1 November....Australia's representatives at the 2009 IAU 50k World Trophy, Gibraltar on 31 October 2009 performed admirably
4th        June Petrie        3hrs 44mins 35sec    (20th overall)
7th        Verity Tolhurst   4hrs 06mins 54sec     (27th overall)
*  June's time sliced 2mins 06secs off  the Women 45-49 Australian 50km record which she set in this year's Canberra selection race.

Full results

23 October......tentative approval from Vic Parks to lift ceiling from 50 to 150 runners for the 25th Bogong to Hotham 64km race.....race to be followed by prizegiving dinner on the Sunday evening. These and many other changes and refinements are due to the efforts of new Race Organiser, Paul Monks. The racedate for this race, possibly Australia's premier trail classic, is 10 January and entries are to open soon....see event website

11 October....38 runners turn out for inaugural Great Ocean walk 100 miles and 100km....

27 September.....huge turnout for first 'official' Yurrebilla trail race of 56km in Adelaide Hills

The victors at Caboolture on 2 August were - 48 hr Ron Schwebel 310.288; 24 hr Michael Lovric 201.032; 12 hr Martin Fryer 131.979;
6 hr Alun Davies 51.251 full details

Please note change of date for Tamborine Trek from 4 October to 13 September, 2009, see events calendar and entry form

Following her oustanding debut 24 hour performance of 201.463 km in the AURA 24 hour championship held in Brisbane on 27-28 June, Meredith Quinlan has been added to the team to contest the 24 hour and 100km Commonwealth championships to be held in Keswick, Cumbria, England commencing 17 September 2009. These championships are widely regarded as the biggest single development ever in the sport of ultra running. For years, the IAU (with some input from AURA) has been lobbying to have these events included in the Olympics program. Triathlon and long distance swimming (25km) have recently been included, so there is good reason to expect that these ultra running events will also eventually be included in the Olympic program. The stepping stone to that is to have the events recognised at the Commonwealth level. And so it is that the inaugural Commonwealth championships will take place this coming September. Our better athletes have been excelling themselves in recent times in a bid for inclusion in the teams. Full details of teams

Why not join the team in Keswick? Airfares will never be less expensive than they are now.

Brett Saxon has launched a brand new trail race in the You Yangs, to be held on 26 July. Only 50 km from Melbourne, the You Yangs, rising out of the Werribee plains, will be host to the 50mile-50k event. There will also be lesser options. Brett has painstakingly researched the course, which appears ideally suited for the events. For more info see You Yangs 50-50

AURA AGM held in Melbourne Friday evening 29th May

The AURA AGM was held in Melbourne on 29 May. The Association is administered entirely by volunteers who unselfishly give up their time in the interests of the ultra running community at large. In the last few years AURA has grown somewhat to the point where its affairs can no longer be administered by a small executive. A call was made for volunteers to assist. In addition to the existing committee a number of people volunteered their services. These include Scott Orchard, Malcolm Gamble, Dave Brelsford, John Pearson, Peter Brett and Kim Cook. If you can help, please contact Ian Cornelius on president@aura.asn.au or phone 0408 527 391. We would not give you any task which was in any way onerous or beyond your capability. We just need more hands to the wheel. In particular, we could use a person who has some website skills, preferably experienced with Dreamweaver. to assist in maintaining the website which is fast becoming a very useful resource. Thanks to Brett Saxon for making his home available for the meeting.

Jo Blake and Meredith Quinlan have won the AURA national 24 hr championship held in conjunction with the SCMT Brisbane 24 hr track race held on 27-28 June. Meredith's performance was quite outstanding given it was her debut performance in this particular event. Final results were

The 12 hour was won by Carl Barker with 107.484 km, followed by Paul Black 100.400k and John Harris (walker) 89.271k. Carl broke the Australian M50 50km track record (subject to ratification) with 3:32:37. Running a very disciplined race, Carl slashed the record held by Bob Curtis since 1992 by some 13 minutes.

The 6 hr was won by Peter Johnson with 71.366 from Elizabeth Swain 55.733 and Steve Titmus 54.560

more information

The IAU 100km World Cup was held in Torhout, Belgium on 19-20 May 2009. Results were

Well done Emus, especially Dean Cook. Full results

The Gold Coast 100 incorporating the Athletics Australia National 100km championships and the AURA national 100km championships were held on Sunday 7 June. Jackie Fairweather (nee Gallagher), former world triathlon champion (1995, 96 & 97),  former world duathlon champion (1996 & 1999), bronze medallist in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and W40 50km world record holder achieved at Canberra in 2008 was the standout performance with 7:48:51 on debut.
Placegetters were

1. Terry Bell 7:42:08
2. Jackie Fairweather 7:48:51
3. Malcolm Gamble 8:54:45

Martin Fryer ('the Flyer') posted a brilliant performance to win the world-famous Surgeres 48 hours race on 22 - 24 May 2009 with 433.686 km, becoming the best performed athlete of all time over 48 hours, behind only the legendary Yiannis Kouros. Martin displayed his normal coolness to conserve his energy while other runners chose to run faster during the early part of the event. Final results were

1. Martin Fryer AUS 433.686
2. Ryoichi Sekiya JPN 402.321
3. Mamo Kudo (F) JPN 385.130

For more information, see Surgeres website.

Andrew Lee has won the second The North Face 100, held in the blue mountains of NSW on 17 May, in 10:20:51, breaking Andy Kromar's record set last year, by 1:09, and just 1:30 ahead of fast finishing Tim Cochrane. The event has become Australia's premiere 100km trail race with 333 solo runners and 32 teams participating. Tim will be representing Australia at the IAU 100km world cup to be held in Torhout, Belgium on 19 June, while Andrew has qualified to contest the world famous The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc to be held in August 2009. The women's section was won by Julie Quinn who smashed the record in an outstanding 12:13:45, taking 8th position overall. Full results and story.

David Criniti

Verity Tolhurst

Scott Orchard,
Jo Blake and Martin Fryer

Susannah Harvey - Jamieson

More results .....

IAU 24 hr world challenge Bergamo, Italy, 2-3 May
2-3 May Wild Endurance 100, Blue Mountains - 2 May
Bryan Ackerly wins Wilsons Prom 80km in 9:44
Stephen Sayers and Ylva Kendrick win Red Rock to Coffs in 3:41:16 and 5.22.15
John Keats wins Frankston to Portsea in 3:46:16
Paul Monks wins Australian Alpine 100 miler....awaiting report
Michael Baldock (WA) wins Coburg 6 hour with 76.760km and goes on to reach 100km in 7:58
Ben Artup (NSW) wins AURA trail championship/Six Foot track in 3:12, shaving 8 mins off the race record
Aub Henricks wins inaugural Lauceston 6 hour from Simon Phillips with 75.474km
Kerrie Bremner first female second outright in NZ National 100km champs in 9:03:03
John Pearson and Susannah Harvey-Jamieson victorious at Caboolture 12 hour - 7 February
Tim Sloan returns to the winner's podium at Cradle Mountain - 7 February
Greg Love wins Mansfield to Buller - 25 January 2009
Damon Goerke wins Bogong to Hotham from Martin Fryer - 11 January 2009

Upcoming events

IAU World Mountain Running challenge Serre Chevalier 11 July
Kokoda Challenge 18 - 19 July
You Yangs 50k 50m - 26 July
Caboolture 48 hour incorporating the AURA 48 hr championship, 31 July
The Tan 100, Melbourne - 16th August (Note change of date - previously 23rd August)
Inaugural Commonwealth Championships for 24 hr and 100km - 19 September
Yurrebilla Trail 56 km - 27 September

full race calendar 2009

Recent developments

Planning for the 24hr and 100km Commonwealth Championships to be held in September is progressing nicely
AURA invited to send teams to IAU world trail challenge in France on 12 July
IAU Newsletter April 2009
Team announced to contest 100k World Cup to be held in Belgium in June
AURA welcomes Bunbury 50k to its 2009 events calendar
Kokoda Challenge closes entries, having reached the self-imposed limit of 300 teams (1200 participants)
AURA members who contest the Wild Endurance 100, The North Face 100 and the Kokoda Challenge will receive points
Team announced for 24 hour world challenge to be held in Italy in May
Martin Fryer and Kerrie Bremner awarded ultra athletes of the year for 2008
IAU 100km hour world championship selection criteria and application forms now available
Mark Tucker and David Criniti top the 2008 male world rankings for 50k
Jackie Fairweather tops the 2008 female world rankings for 50k
Martin Fryer ranks 6th at 48 hours in 2008 world rankings, with Yiannis Kouros 1-2-3