Every great story starts somewhere. George Knight’s began at Woy Woy Station, with a handwritten note and a quiet belief that he belonged on the GPT100 Miler start line.
When Colin Taylor from Single Track Events returned to his event van outside Woy Woy Station last year, he found a handwritten note wedged under the windscreen wiper. The note was creased and scrawled with the words of a runner that few in the trail community knew at the time.
George saw a chance and took it; a handwritten note asking for a spot in the GPT100 Miler, even without meeting the qualifying standards. His words were humble but determined, the kind that make you stop and think. After winning the Pilliga 50, he’d shown real promise and was clearly hungry to keep proving himself.
Colin read the note and decided to take a chance.
“He clearly represented all the ambition and class we expect of a 100-Miler,” Colin recalls. “You could tell straight away this guy had heart.”
It turned out to be one of the best race-entry decisions ever made. George joined the start line of the GPT100 Miler in 2024. Despite the 2024 race being cancelled, a new chapter in Australian under-23 trail running quietly began.
Subscribe now to read more about the George Knight story in our next issue #58.
Heart, Grit, and a Grin the Size of the Grampians
Originally from Umina Beach, George is now based in Tasmania, balancing university study with a race calendar that most professionals would envy.
This year alone, he’s racked up wins at the Jervis Bay 100 km, the Wonderland 50 km in the Grampians and Peaks & Trails in the Grampians.
But it’s not just his results that people talk about, it’s the way he goes about earning them. In the lead-up to this year’s GPT 100 Miler, George lived simply in the Grampians area and trained everyday. Between runs, he volunteered — helping mark the course, unloading trucks, moving gear, and welcoming visiting international elites. He shared insights with the same generosity that has quickly become his trademark.
For Colin Taylor, it’s a reminder of what makes the trail community special:
“He’s one of those rare people who just gives everything — to the race, to the volunteers, to everyone around him. The future’s very bright for George.”
Second Across the Line, First in the Next Generation
On race day, he pieced together something special. Running alongside international powerhouse Caleb Olson, George went stride-for-stride for more than 50 kilometres.
By the finish, he’d claimed second overall, first in the Australian Miler Championships, and moved to #1 in the world U23 Miler rankings.
Not bad for the guy who once had to ask for a spot.
But in true George spirit, when he crossed the line, there was no dramatic celebration, just that trademark grin, a hug and a few quiet words of thanks.
“He’s humble, strong, and always grounded,” says Colin. “He’s exactly what this sport is about.”
A Story Still Being Written
George doesn’t have social media. He doesn’t self-promote or create content. His story has travelled the old-fashioned way, by word of mouth, photos of that enormous grin, and a growing list of podium finishes.
Don’t miss our next issue, where Trail Run editor Kate Dzienis will dive deeper into George’s story.
Until then, the legend of the letter on the windscreen lives on, proof that sometimes all it takes is some courage, self-belief, a scrap of paper, and a lot of heart.
