AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS AWARDED TO CANBERRA MARATHON
Athletics Australia and the Australian Ultra Runners Association have awarded the inaugural Australian 50km Road Championships to the Canberra 50km Ultra Marathon, which is held each year in conjunction with the Canberra Marathon.
The Canberra Ultra was first held in 1993 and it was an immediate success, with local runners Trevor Jacobs and Carol Ey both breaking the Australian 50km records.
In the intervening years, the race has produced a plethora of outright and age group records, including a world W50 record in 1994 (Lavinia Petrie, VIC, 3.41.57) and a world M75 record in 1999 (Randall Hughes, VIC, 4.44.09).
Victorian Michael McIntyre set the current Australian record (2.54.57) when winning in Canberra in 2001 while the women’s Australian record is held by Sandra Timmer-Arends, also from Victoria, with a time of 3.23.22 in Canberra in 1999.
The 50km race is Canberra is an optional extra. All marathon runners have the option when they complete the standard 42.195km marathon to continue and complete the ultra marathon distance. The option was introduced to encourage Australia’s marathon runners to experience an ultra marathon and has been very successful with, so far, almost 500 runners completing the extra distance.
The 30th Canberra Marathon and Canberra 50km Ultra Marathon will be held on Sunday 9 April. Support events include the Asics Marathon Eve 5km and 10km Fun Runs and the Kids Marathon.
Postal entries for all events close on Friday 10 March. Full details are at www.canberramarathon.com.au.
The marathon is a member of AIMS (the Association of International Marathons), an Athletics Australia gold medal event, and supported by Asics and the Australian Capital Tourism Corporation.
Dave Cundy
RACE DIRECTOR
28 February 2006
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