BY SIMON HARRIS I was lucky enough to visit the Pilliga Forest in north-west New South Wales recently, where a few of us were scouting the area to find trails for The Pilliga Ultra, an event to support The Wilderness Society’s campaign to protect the Pilliga Forest and its communities from damaging fossil fuel extraction. We had an absolute ball running over breathtaking rocky outcrops while taking in the stunning views and rare eucalypt woodlands. We found two beautiful routes,…
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Patagonia Run sets standards for a safe return to racing in Argentina
A huge weekend for Argentina’s trail running scene was lived in the stunning mountain village of San Martín de los Andes, in Argentina’s Northern Patagonia. Following guidelines and protocols from the local and national authorities, Patagonia Run was held with over 4,000 runners distributed in its six distances, from 10k to 100 miles. The second stop of the inaugural Spartan Trail World Championship was affected by the country’s safety restrictions not allowing international runners, but it was still a huge…
inov-8 unveils world-first running shoe
inov-8 has unveiled the world’s first-ever running shoes to utilise a Graphene-enhanced foam, bucking the carbon plate trend and doubling the industry standard for longevity. Collaborating with Graphene experts at The University of Manchester, the trailblazing brand has sped its way to landing the biggest sports footwear innovation of 2021. The Graphene-enhanced cushioned foam, called G-FLY™, features as part of inov-8’s revolutionary new trail shoe, the TRAILFLY™ ULTRA G 300 MAX, which is designed for ultramarathon and long-distance runners. Scientific…
Shoe Review: Hoka One One Mafate Speed 3
REVIEWER: TEGYN ANGEL I’ll be frank, I’ve never been a fan of maximalist shoes for trail running. I spent years being a Hoka Hater before I ever laced a pair up. With that said, I do try to keep a relatively open mind and avoid letting unwarranted bias colour my experience. It just took me a little while to realise I was being the sort of close-minded, self-important zealot I would otherwise write off. You see, I love mountain running and…
GEAR REVIEW: WHOOP HEART RATE MONITOR
REVIEWER: DR DAVID LIPMAN WHOOP, there it is … Nineties music references aside, the feeling I could not escape as WHOOP and its bands came across my social media timeline is a product of both their marketing and the world we live in. To elaborate on these two aspects and their intersection a little more; we have never been more advertised to in an overt manner but also in a less overt manner with influences, affiliates and sponsored athletes becoming…
takayna Trail to go ahead as Tasmanian forestry agency backs down
Photo: Kelly Slater A directions hearing concerning Bob Brown Foundation’s takayna Trail ultramarathon was held yesterday morning in Hobart’s Supreme court. “Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s (STT) told the court that Bob Brown Foundation does not need STT’s consent to run the takayna Trail and that a permit is not required. In other words, they cannot and will not prevent the event from proceeding,” Bob Brown Foundation’s CEO Steven Chaffer said. “Now that STT have confirmed that a permit is not required…
Tasmanian logging agency challenged on locking runners out of public land
Picture: Kelly Slater The Bob Brown Foundation has launched a Supreme Court action against Sustainable Timber Tasmania after they refused a permit for the annual takayna Trail ultramarathon, scheduled for 20 March 2021. The application to the Supreme court was filed on Friday, 19 February. A directions hearing will be heard in Hobart’s Supreme Court tomorrow (Thursday, 25 February) at 11.30 am for the judge to give directions to prepare the case for hearing. The takayna Trail, a highlight of…
Run to save Pilliga Forest
What if you could run to save a forest? Well, now you can! Join the “For Wild Places” crew and The Wilderness Society on 22 May for a new ultramarathon – the “Gasbag Ultra; a run to keep the Pilliga Wild”. With distances of 25km and 50km-plus, the event aims to raise awareness and funds to protect the beautiful Pilliga Forest, in north-west NSW, from coal seam gas mining. Half a million hectares of rare intact temperate eucalypt woodland are…
takayna ultra under threat
An iconic north-west Tasmanian tourism event is currently under threat due to refusal by the state forestry body, Sustainable Timbers Tasmania, to give permission to access public land. takayna Trail, a 51 km ultramarathon, is in its 3rd year. It is a major event for the north-west region, bringing runners from around the world to visit this incredibly beautiful place. But Sustainable Timbers Tasmania has refused access for the event to use public lands, which puts takayna Trail at risk…
Rotorua runner Michael Voss ready for new challenge at Tarawera Ultramarathon
Rotorua’s Michael Voss knows the trails surrounding his hometown well but is under no illusion that will make for an easy day out at this weekend’s Tarawera Ultramarathon. Voss, who took victory and a course record in the Tarawera 50km race in 2020, has stepped up to the 102km event this year and is looking forward to his first taste of the Ultra-Trail® World Tour. “I live just down the road from the forest so I’m pretty familiar with the…
