2022 AURA ULTRA PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AWARD VOTING

Ewan Horsburgh • March 29, 2023

The “AURA Ultra Performance Of The Year Award” is now open for voting by AURA Members. Nominations were received by AURA Members from by the 24th – 29th March, and these were shortlisted to the top five nominations as judged by the AURA Committee. The “AURA Ultra Performance Of The Year Award” will be announced on Tuesday 4th April. Voting will commence on Friday 31st March and close at 11:59pm Tuesday 4th April.

All 5 choices must be made for the form to be valid, please submit numbered 1-5 with 1 being your first choice and 5 your last.

Nomination 1: Greg Wilson – Australian 24 Hour Track Invitational

Greg has had an amazing year competing in the Age Group of M70.

This year we believe that Greg’s performance at 24 Hour Track Invitational in July was an outstanding run with multiple Age Group records broken during his 24 Hour race where Greg achieved a total distance of 170.395km.

Greg managed to break no fewer than 6 Australian Age Group records whilst competing at the 24 Hour race.

The records that Greg had set were for the 100km, 50mile, 100mile, 6hr, 12hr and also the 24hr. Many of these records had stood for 15+ years, which goes to show just what an amazing performance this was.

Congratulations on a stellar year!

Nomination 2: Cassie Cohen – IAU Asian & Oceania 24 Hour Championships – Bengaluru

In July 2022, Cassie was part of the Australian 24 Hour team representing her country at the IAU Asian/Oceania 24 Hour Championships

Not only did Cassie take home the individual silver medal at the Asian Champs in what was considered very difficult conditions, with 214.590km and finishing only 2km behind the winner, but also help as a team to take home the Female Gold Medal at the championships.

Cassie put on a hard fought race for the entire 24 hours with almost no time off the track, whilst showing complete composure in her running.

Also to note, Cassie broke three W25 AG records for the 100mile, 200km and 24hr with what became the best distance of an Australian female for 2022. A very worthy candidate and Australian representative.

Nomination 3: Phil Gore – Big Dog’s Backyard World Championship

In October 2022, Phil toed the line at Big Dog’s Backyard World Championship, becoming the last Australian standing.

Phil Gore covered a staggering 509.656K in 76H. This was not only a World Class performance, but showed that he could push way beyond the 54H/362K that he achieved only a few months earlier at Birdy’s Backyard Ultra.

Also to note with Phil having had another great year, placing 1st in the AURA points comp for 2022, along with winning the Australian 24 hour Track Invitational running 250.762km for 1st place (these both are also deserving of recognition).

Nomination 4: Stephen Redfern – Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 3100mile – New York

Stephen Redfern’s 2728 mile performance at the race has been nominated multiple times for good reason.

Stephen is worthy of this award because of the persistence and grit he demonstrated over such an extraordinarily long duration of this event. After being sidelined for days because of very serious foot blistering and nerve damage, he returned to the course despite having lost almost a week at a critical juncture of the race. He continued to stand on the start line every day of the 52 day event, even when he was not allowed to run, so that he could say he was still there for the race and to support the other runners. He could have easily quit and gone home once pulled from the race that week. He played the hand he was dealt which is at the heart of any standout performance. Stephen’s performance inspired an incredible amount of people for his dedication to the race, the distance and to the challenge.

He didn’t come First, nor Second…he did it for himself, not for the glory, and brought a lot of awareness to the Australian ultra running community about this particular race. He made it clear that it was a mental, and spiritual, ability he had to maintain throughout – not just physical. It was the mindfulness and internal challenge he needed to overcome to make it to the end of day 52.

Nomination 5: Allicia Heron – Sri Chinmoy 48 hour

Allicia Heron has had a great 12 months but her standout performance for 2022 was her run at the Sri Chinmoy 48 hours, where she became the National Champion with a distance of 329.392kms, which also secured her the W35 age group record.

She also achieved her 24 hour qualifier of 204.9km in this event which saw her selected for the Asian Champs. Impressive to then go on and continue running for another 24 hours!

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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