WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 14-10-2020

River Run 100 Ultra Marathon, Qld
Held across the weekend of 10-11 October, the River Run 100 Ultra Marathon in Moorelands Park, Auchenflower, Qld was a successful event offering long distance participants the options of entering either a 100km from 7.30pm Saturday, or a 50km that could either start at midnight or at 4.30am on the Sunday.

Top podium finishes for the men’s 100km division were Frank Witcombe in 1st (10:57:56), Trent Harding 2nd (11:18:38) and Washington Firmeza 3rd (12:43:56).

For the women it was Nicole Van Gurp in 1st (14:03:56), Tanya Hall 2nd (13:13:01) and Simone Roberts 3rd (13:45:1r4).

Congratulations to all our AURA members who raced in the 100km event including Cassie Smith (12:36:44) and David Scroope (2:46:53).

In the midnight 50km women’s event, AURA member Kris Ryan from Pacific Pines, Qld took out 1st Female after completing the distance in 4:53:51 – Ryan’s name is definitely popping up more and more in our news reports as she takes long distance by storm! Congratulations for a well-deserved placing, which was also a 3rd Overall position.

Second place went to Steph Jansons (7:41:40) and there was no 3rd podium finish as total participation numbers for the midnight event was at 8.

In the men’s midnight 50km, Robert Chapman took 1st (4:45:22), Liam Badger (4:45:25) and David Maughan 3rd(5:08:34).

In the sunrise 50km men’s placings were John Price 1st (3:28:59), Peter Watters 2nd (3:33:40) and Zhixiang Li 3rd(3:59:32). For the women it was Jess Willis 1st (3:50:43), Kyoko Miura 2nd (3:56:57) and no placing for 3rd. There were 6 runners in total.

A special mention must go to AURA vice president Matthew Eckford who ran in the half marathon division with a year 8 student under his wing. Fourteen-year-old Mathis Marten from Samford Steiner School has been in training with Eckford since February, with our VP as his mentor for a school project titled How To Train For and Run a Half Marathon.

If you haven’t seen the post on our Facebook page yet, Eckford said he truly enjoyed the journey with Marten.

“Working around school, growing pains and injuries and various race cancellations due to COVID-19, we eventually got to race his first official half marathon at the AURA-listed River Run 100 on Sunday finishing 1:46:30,” he said.

Congratulations to both Eckford and Marten for their half marathon success at the River Run.

Western Coastal Running Festival, SA
The Western Coastal Running Festival was also held over the weekend on 11 October, with a total of 160 registered runners who all enjoyed great conditions along the coast at Semaphore, SA. The event catered to all runners and included a 5km, 10km, 15km, half marathon, 30km, marathon and a 60km.

With only 3 competitors in the 60km (2 men, 1 woman), AURA’s very own Darren Linney from Paradise, SA completed the distance in 4:49:52 and took 1st Male. Second Male went to Cristian Izzini (7:51:30) whilst 1st Female went to Sabrina Miklos (9:17:51).

Congratulations also to AURA member Chris Glacken from Port Adelaide, SA who raced in the marathon and finished in 5:44:30.

Coming Up – A Busy Weekend
Starting this weekend on 17 October is Big Dog’s Backyard International World Championships, hosted by AAA Racing and race director Alun Davies. With satellite groups around the world racing this Saturday and Sunday, a decent three-months has been utilised to make sure everything goes smoothly as preparations took place. Australians running the event as a collective at Oxley Creek Common in Rocklea, Qld will consist of:

• Kerrie Bremner from Nicholls, ACT (AURA)
• Suzanne Chatterton
• Ryan Crawford
• Susannah Harvey-Jamieson from Bowen Hills, Qld (AURA)
• Barry Loveday (AURA)
• Neil MacNeil
• Cam Munro
• Chris Murphy
• Jodie Oborne from Balmoral, Qld (AURA)
• John Pearson from Coolum Beach, Qld (AURA)
• Greg Ponych from Wishart, Qld (AURA)
• Kris Ryan from Pacific Pines, Qld (AURA)
• Guy Schweitzer
• Lisa Spink from Maroochydore, Qld (AURA)
• Dan Symonds from Taringa, Qld (AURA)
• Mark Taylor
• Mick Thwaites from Banyo, Qld (AURA)

Also this weekend starting on 17 October will be the Margaret River Ultra Marathon with a record 1300 participants. Runners will be challenged on an 80km point-to-point course offering trail running from Hamelin Bay to Wilyabrup on the Cape to Cape coastline in WA.

Victory Harbour in Waitpinga, SA will be run on 17 October as well. Known to be a challenging and technical course, participants will take trails through the Newland Head Recreation Park. A 60km option is offered for ultra runners.

Both the UTA and Ned Kelly Chase have been cancelled for the weekend of 24-25 October, however the first events on the November calendar include the Feral Pig Ultra from 7-8 November in Mundaring, WA and the Maritime Run on 14 November at Aldinga Beach, SA. 

Pictured: AURA Vice President Matthew Eckford with young runner Mathis Marten, grey shirt, at the weekend’s River Run 100 event upon completing their half marathon. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.