WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 23-1-2021

Australia Day Ultra, WA

Australia Day Ultra
Twenty-two runners raced in the Australia Day Ultra’s 100km event on Saturday (23 January) along the Australind foreshore, about 160km south of Perth. Also on offer was a 75km, 50km and 25km event.

It was an exciting 100km event with many returning runners, and two in particular who entered the exclusive 500 Club for running the 100km five years in a row – Jon Pendse and AURA member Margaret Hadley. Hadley has a stellar background when it comes to the 100km ADU with her history including 8:58:17 in 2017 – 8:41:29 in 2018 – 8:51:00 in 2019 – 9:08:24 in 2020.

In favourable conditions on the flat and fast course, a chilly start saw the morning turn into a hot day with a slight breeze.

In the women’s 100km, it was an AURA podium finish for the top two spots.

Jacqueline Kellerman from Burns Beach took the top spot for 1st Female with an astounding finish time of 8:14:04 whilst Hadley from Henley Brook took 2nd Female with her 100km PB of 8:28:34. Kate Bevilaqua secured 3rd Female (9:17:43).

For the men it was Justin Kelly 1st in 8:24:50 and AURA member Daniel Chidlow from Rockingham crossing the finish line in 9:39:03. AURA’s Dennis Devereaux from Bunbury took the remaining podium block, coming in 3rd with a time of 9:43:08.

Congratulations to all our AURA members who ran in the 100km including Rebecca Kirkwood (11:43:33), Sue Robertson (13:57:40), Myra Keep (14:31:53), Graham Bell, Vincent Naylor and Joshua Chugg.

Nine participants raced in the 75km event and for the women it was Katie Seghini 1st (7:24:03), Cherie Pettit 2nd(7:55:56) and Raquel Rae 3rd (9:16:29). For the men, Ben Whyte took 1st Male (7:28:17), Thomas Wieman 2nd (8:01:10) and Neily Rae 3rd (8:14:16).

Congratulations to AURA member Pamela Williams who finished the 75km in 10:16:08.

In the 50km distance AURA’s very own Nathan Fawkes from Waikiki finished in 1st Male in 3:21:30, less than 2 minutes ahead of Tony Smith (3:23:10) who took 2nd. Jacques Meyer took 3rd Male with 3:37:44.

For the women it was Julia Kets 1st (3:46:24), Lee-Anne Flugel 2nd (3:54:32) and Sophee Gregory 3rd (4:24:36).

Well done to all our AURA members who ran and completed their 50km including Joshua Kyhn (3:39:20), Mel Chamberlain (4:51:14), Mark Caldwell (6:15:07) and John Stockman (8:40:23).

In the 25km (45 participants) for the men it was Ryan Shand in 1st (1:37:42), Guy Crawford 2nd (1:43:47) and Radek Dzitkowski 3rd (1:46:32). For the women’s division the podium finishes went to Laura Rutherford (2:08:11), Carolina Laurel (2:26:51) and Paola Mena (2:21:34).

Some of our AURA members also ran in the 25km including Chris Kirkwood (1:58:28) and Charloette Rumney(2:48:28). Congratulations to you both.

Coming Up
The Sandman 50 will be held in WA the weekend of 30 January, in Dunsborough. Offering a 50km distance from Old Dunsborough boat ramp to Busselton Jetty and back, participants race along the beach.

And already on to February, we have the AURA-listed Cradle Mountain Run  ill be held in Cradle Mountain, Tas on 6 February. Some of the track in several areas will see participants race an altitude of 1000m – which by world standards may not be huge, but is well above the tree line. The Cradle Mountain Run offers an 80km distance.

That same weekend (7 February) will see GoodRunnings host the City Run in Bonython Park, Adelaide in SA with an offering of 50km and 60km events.

Last for February is the Lark Hill Dusk to Dawn Ultra to be held on the 27th at Lark Hill Sporting Complex in Port Kennedy, WA. A night time run around a 3km limestone track loop, runners are offered a 25km (8 laps), 50km (17 laps) and a 100km (34 laps).

For our AURA members
A reminder that we LOVE receiving your race reports and are keen to feature them in our monthly digital magazine Ultramag. Please send any and all your race reports (they don’t have to be AURA listed events for you to write your experiences) to ultramag@aura.asn.au in a Word document (single spaced and as long or short as you want it) along with some horizontal images (high resolution) for choice as your feature photograph (attached to your email, not in the body of your Word doc). 

Pictured: AURA member Jacqueline Kellerman racing in the 2021 ADU. Photograph – Andrew Yeatman.