WEEKLY NEWS REPORT 20-12-2021

6 INCH TRAIL MARATHON

The last AURA-listed event on the calendar, the 6 Inch Trail Marathon, was held yesterday in North Dandalup, WA offering a 47km distance as well as what is known as the 3 Inch half marathon. Every year, 6 Inch gets more popular as runners are tested along the trails of the state with some of WA’s best ultra runners taking on the course.

In the men’s division of the 47km, podium finishers included Thomas Bruins in 1st (3:13:15, a new CR for the men), Dale Zabiela in 2nd (3:16:18) and Joshua Chugg in 3rd (3:17:49) – a very tight race between the three.

AURA members took the top two spots on the women’s podium, with well-known ultra runners Jacqueline Kellerman from Burns Beach claiming 1st Female after a fast time of 4:01:43 and AURA 2020 Female Ultra Runner of the Year Margie Hadley from Henley Brook coming in right behind her with 4:02:58. It was an incredibly close call this year.

Third Female went to Lauren French in 4:13:00.

Congratulations to every single runner who took on 6 Inch this year in fantastic conditions – not too hot, and not rained out either. Well done to our AURA members, including AURA’s 2020 Male Ultra Runner of the Year Michael Hooker(3:39:30), Joshua Kuhn (3:41:56), Mitchell Crook (3:55:27), Jon Pendse (3:57:07), Nathan Fawkes (3:59:14), Christopher Allday (4:18:23), Kevin Matthews (4:18:50), Paul Hopwood (4:22:40), Giovanni De Vita (4:24:33), Sarah Ludowici (4:27:20), Sergio Gustinetti (4:28:19), Meghann Coffey (4:31:01), Alexis Oosterhoff (4:39:25), Shane Johnstone (4:40:32), Chetan Sadhana (4:47:55), Ian North (4:49:21), Adam Loughnan (4:50:36), Chris Kirkwood (4:53:40), John Herzfeld (5:20:47), Barbara Fieberg-McFarlane (5:24:52), Martyn Flahive (5:28:29), Andy Thompson (5:32:24), Geoff Quinton (5:44:56), Kerriann Bresser (5:49:28), Chris Murphy (5:49:54), Shaun Kaesler (5:55:09), Mark Caldwell (6:03:33), Bob Colligan (6:05:26), Wayne McMurtrie (6:19:20), Nicola Walters (6:20:54), Jimmy Brook(6:20:54), Amy Glen (6:24:37), Vincent Naylor (6:37:03), John Fisher (6:46:36), Pamela Williams (6:54:15), Georgia Snowball (6:55:28), Heath Watkins (6:55:29), Frank Chauveau (6:55:48), Collette Sims (7:36:44), Diane Breant(7:46:46), Kathryn Hookham (7:47:56), Charlotte Rumney (7:51:51) and Louise Wallace (7:51:52).

281 runners participated in this year’s 6 Inch.

In the 3 Inch event, podium spots went to Vlad Ixel in 1st Male (1:30:44), Mark Hunter in 2nd (1:35:58) and Jameson Hick in 3rd (1:41:58). For the women, it was Julie Gibson in 1st (1:55:47), Anna Gannett in 2nd (1:56:52) and Jess Reynolds in 3rd (2:01:55).

UPCOMING EVENTS

The first race on the AURA-calendar list of events will be the OMFG Running Festival in Swan View, WA on 8 January 2022 as well as the Sun Run in Drage Reserve, SA on 9 January. Following on from that, the January calendar continues with even more exciting events, including the Two Bays Trail Run in Dromana, Vic on 16 January (which also doubles up as the Australian Short Course Championships), the Australia Day Ultra on 22 January in Australind, WA and the Sandman 50 in Dunsborough, WA on 29 January.

MESSAGES

We love making mention of AURA members when they achieve incredible results at other races across the country and around the world, so if you or someone you know is an AURA member and they’ve had an amazing event that isn’t AURA-listed, email kate.dzienis@aura.asn.au and keep us in the loop!

We also want your race reports and story ideas for our monthly Ultramag digital magazine. Without your tips and leads, there wouldn’t be an Ultramag, so please consider contributing at least once in the new year where you get a chance to share your ultra running experiences with other members!

Wishing you all a very safe and merry Christmas as well as a prosperous, happy and healthy new year for 2022!

Pictured: 1st Female in the 2021 6 Inch Trail Ultra Jacqueline Kellerman with race director David Kennedy. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.