PRESIDENT’S WELCOME: SIMONE HAYES

Kate Dzienis • May 30, 2023

May 2023

Dear members,

After three years on the AURA committee as Treasurer, I’m excited (and nervous) to now step into the very big shoes as the new AURA President for 2023-2024.

I have been privileged to work closely with outgoing President Ewan Horsburgh and the rest of the Committee. Back in 2020 we started off as a whole new committee, learning the ropes together, dealing with COVID and the landscape that this challenge presented for races and the race directors. Given we had so much to learn, the COVID downtime was almost a blessing in disguise allowing us to find our feet!

For the past two years we have been back in full swing with all of our beloved races and more back on the AURA calendar. Which means more events for our members and therefore more work for your Committee and Marketing Manager, but we wouldn’t have it any other way! We love seeing a thriving running community out there doing what we all love once again.

While the past three years have been very educational, I still have a lot to learn. But I hope that I can do the role justice and continue to provide the support and infrastructure that we have been striving to achieve since 2020.

My goal is to ensure AURA and its member base stays strong and more importantly grows – without our members, what are we? The sport continues to thrive and we must thrive with it. To do this and help the future of the sport, its athletes and race directors, we need membership support. It’s not enough to sit back and watch along on the Facebook page. Being a financial member means you are actively supporting AURA and all we are trying to achieve to foster the growth of ultra running. If you enter just a couple races on the calendar each year you will be ahead financially with your $49 annual membership. Not to mention access to our other benefits and discounts that we are continuing to build on each year.

AURA wants to encourage runners from the ground up, from beginners to elite, to step outside of their comfort zone. Yes, we facilitate international competition and have amazing runners represent our country at events, but everyone must start somewhere and we hope to continue to find and encourage new talent through our members.

We also want to give more women the confidence to step up to longer distances through ongoing advice, local support, coaching and webinars. We plan to provide our runners with expert advice on injury prevention from a qualified panel of sports physios, advice on gear and shoes, shopping discounts and more. We would like to have an AURA podcast ready at your fingertips for your next run that highlights our members and their achievements. We want to feature all levels of runners, not just the ones at the pointy end. Let’s face it – some of the best stories are from the back of the pack!

I hope to continue the work we have been doing for the past three years as well as put my own stamp on things using my 18 years of experience as a personal trainer and running coach where I have been invested in helping others reach their potential and fall in love with the sport too. With the support of our current Committee – Vice President Matt Eckford, Secretary Stephen Redfern and our newly appointed Treasurer Annabel Hepworth – I can assure you we will do our best!

We also have an amazing team of State Reps that are here to support members, answer questions, guide runners to local groups to join and run with, help promote AURA in their respective states and be the biggest cheer squad in your state! So please reach out to them or the Committee if you have ideas or questions – we are here for you.

I look forward to the upcoming 12 months working to support this amazing sport that is very dear to my heart and has changed my life, as I’m sure it has done the same for many of you.

Yours in running,

Simone Hayes
President, AURA

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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