PRESIDENT’S WELCOME LETTER 2020

Ewan Horsburgh • May 28, 2020

Hello AURA Members,

I am pleased to be writing to you as the newly appointed AURA President, to announce the new Committee, our State Representatives and to also thank the hard work of our out-going Committee. For me personally, I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to represent AURA and the running community who have given me so much encouragement and support throughout my running career. I am excited as President to help shape the way ultra running is presented, supported and developed in Australia.

Firstly, I would like to congratulate and welcome our new Committee Members – Mathew Eckford as Vice President, Simone Hayes as Treasurer and Julia Mackay as Secretary. Together we cover a range of experience with committee involvement, international representation, race direction and as a part of our running community. As a new Committee, we plan to have a fresh take on what part AURA can play to support and promote the wide range of ultra running in Australia and our Members. We love and respect the history and heritage of the association and know it has an important role to play for many more years to come.

We each spoke to our star writer and editor Kate Dzienis who has put together a short bio of the new Committee:

Simone Hayes, Treasurer
With decades of experience behind her, Simone Hayes lives and breathes the sport of ultra running, having represented Australia at previous World Championships and being a podium finisher in numerous events. Living in NSW, Simone has put her hand up to represent AURA as its Treasurer and has expressed great enthusiasm to help promote ultra running and our community.

Julia Mackay, Secretary
Julia has a special place in her heart for ultra running, always putting in the extra effort to make participants smile or laugh with her creative costumes at almost every event she attends. Hailing from WA, Julia started in long distance in 2018 and since then has gone on to race in nine ultras. As AURA’s new Secretary, she is excited about the year ahead and contributing her time to the sport as part of the Committee.

Matthew Eckford, Vice President
Matt from Queensland has an abundance of experience when it comes to ultra running. He has represented Australia not just once, but three times at the World Championships and twice at the Asian Championships. Now wanting to play a larger role in the growth and promotion of the sport, Matthew will apply his strategic skills, passion and knowledge as the new Vice President of AURA.

Ewan Horsburgh, President
As an ultra runner who has represented Australia countless times in long distance events across the globe, Ewan Horsburgh from NSW has now taken it one step further and will guide AURA into the future as its new President. His resume is unmatched, having led the Aussies as Team Captain in last year’s 24-hour World Championships in Albi, France following participation in World Championships in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017 as well as captaining the Aussie team at the 2018 Asian/Oceania 24-hour Championships in Taiwan. Ewan is truly looking forward to promoting AURA and the sport of ultra running and looking after our community.

AURA State Representatives also play a big part in promoting our association and communicating the achievements of runners and events in their individual state. I would like to congratulate and welcome our new State Reps – Susannah Harvey-Jamieson and Dan Symonds for Qld, Chris Glacken for SA, Martin Fryer for ACT, Stephen Redfern for NSW, Karen Mickle for VIC and Doug Bartlett for WA. We look forward to collaborating with them on some important initiatives which focus on their unique events.

AURA also comprises of invaluable Volunteers who find time in their busy lives and training schedules to support and advance ultra running in Australia. Our tasks and activities are done by Committee, State Reps and Volunteers, so we are always on the lookout for passionate people to help. It could be writing articles for our online AURA Magazine, sharing race updates or continuing the development of our website.

Even more so now that I have an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes, I would like to offer a massive thanks to our previous Committee. Rob Donkersloot, Alexis Oosterhoff, Pam Muston and Ness Hartge. They have done a fantastic job, leaving AURA in a great place financially and introducing a range of strong policies and new strategic initiatives. As our new Committee have not held previous positions within AURA, a smooth handover has been essential. After discussions with Rob and Alexis on the direction of AURA – its wins and challenges, it became clear that we had a good rapport and a smooth hand-over has been made possible.

Australian ultra running finds itself in a similar position to other countries around the world in that we have been cancelling races for the last 2 months. We are now looking ahead to the second half of the year, easing of restrictions and what that means for future races. Entrant limits, how events are run and interstate travel are still unknown at this time. With overseas travel restrictions in place, we look to a strong second half of the year with a lot of rescheduled races and plenty of great domestic options.

Our Committee would love to hear from you, our Members. Feel free to contact us on our Facebook group or please email me directly at president@aura.asn.au

Cheers,
Ewan Horsburgh
🇦🇺 AURA President

< Older Post

Newer Post >

AUTRA Race Report 19-7-2026

By Kate Dzienis • July 19, 2026

Race results for 2026 Southern Sydney Track Ultra, 3M3D, Ultra Adelaide and Boyne Valley 50.

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