Ultra Trail Australia
The Ultra-Trail World Tour is back to Ultra-Trail Australia!
Press Release / 15.05.2021
We are excited to go back on trails, and this time in Australia! 1,700 runners will take the starting line of the Ultra-Trail Australia™. Following the Tarawera Ultramarathon which took place in February in New Zealand, where local athlete Ruth Croft made trail-running history with her outstanding victory, it is now the turn of the scenic Blue Mountains in New South Wales to host the much-awaited return of the Ultra-Trail Australia™.
The UTA100, which will kick off early on Saturday 15th May from the town of Katoomba, this year welcomes local athletes from Australia and neighbouring New Zealand, and is set to challenge even the most seasoned elites with its 4,460 M+ of elevation gain. Runners will have the chance to run through lush bushland, beautiful escarpments, and epic ridgelines form just some of the natural beauty that the World Heritage site of the Blue Mountains National Park has to offer.
Favourites in the men’s race include Sydney-based trail runner Jono O’Loughlin, who has become a stalwart of the event every May for the past 13 years, and who is just one of four runners who has finished every UTA100 since the event began back in 2008. Following a best finish of second place in 2019, O’Loughlin is feeling ready and motivated to hit the start line once again in Katoomba on Saturday.
He will be joined by Newcastle-based runner Vlad Shatrov, who is looking to finish the full race after having to pull out of a previous edition due to an injured ankle.
In the women’s race, two of the top 10 female Australian athletes are set to take the starting line of this year’s UTA100, Amy Lamprecht and Lou Clifton. Amy took home first place in the race in 2019 and will be looking to achieve a similar performance this year round after a break last year, while Lou finished 3rd in 2017 and has not competed since.
"The last year has been tough for so many people and we’re thrilled that we’re in the position to be able to welcome runners back to the Blue Mountains this month for Ultra-Trail Australia. Bush fires, COVID-19 and more recently flooding has made for a tough 18 months for the Blue Mountains, with the influx of runners and their families and friends for Ultra-Trail Australia set to provide a much-needed boost for businesses throughout the region." Nick Christopher - Ultra-Trail Australia™ Race Director
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