President's Report: June 2024

Simone Hayes • June 28, 2024

june, 2024

Hello to all our members, I can’t believe I am writing the June President’s Report! Where is this year going? Every time I write I feel like I say “it’s been a whirlwind month” and this month has been no different.

As you are well aware we have just had our 2024 AGM and I extend a warm welcome to the new Committee members on our team and welcome back the returning officers. I am looking forward to doing more big things for our newly named AUTRA! Thank you to all the members that supported us with your votes and have entrusted us for another term. We won’t let you down.

And what about AUTRA! It is so good to finally officially recognise trail running, and to now also be able to support events of all distances and all terrains. We have always thought of trail and ultra together as there as so many trail ultras – but the little guys were missing here at AURA, and these shorter distance races are generally the bread and butter of our bigger picture. We all have to start somewhere before we can run an ultra and we see these grass root events as feeders into ultra running. These events are the ones that gets the juices flowing for the next step. Many of the ultra-events also offer shorter distances too. So it Just. Makes. Sense.

With AUTRA now a reality, we have also brought in a subcommittee for trail running and we welcome this new team to the table. They have a big job ahead and I know they are well and truly up to the task with Chair John Claridge leading the way after he has spent many years trying make this happen.

We announced our new State Rep team this month as well and we have an awesome team that are really enthusiastic to build their state communities, engage with you all, build relationships with race directors and athletes, and support you and AUTRA wherever they can. Please reach out to them in your state and say Hi. We are all working on bringing in new partners to work with us to continue to grow the member benefit offering, so keep your eyes on that page and our socials as there are some great brands coming on board – don’t miss out on these discounts!

We also announced our new Selection Committee this month (so many announcements!) and have a very experienced team in place, including two new selectors from the trail side. We are hoping to send our first AUTRA trail team to an event this October. Applications for members to submit an EOI to represent Australia at the APTRCs (Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships) opened yesterday so check out the website or our Facebook page for the announcement.

The last applications yet to be announced is for the hosting of the 2025 National Championships as we have extended the deadline until 19 July. More news on that next month.

Don’t miss all the upcoming events for July here https://www.aura.asn.au/upcoming-events

And that’s a wrap for June! Halfway through the year and still so much to do!

See you next month,

Simone Hayes - President

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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