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.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater