Team Australia Bound for 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships
Published Tue 02 May 2023
33 of the nation’s most dogged distance runners have been selected to represent Australia at the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships to be held in Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria from 6-10 June 2023.
Held just seven months after the postponed 2021 instalment in Chiang Mai, Thailand the ensemble features nine returning athletes and a number of new faces set to attack the spread of 10 races on offer on Austria’s toughest terrain.
Selected in conjunction with the Australian Ultra Runners Association (AURA) and the Australian arm of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), the Australian team will compete over distances ranging from the 7km Uphill Mountain race to the 86km Long Trail Race in the world’s most diverse distance running championships.
Providing national team representative opportunity for the mountain and trail running communities and an opportunity for emerging talent to gain exposure to international competition, the squad is spearheaded by 2022 leaders Elena Stephenson and rising junior Zack Newsham, who both finished in 29th place of their respective events.
Taking on the 86km course with over 5,500m of elevation gain, experienced campaigner Lucy Bartholomew is prepared to be tested both physically and mentally in an event that she estimates will take 10-11 hours.
“For sure, I’m a little bit crazy just like everyone else! It’s just the appeal of a World Championships bringing together the best athletes in the world, and to see where you stack up. This race is a new race in Austria which is a cool place to go and send it in the mountains,” Bartholomew said.
“It’s no small feat to head over to Austria and to give the race the respect it deserves, it requires a fair bit of time on either side. It’s such a cool thing to travel across the world and represent Australia, and to call it my job – pinch me.”
Gaining insights into the course from international friends, Bartholomew is expecting to “learn how to use poles and get used to walking” in her bid to outlast the world’s best trail runners, with her preparation including a 100km event this weekend.
“I’m just going to go for a walk in the woods, eat some food and call it a good day of training. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast,” Bartholomew said.
“My goal in Austria is to give it my best, send it, and see what happens. Probably blow up and then come back from the dead, that’s the cool thing about ultra running – it’s not over until it’s over. I just want to stay relentlessly present and positive and see what happens.”
The 33-strong team features athletes from a range of backgrounds including track and road runners, along with the purest of endurance athletes in the country – all poised to represent Australia at the pinnacle event of mountain and trail running.
The World Mountain Running Championships previously witnessed Olympians Ryan Gregson, Ellie Pashley, Charlie Hunter and Ben Buckingham make their Australian debuts, demonstrating the capacity of the event to serve as both a competitive opportunity and introduction to running on the international stage.
The 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships will be held in in Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria from 6-10 June 2023, with the full team list available below and more information HERE.
Uphill Mountain Open Men (7km):
Jeremy Hunt (QLD, self-coached)
Nathan Pearce (VIC, self-coached)
Alastair George (NSW, Brodie Nankervis)
Classic Mountain Open Men (13km):
Jeremy Hunt (QLD, self-coached)
Ewan Shingler (NSW, Paula Shingler)
Nathan Pearce (VIC, self-coached)
Leo Peterson (NSW, Robin Whiteley)
Classic Mountain Junior Men (7km):
Zack Newsham (QLD, John Purcell)
Lawson Duff (VIC, Peter Schuwalow)
Short Trail Race Open Men (45km):
Vladislav Ixel (WA, Matthew Ramsden)
Matthew Crehan (VIC, David Byrne)
Fraser Darcy (SA, self-coached)
David Longo (ACT, self-coached)
Long Trail Open Men (86km):
Andrew Gaskell (TAS, self-coached)
Nigel Hill (VIC, Kevin Mannix)
Bastien Missud (NSW, Gary Howard)
Thomas Dade (VIC, self-coached)
Majell Backhausen (VIC, Robbie Britton)
Uphill Mountain Open Women (7km):
Jessica Ronan (ACT, John Winsbury)
Elena Stephenson (QLD, Stephen Manning)
Lara Hamilton (NSW, Gary Howard)
Emma O’Sullivan (NSW, Geoff Stalker)
Classic Mountain Open Women (13km):
Jessica Ronan (ACT, John Winsbury)
Elena Stephenson (QLD, Stephen Manning)
Lara Hamilton (NSW, Gary Howard)
Classic Mountain Junior Women (6km):
Selwyn Russell (QLD, Brian Chapman)
Short Trail Race Open Women (45km):
Patricia McKibbin (ACT, Andy Dubois)
Jessica Jason (NSW, Tim Crosbie)
Jasmine Sargent (NSW, Gary Howard)
Kellie Angel (VIC, self-coached)
Danielle Van Der Heul (SA, Daniel Farrugia)
Madison Reynolds (NSW, Ben St Lawrence)
Long Trail Race Open Women (86km):
Sarah Ludowici (WA, David Kennedy)
Anna McKenna (NSW, Gary Howard)
Lucinda Bartholomew (VIC, self-coached)
Claire O’Brien-Smith (WA, Corrie Johnstone)
Hayley Teale (QLD, self-coached)
Nicole Paton (VIC, self-coached)
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 2/5/2022
