Dear ultra friends

AURA is pleased to bring you its newsletter for March, 2011.

International news

World 24 hour championships 2011. These were originally scheduled to be held in Brugg, Switzerland but were cancelled. Attempts to find a suitable alternative venue have failed and the championships will not be held for 2011. Arrangements are already in place for the world 24hr championships for 2012 (Katowice, Poland) and 2013 (Steenbergen, Netherlands).
World trail championships 2011. These will be held on 9 July, 2011 in Connemara, Ireland. Details have yet to be finalised but it is thought that the distance will be 75 to 80kms. AURA intends to select men's and women's team to represent Australia at this event. Applicants must be members of AURA and must have performed well in a recognised trail race sanctioned by AURA. Preference will be given to athletes who have posted one or more quality performance/s in a race carrying an IAU label. The primary qualifying events for selection are Bogong to Hotham, Maroondah Dam, Six Foot track and Nerang State Forest.
World 100km championships. These will be held in Winschoten, Holland on 10 September 2011. Applicants must be members of AURA and must have performed well in a recognised 100km road race sanctioned by AURA. Consideration will be given to athletes who have not competed over 100km but preference will be given to accomplished 100km runners.
Commonwealth championships 2011. The next Commonwealth championships will be held in Wales on 23-25 September 2011. Events will include
1. 24 hours men / women
2. up and down mountain running 12k men / 8k women
3. 50-56k trail race men / women
There is no 100km race. More information will be posted as it comes to hand. AURA will be selecting teams to contest the 24 hour and trail events. Applicants must be members of AURA and must have performed well in a recognised race or races sanctioned by AURA. Preference will be given to athletes who have posted one or more quality performances in races carrying an IAU label. With the trail race, the primary qualifying events for selection are Bogong to Hotham, Maroondah Dam, Six Foot track and Nerang State Forest.
AURA views these Commonwealth championships as being where our priority lies for 2011.
Self Transcendence 6 & 10 day races, Flushing Meadow, New York from 18 to 28 April. Martin Fryer will be contesting the 6 day race from 22 to 28 April. See event website.
French Ultra Festival 2011 The French Ultra Festival will be held from 5 until 11 June 2011 in Antibes in the South of France. The races comprise 6 days, 72hrs and 48hrs. For more information, see event website

Results of recent events

Waterworld Red Rock to Coffs....27 March
Men:
1. Caine Warburton 3:49:08
2. Andi Aman 4:03:56
3. Jamie Clem 4:04:14
Women:
1. Tymeka Mybus 4:40:17
2. Candice Mills 5:07:40
3. Susannah Harvey-Jamieson 5:14:56

Alpine Challenge....19 March
100 miles - men
1. Matt Cooper 27.23
2. Phillip Whitten 33.14
3. Kevin Heaton 33.50
100 mile - women
= 1. Karen Pedley 43.42
= 1. Karen Cole 43.42
100km - men
1. Glen Robinson 16.53
2. Cameron Gilles 18.50
3. David Bennett 24.03
100km - women
1. Cassandra Schmidt 17.52
2. Kath Copeland 23.17
60km men
1. Todd Jenkinson 12.15
60km women
= 1. Pam Knight 24.45    
= 1. Maria Thomson 24.45

Six Foot Track....12 March (AURA trail championship) ...844 finishers
Men:
1. Andrew Lee 3:35:22
2. Brendan Davies 3:37:27
3. Rob Walter 3:38:35
Women:
1. Anna Frost 3:52:48
2. Vanessa Haverd 4:03:57
3. Beth Cardelli 4:10:06

WA track challenge...6 March..all race records...
12 hr: men, David Kennedy 126.522; women, Susannah Harvey-Jamieson 107.510
6 hr: men, Geoff Reynolds 71.031; women, Hunna Watson 48.534

Coburg 6 hr....6 March
Men:
1. David Staehr 79.298
2. Kevin Mannix 76.430
3. Eric Louw 72.824
Women:
1. Anne Ziogos 61.349
2. Tracey Dryden 56.918
3. Amie Siemonek 56.754

Upcoming events

Nerang State Forest ....3 April
Canberra 50km ....10 April
Coburg 24hr (Australian championships) ....16 April
Wild Horse Criterium.... 24 April
Wilsons Prom....30 April cancelled, replaced with 70k run at Razorback, see details below
Wild Endurance....30 April - 1 May
The North Face 100....14 May
Mt Macedon....5 June
Kep track....5 June
Gold Coast 100....12 June
Brisbane 24 hr....18 June
events beyond June

Watch for new events in 2011
Nerang State Forest 3 April
Macedon 5 June
Wild Horse Criterium, 24 April
Kuranda to Port Douglas, 28 August
King Island.....south to north, 80km November ? TBA

AURA membership
From 1 December 2010, new and renewing members receive a free high quality AURA running singlet/top. The design is featured here. In addition, AURA members will receive an entry into a draw each month for a free race entry for five members. AURA members will continue to receive the quarterly issues of Ultramag and this monthly email newsletter. Membership subs are $90 for full membership, $110 for families (one mag only), $50 for seniors (60 and over) and juniors (20 and under) and $35 for race directors and volunteers (Ultramag only). Ultramag subscriptions (outside of memberships) are $35. Memberships are for the calendar year.

Quick links to
Online memberships and membership renewals for quarterly Ultramag, monthly email newsletters, free singlet/running top, AURA points comp and entries to monthly draws for free race entries.
Subscribe for Ultramag for all your detailed reports and lots lots more....just $35 for four issues/year including postage.

Members' draw:
Each month five members are randomly selected for free entry to a race approximately 3 to 6 months hence. If the member is unable to contest the event, the prize lapses. It is not transferable nor can it be rolled over. Members' names will go back into the pool for future monthly draws. The race selected for the January draw was originally Washpool NP. However, we subsequently learned that the date of the race had been switched from 17 April to 16 October. As a consequence the winners of the monthly draw for January, who won free entry to Washpool will now be eligible for free entry to the Wild Horse Criterium to be held on 24 April. The winners were Arnulf Riedl, Sabina Hamaty, Alan Staples, Stephen Guest and Greg Love. Please contact Alun Davies, RD of Wild Horse for free entry details. Washpool will feature for free entry later in the year. The winners of the draw for February were Dean Godfrey VIC, Kelvin Marshall QLD, Michelle Donnelly VIC, Kevin Mannix VIC and David Kennedy WA. They won free entry to Wilson's Prom to be held on 30 April 2011, now transferred to the substitute race at Razorback occasioned by cancellation of the Wilsons Prom races due to flooding. Please contact the race director Paul Ashton for free entry details. The lucky draw winners for March are Barry Higgins - Vic, Beth Cardelli - NSW, Tim Ablett - Vic, Rick Cross - Vic and Kerrie Bremner - ACT. These members win free entry to Brett Saxon's new trail race at Mt Macedon, to be held on 5 June. Please contact Brett to arrange free entry.

Volunteers required:

E-newsletter editor: This job primarily entails reporting results of races for the month. A knowledge of how to handle pdf and jpg files is fundamental and formating and graphics skills would be very helpful.
Advertising sales: Thanks to Narelle Williams for taking this job on.
Compliance Officer: This job entails assisting Race Directors to ensure that they are informed of IAU and AURA requirements. The position has been filled by Bernadette Benson of WA. Welcome to Bernadette and thanks for taking on this job.
Publicist: This position entails formulating and disseminating press releases and generally publicising our sport. This position has been filled by Elizabeth Bennett, ACT. Welcome Liz and thanks for your support.
Event advertising: This job entails ensuring that all AURA recognised events are included in the various website race calendars worldwide. The position has been filled by Isobel Bespalov. Welcome to Izzy and thanks for taking on this task.
If someone could assist with the newsletter editing, it would be much appreciated. I would be only to happy to explain what is required and to assist during the transition. Please me (Ian) by email or by phone on 0408 527 391.

In case you didn't know

The Wilsons Prom races set down for 30 April have been cancelled due to extensive flooding in the Park. A substitute race of 70km will be held at Razorback near Harrietville. For more information contact Paul Ashton.

The Sri Chinmoy 24hr race set down for 18th June has been cancelled due to extensive flood damage to the UQ track. The event has been rescheduled for the same date at QE2 stadium, Brisbane. The AURA national 24 hr championships will be held at Coburg this year and likely Brisbane next year.

The organisation of the Canberra marathon and 50km ultra to be held on 10 April has passed from Cundy Sports Marketing to Fairfax Events. The 50km will continue to be recognised as the AURA and Athletics Australia 50km championships. We will have a team at the marathon expo headed by Kerrie Bremner and Liz Bennett. Please call by and make yourself known.

Several of our trail races now carry IAU labeling. The advantage is that races carrying labels are included in the IAU calendar and the race results are reported on the IAU website. Athletes aspiring to represent Australia at the Commonwealth and world trail championships will need to have qualified with a sound performance in a race carrying an IAU label. Organisers of trail races without IAU labels are encouraged to apply. Please contact Bernadette Benson (AURA Compliance Officer) for details of how to apply for the labeling. All major track races and measured road races in Australia already carry these labels.

Brett Saxon has taken over the organisation of The Tan 100km race. Sincere thanks to Nick Thomson for establising the event and organising it for the past three years.

Yours in the long run,

President
Australian Ultra Runners
Tel 07 5537 8872
Mobile 0408 527 391
Email: president@aura.asn.au