LA SPORTIVA

MARK BOURNE

Location: Canberra, ACT Elevation: 577m Discipline: Mountain Runner

Mark is a renowned mountain runner and stair racer. As a young runner he always enjoyed hills and found them to be his strength in cross country races as a junior. It helped him stamp his mark with a win at the U20 Australian Cross Country Championships on a tough course at Nowra in 2002. So it was a natural transition into mountain running and then stair/tower running, which follows in the footsteps of some great runners from Canberra. The discipline of stair running is growing with more and more races, so the international calendar keeps Mark busy, but he really enjoy getting onto the trails wherever possible.

SAM BURRIDGE

Location: Canberra, ACT Elevation: 577m Discipline: Mountain Runner
Favourite Trails: Namagi National Park, Victoria Alps

While training for an Obstacle Course Race in 2012 Sam started to enjoy trail running more than OCR racing. He soon began competing in trail running races and preferred hilly courses which led him to pursue mountain running. He has continued to improve every year and his running career highlights now include winning the 2018 Ultra-Trail Australia 50k and representing Australia at the 2018 World Mountain Running Championships. Sam is also a husband, dad & Project Manager but always makes time to run & train on his local hills in Canberra or in the mountains.

BETH CARDELLI

Location: Sydney, NSW Elevation: 188m Discipline: Mountain Runner
Favourite Trails: Blue Mountains, Victoria Alps

Beth has always kept active while growing up, but it wasn’t until she was 27 that she gave trail running a go. It didn’t take long for her to discover the pleasures and rewards of trail running. For Beth trail running is an excuse to travel, a way to meet friends, a means of exploring new and exciting places. “Trail running started as a means of keeping fit. When I first started I thought 10km runs were exhausting. The more I ran, however, the more I found that I could push through the mental and physical barriers. I found something within that I didn’t know existed.”

MATT CREHAN

Location: Melbourne, Victoria Elevation: 31m Discipline: Mountain Runner
Favourite Trails: Victoria Alps

In 2015 swimming was daily exercise for Matt. However on a field trip to New Zealand for university, daily swims weren’t possible so he did some trail runs in New Zealand’s South Island. With a new-found love for running and his swimming background, Matt started to compete in Triathlons and completing a bunch of half Ironmans and one full Ironman. Matt soon realized he preferred to spend long days out on the trail rather than training on a road bike and his focus shifted from triathlons to trail running and then to ultra-trail running !

GILL FOWLER

Location: Sydney, NSW Elevation: 28m Discipline: Mountain Runner
Favourite Trails: Blue Mountains, Sydney’s Bush Trails, Victoria Alps.

Gill’s love the outdoors has transitioned from spending weekends climbing, canyoning, mountain biking and walking to a greater focus on Rogaining (the sport of long-distance cross-country navigation) and trail running – Ultras! Her strength is definitely endurance. Gill completed in her first 24 hour Rogaining event in 2006 and since then she has Rogained socially and competed in State, Australian and World Championships. In 2009 she started trail running regularly around the local Sydney bushland tracks with friends, and since 2010 has been entering trail races of increasing frequency and distance. She says, “the best thing about Rogaining and trail running is the new places I get to explore (and the people I get to meet). As there is always another mountain to climb with a spectacular view at the top!”

EWAN HORSBURGH

Location: Sydney, NSW Elevation: 169m Discipline: Mountain Runner
Favourite Trails: Mt Solitary, Sydney’s Bush Trails, Victoria Alps.

Ewan has been running ever since he was a kid, racing everything from track to cross country to fun runs. These days he focus more on ultra events like 24hr races and multi day events. A couple of highlights have been winning Coast to Kosciusko (A 240km race from Eden to Australia’s highest mountain) 3 years in a row, winning the inaugural Tahoe 200 (A single loop, single stage race around Lake Tahoe in California and Nevada) and representing Australia at the 24Hr World Championship. Ewan thinks one of the best things about the sport is the social side – training with friends, stories in the pub after races and plenty of coffees to keep the energy up.

ALICE McNAMARA

Location: Melbourne, Victoria Elevation: 5m Discipline: Mountain Runner
Favourite Trails: Grampians, Victoria Alps & Dolomites.

Alice was a member of the Australian National Rowing Team and won World Championship medals in lightweight rowing events between 2005-2015. Rowing took her around the world including to European lakes nestled between majestic peaks. Lago di Varese, Italia was a home away from home for many years. Alice found that power, strength endurance and a mindful rowing rhythm, translated well to vertical running, and Alice now travels around the world running up buildings & mountains. She is 7 x winner of the Eureka Tower Climb in Melbourne, and has also won the Empire State Building Run Up, Willis Tower in Chicago, KL Tower Malaysia, and Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Alice has recently finished on the podium in trail races like Bright 4 Peaks Alpine Climb and The Razorback Run. Doctor life keeps her busy and indoors, so the mountains and trails are the perfect release.

HAYLEY TEALE

Location: Brisbane, Qld Elevation: 48m Discipline: Mountain Runner
Favourite Trails: Victoria Alps, Blue Mountains.

Hayley has always had a love for the outdoors and getting out horse riding, hiking, cycling and trail running. After moving from England to Australia in 2009 Hayley has been exploring the fabulous trails that Australia has to offer. She has now run or raced in the Victorian Alps, Queensland Rainforests, Victorian Coastline, Flinders Ranges and Grampians. Hayley loves the mountains and likes to challenge herself in all sorts of events from mountain running to trail ultra races.