FROM THE VP (AUG ’18)

Alexis Oosterhoff • August 23, 2018

32 YEARS OF AURA MAGAZINES NOW ONLINE

Back in October 2017, I came up with the idea to capture the history of AURA by digitising all of the association’s newsletters published between 1986 and 2017. Elizabeth Bennett introduced me to Kevin Cassidy who was kind enough to send his collection with me, and the work to scan the magazines began in earnest with the first few completed and put online within a week. I ran into some challenges with the scanner I’d been using at work, so after some research, the committee agreed to fund the purchase of a specialised “overhead” scanning unit (a Fujitsu SV600). This allowed scanning the magazines two pages at a time without removing the staples, and included software that was meant to remove distortions. I resumed scanning, and things went well initially, before I became frustrated by some minor imperfections that the unit couldn’t deal with. This led to several months of going crazy while I tried a different methods, such as holding down the edges of the pages with my thumb (and subsequently trying to remove my thumb from each scan!) and then purchasing a few different types of glass to hold the pages flat. In the end, I experimented again with the scanner at work, and came up with a system that allowed me to scan the magazines in relatively quick time.

After scanning, the pages had to be split (double-sided A3, so four A4 pages to separate for each scan), re-ordered, and then run through an optimisation process to clean up the scanned text, straighten the images and make the text searchable (OCR). It took me a while to find the right software for the job, but eventually I bought 12 month subscriptions for Sejda (for the splitting and re-ordering) and Adobe Acrobat DC for the cleanup and OCR. As I refined the process, it was taking under five minutes to scan each magazine, and around ten minutes for the post-processing.

The end result: 126 magazines in PDF format which members can now read here (or access via the top menu by selecting Members -> Ultramag).

So, where to next? Well, first of all, I need to re-staple the magazines and return them to Kevin! Then, I’d like to create an online index of all content in the magazines, to make it easy for members to locate specific articles. For instance, if you’re about to run a race such as Kuranda to Port Douglas, there are six race reports published between 2011-2017 that provide some insight into the course; the idea is to make it easy to locate those. Then, I plan to start extracting the many race results from these magazines and get them published to the DUV website (and subsequently, to our own results database). I’ve already had one person offer to assist with this, which is much appreciated.

If you like history, then hopefully you’ll enjoy reading through these magazines as much as I am. If you’re wondering where to start, then check out the “30 years of Ultramag” article, written by Kevin Cassidy, in the March 2016 edition!

2018 WORLD 100KM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Our 100km representative team will be travelling shortly to the 2018 World 100km Championships. We wish them well! A huge thanks to Gary Mullins who, as team manager, has been liaising with the IAU to ensure travel and accommodation arrangements are in place. The full starting list for this event is available here.

If you’ve not done so already, please have a read of the athlete profiles that Kate has included in our last few newsletters:

2018 IAU ASIAN 24 HOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

AURA is very pleased to be able to announce the Australian 24 Hour Team to compete at the IAU Asian 24 Hour Championships in Taiwan on 1 & 2 December. Congratulations to all the athletes selected.

Women:

Nicole Kew
Nikki Wynd (Captain)
Tia Jones
Sharon Scholz
Donna Urquhart

Men:

John Yoon
Stephen Redfern
Matthew Eckford
Ewan Horsburgh (Captain)
Mick Thwaites

POINTS COMP UPDATE

I’ve published the interim points competition results with all events through to last weekend (19th August), except for Three Marathons in Three Days. Please take a look and let me know if you spot any errors. You can click on your name to see your individual results, or on an event to see how you placed amongst other AURA members. Other than volunteer points (which we’ll deal with at the end of the year), I’m hoping it’s fairly accurate!

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019 HOSTING APPLICATIONS

AURA event organisers please note that applications to host AURA Australian Championships in 2019 are now open and close on Friday 7 September.. Please apply online by completing the form here .

As well, If you have not done so already, please complete your AURA listing application for 2019 here. It’s an easy five minute process and will ensure you are on the AURA 2019 calendar.

AURA SELECTION COMMITTEE APPLICATIONS SOUGHT

AURA is seeking formal applications from AURA members wishing to join the AURA Selection Committee. The Selection Committee is responsible for the selection of athletes to attend international ultra running events representing Australia. We have two positions available and they are for a two year term.

The positions would suit those with an intimate knowledge of Australian ultra running events and athletes, as well as experience in either coaching elite ultra running athletes and / or competing at an elite level themselves.

Please email your formal application to president@aura.asn.au outlining your experience and the strengths you see yourself bringing to the role. Applications close Friday 7 September.

CANCELLATION OF THE 24H WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AT IRDNING, AUSTRIA

The IAU have announced that the planned 2019 24H World Championships at Irdning, Austria, have been cancelled. Very disappointment news for those who had this event in their sights, and a solemn reminder of the high costs involved in hosting championships at this level. Below is a snippet of a post from the event organisers, taken from this Facebook post:

“Today is not a easy day for us. Heavy heart we must announce that we have withdrawn from the event of the 24 h run world cup in 2019 and dissolved the corresponding contract with the iau. Unfortunately, both in the economy and in the field of public hand, the x75 does not have the importance we expect. Significantly reduced sponsors contributions and low grants from land styria and bund leave a budget gap in the six-digit area. To this gap, which we would have to cover as an organizer with our private wealth, there is still the lack of support by the Austrian government, which has made both the search for sponsors and the public funding of public funds.”

IAU CONGRESS ON 7TH SEPTEMBER IN CROATIA

The IAU are hosting their annual congress on 7th September in Croatia, which will include a vote on three positions made vacant in the IAU Executive Council. Australia’s Robert Boyce, currently the IAU Treasurer, has nominated for the position of VP, and Nadeem Khan, current VP is one of two nominees for the vacant President role. For more information, see the IAU’s announcement here.

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AUTRA News Report 19-02-2025

By Kate Dzienis • February 19, 2025

The latest in race results, covering Cradle Mountain Run, City Run, Oscars 100 Hut 2 Hut and Yaberoo Trail Ultra.

Final 2024 Points Competition Results

By Alexis Oosterhoff • January 30, 2025

Results for the 2024 AUTRA Points Competition have been finalised, and are available on our Points Competition page. Full details of the top 10 (as shared on Facebook during January) are detailed below, and results for all participating AUTRA members can be found in the documents at the above link. It was a real battle throughout the year between our top two finishers, Phil Gore & Kevin "BK" Matthews, with both giving it their it their all at events, and through contributions to the community - volunteering at multiple events, and submitting articles to our monthly newsletter, Ultramag. They finished within 2km of total distance for the year (Phil on 1203.087km, and Kevin on 1205.510km), and it was only Phil's final volunteering effort on 6 Inch Trail Marathon in December that gave him the that very narrow victory. As you'd be aware from previous communications, this marks the end of the Points Competition. With trail running (of all distances) now incorporated into AU T RA's constitution, and after careful consideration of the costs of the competition payouts in it's current form, the committee felt it was time for it's retirement. This marks my seventh and final year of delivering the points competition to membership (2018-2024), after taking on the role from Cheryl Symons. It has brought me great joy in doing so, and I feel like I've had an opportunity to get to know so many of our members through seeing their race (and volunteering) performances over the years! I'm continuing in my role as the AUS/NZL statistician for DUV (from whom we shared the data for the points comp), and you can expect to continue to find your ultra-race result on their site. 1st Place - Phil Gore (WA) - 86 points Phil's achievements this year have included a massive 265.653km (and 2nd place) at the IAU 24h Asia & Oceania Championships, wins at the Red Dirt Backyard Ultra (33 laps), the Australian leg of Big Dog's Backyard World Team Championship (96 laps), and the Soochow/Taipei 24h Ultramarathon (270.826km). He also knocked out an easy (!) 72km at the Light Horse Ultra 24h in between supporting his amazing wife Gemma. Those two 24h wins netted Phil new Oceania 24h Open Male records, IAU Level 1 qualifiers, and pushed him to the top of Australia's 24h trophy board (with only the great Yiannis Kouros having run further). Phil topped-up his points by contributing one article to Ultramag, worked as an Event Director at Herdy's Frontyard Ultra, and volunteered at a further five events through the year. He finished on 86 points. 2nd Place - Kevin Matthews (WA) - 84 points Finishing in 2nd place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Kevin Matthews. He monstered his way through the year with finishes at Australia Day Ultra 100km, Delirious WEST 200mi, 24 laps at Herdy's Frontyard Ultra, 190km at Light Horse Ultra 24h, 23 laps at Birdy's Backyard Ultra, and also completed Feral Pig 100 miler, Sandman 50km and Six Inch 47km. And to top things off, he contributed five articles to Ultramag, and volunteered at five events. BK ran 1205km in Ultramarathon races this year, all of them AUTRA-listed, and surpassed 100 marathon finishes (including 51 Ultramarathons!) Kevin finished the year on 84 points, a massive 34 points ahead of our 3rd place finisher Sue Robertson. 3rd Place - Sue Robertson (WA) - 50 points Finishing in 3rd place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Sue Robertson. Sue completed the Ultra Series 100 miler trilogy of Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST, and rounded out her year with the Sandman 50km and Six Inch 47km races. She received 30 points from the racing at AUTRA-listed events, and was awarded a further 20 points by volunteering across eight events and contributing two articles to Ultramag, for a total of 50 points for the year. Thank you Sue! 4th Place - Margie Hadley (WA) - 47 points Finishing in 4th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Margie Hadley . She was the top-female finisher at both the No Time to Die Frontyard Ultra & Wild Dog Backyard Ultra, 2nd at Birdy's Backyard Ultra, ran 182km at the Australian 24h Track Invitational and placed 3rd at Coast to Kosci. Margie received 47 points in the competition 5th Place - Melissa Robertson (NSW) - 44 points Finishing in 5th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is NSW's Melissa Robertson. Melissa took out 1st place at Irrational SOUTH 200 miler, 2nd place at Lakes Trail Festival 100km, 1st place at Hume & Hovell 100 miler, 3rd place at Rumble in the Jungle and 6th place at Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko 100 miler! She also volunteered at the GNW 50km event, receiving 44 points in the competition! 6th Place - Aaron Young (WA) - 42 points Finishing in 6th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Aaron Young . Aaron finished in 1st place at each of the Ultra Series "Triple Crown" of 200 milers (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), 55 laps at Big Dog's Backyard World Team Championship, and rounded his year out with Feral Pig 100 miler. Aaron receives 42 points, just nudging ahead of Maree Connor (who also finished on 42 points) on a count-back 7th Place - Maree Connor (NSW) - 42 points Finishing in 7th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is NSW's Maree Connor. Maree had an outstanding year, achieving 2nd place with 221km (and an IAU Level 1 qualifier) at the IAU 24th Asian and Oceania Championships, 1st place at the Lakes Trail Festival 100km, 1st place with 67km at the Southern Sydney 6h race, and 1st place with 116km at the Narrabeen Allnighter 12h. Maree also competed at Spartathlon race this year (for which she contributed an article to the September Ultramag on her experience), receiving 42 points in the competition. 8th Place - Darren Linney (SA) - 41 points Finishing in 8th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is SA's Darren Linney . Darren completed 34 laps at No Time to Die BYU, 199km at the Adelaide 24h race, and 814km at the Australian 6 Day race, for a total of 1241km raced and 41 points . 9th Place - Tristan Cameron (WA) - 40 points Finishing in 9th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Tristan Cameron. Tristan completed the Ultra Series Triple Crown of 200 mile races (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), along with Feral Pig 100 miler, for a total of 1154km raced and 40 points. 10th Place - Jen Millum (WA) - 39 points Finishing in 10th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Jen Millum . Jen finished 1st at all three of the Ultra Series Trilogy of 100 milers (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), and was 2nd female with 35 laps at the Wild Dog Backyard Ultra. With a volunteer stint at the Yaberoo Trail Ultra, Jen finished the year with 39 points in the competition. To view the complete list of members who secured points in 2024 click here and then follow through to Points Summary under the 2024 tab. All winners have already been contacted, with cash prizes distributed for 1st - 7th places, and AUTRA Store vouchers sent for 8th, 9th & 10th.