2022 Australian Uphill Mountain Running Championships wrap up

Results and photos

Results: https://my.raceresult.com/205504/results

Course marking photos by John Harding:
10 June 2022 Mt Tennent course marking – hardingjohn (smugmug.com)

Starts and presentations by John Harding and course pics by Stuart Doyle:
11 June 2022 Australian Uphill Championships – hardingjohn (smugmug.com)

Summit photos by Scott Sheppeard, Director of Photography at Spartan Australia:
Australian Mountain Running Championships – Google Drive

2. Race report
At 1pm it was a nice sunny day but the temperature in the start area was 9 degrees with a wind chill temperature of 2 degrees (warmer up the mountain out of the wind). How good was it to see patches of snow up the mountain and stunning views of snow capped peaks from the summit!
Former world stair racing champion, also a former Australian mountain running champion, Mark Bourne of the ACT took out the 6.3 km Australian Uphill Mountain Running Championship with a 720m elevation gain, in 33.09, on a sunny day with patches of snow on the upper parts of the mountain. Another ACT runner Mike Carroll finished a surprise 2nd in 34.19 in his Championship debut, with defending Australian champion Ben Duffus of QLD 3rd in 34.39 but still not fully recovered from a bout of covid several weeks ago.
Defending Australian women’s champion Simone Brick of Victoria led from the start to post a fast 38.30, with Elena Stephenson of QLD runner up in 41.10, and former Australian mountain running rep Louise Sharp of the ACT 3rd in 41.47.

In the men’s Masters age groups, the age group champions were M40 Mike Carroll in 34.19, M45 Simon Froud in 42.52, M50 David Hosking in 43.27, M55 Steve Richardson in 46.18, M60 Simon Claringbold in 45.55 and M70 Trevor Jacobs in 56.12.
In the women’s Masters age groups, the age group champions were W45 Kate Seibold in 43.53, W50 Kym Kennedy in 48.19, W55 Barbara McKay in 1.10.31, W60 Pam Muston in 51.03 and W70 Caroline Campbell, aged 79 years, in 1.15.15.

3 Race help acknowledgment
Steve Angus, owner of the Ballineen property used for parking and registration, said that there have been hundreds of mm of rain in recent months. So there was great concern in the last week whether there would be enough parking and whether vehicles getting bogged might be a risk. As it turned out there was plenty of parking space in a paddock for 4WD and SUV vehicles but it was a tight squeeze for the 2WD and low ground clearance vehicles, and that will be the case again on Monday for the Up/Down Championships.
The course itself on the Mt Tennent fire trail was in great condition thanks to Namadgi National Park.
Online registration and website management was by Mick Corlis.
Athletics Australia provided overall placing medals and the Australian Mountain Running Association the age group medals.
Many thanks to the event helpers on the day: FlyerUltra Timing (Martin Fryer and Mick Corlis), John Harding, Steven Hanley, Shiree Yap, Allicia Heron, Scott McTaggart, Will McCarthy, Stephen Graham, Stuart Doyle, Scott Sheppeard and Sports Medicine Australia support by Paul Robey.

4 Gear left behind
The following gear was left behind and can be collected at Monday’s Up/Down Championship: grey backpack, grey bag, small La Sportiva jacket, white blue striped T shirt and 2009 World Masters Athletics Championships cloth bag, grey water bottle with black top. Please do not leave gear behind on Monday.
In addition 3 people had mishaps with dropping or leaving behind their mobile phones. Two of these were found but one is missing. Please take care if you have a phone to zip up your jacket pocket well so it does not drop out.

5 Update for Monday’s Up/Down Championships

Everyone needs to check in at registration at least 30 mins before their race start. Even if you checked in on Saturday for the Uphill Championships, you still need to check in again on Monday for the Up/Down Championships to confirm you are a starter and that your race bib matches the number on the timing database. You must wear the same race bib you had on Saturday. There will be a race briefing for each race 10 minutes before the start.

Weather forecast: a sunny morning with very light winds, 3 degrees at 9am. You may encounter fog and kangaroos on the drive to the event; drive carefully.

Monday 13 June: Australian Up/Down Championships: race day program & events contested

8am Entrance gate off Apollo Road opens. Do not arrive before then and do not park in front of the entrance gate.

8.30am Race check in and registration opens

9am Vehicle leaves to drive to the summit.

9.30am Australian Open and M40, M45, M50, M55, M60, M65 and M70+ Men’s 12.6 kms Up/Down Championship

9.40am Australian Open and W40, W45, W50, W55, W60, W65 and W70+ Women’s 12.6 kms Up/Down Championship

9.50am Australian Junior Up/Down 6 kms Championship

Courses:
12.6 kms: run uphill on the fire trail to the summit and return the same way.
6 kms: run uphill on the fire trail to the 3km point and return the same way. There will be a marshal at the turn.

The presentation of awards will take place in stages after people finish.

All competitors must check in and receive their race number at least 30 minutes before the start time for their races.
Link for results: https://my.raceresult.com/205171/results

6 World Mountain Running Championships, 3-6 November, 2022, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Website: Amazing Thailand WMTRC 2022 Chiang Mai – by Tri-League (Thailand) (wmtrc2021thailand.com)
Friday 4 November: 8.5 km uphill championship, 1014m elevation gain, for senior men and women
Sunday 6 November: 11.2 km up/down championships for senior men and women, 475m elevation gain. 6.4 km up/down championships for junior men and women, 224m elevation gain.

6 Facebook
Follow Australian Mountain Running. From the ACT: follow trail running Canberra
Website: Australian Mountain Running Association (mountainrunningaustralia.org)