s half marathon distance. Photograph – Ron Mcglinn.

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AUTRA News Report 11-09-2025

By Kate Dzienis • September 11, 2025

Run The River Half, Qld Murphys Creek Challenge, Qld Lighthorse Ultra, WA Kunanyi Trail Series, Rialannah, Tas Upcoming Events WEEKLY NEWS REPORT FOR 12-09-2025 As always, we're continuously on the hunt for your stories and reports, so get those race reports and photographs in to ultramag@autra.asn.au with the following information: Word document, single spaced Include the name of the event, the date and the location anywhere in the report (just a bullet point at the top is great) Please attach photographs to the email – do not put images in the body of your Word doc. You’ll just get me emailing you back asking for the photos sent in the correct way! As many photos as possible. With our new website, it’s now easier than ever to include a nice gallery in each race report No PDFs please And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AUTRA-listed event specifically! You just have to be an AUTRA member for the 2025 year. Also too, if you’ve run in a non-AUTRA listed event anywhere on home soil or internationally, we’d love to include your race results and experience in our Member Updates, so please do reach out to us via email to kate.dzienis@autra.asn.au If any corrections need to be made in any of the results listed below, please alert me via email.

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