Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will host the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2027, with organisers promising a major boost for the sport and a showcase of Tasmania’s world-class trails.
The championships will be incorporated into the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR), bringing together five national championship disciplines – long course trail, short course trail, uphill, downhill and vertical running – in a single event for the first time.
Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) president John Claridge said the decision marked a significant milestone for the sport.
“It’s the first time that we've ever had an event like this," he said.
"Normally we have separated events across the country but now we've formalised it and brought it together as one event.”
Mr Claridge said only a handful of Australian events were capable of hosting all championship disciplines, and Kunanyi stood out during the selection process.
“Kunanyi Mountain Run's one of the premier run events in the country and the feedback we've had from all competitors for a long time has been nothing but great,” he said.
The championships will also serve as an important stepping stone for athletes targeting the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in South Africa.
“The terrain, the elevation gain and the distances are all encompassed here,” Mr Claridge said.
“The Kunanyi Mountain Run is probably one of the tougher events we have in the country. It is more like a European-style event, which is what most of the World Championship events are like.”
Pictured: (left to right) Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association President John Claridge, Tasmanian trail runner Jessica Collins and Kunanyi Mountain Run director Lincoln Quilliam.
KMR founder and director Lincoln Quilliam said organisers had been working with Athletics Australia and AUTRA for several years to secure the event.
“We're so honoured to be hosting the first ever combined Australian mountain and trail running champs at Kunanyi Mountain Run,” he said.
“We've got an epic mountain on the doorstep of the town. The town is well set up for tourism, so you can't beat it. It's just a perfect fit.”
The three-day festival attracted about 1300 runners in 2026, with numbers expected to grow significantly once the championships are added.
“We're expecting 1500 for 2027,” Mr Quilliam said.
“The champs will increase that again. We might get 1600-1700. Certainly all of the elite runners who are keen to represent Australia at the World Championships later in 2027 are expected to be here.”
The Kunanyi Mountain Run will host the 2027 Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships.
He said a new 84-kilometre course featuring 4,800 metres of elevation gain would be introduced as part of the expanded event.
Tasmanian trail runner Jessica Collins welcomed the announcement, describing KMR as one of Australia’s premier races.
“I think the Kunanyi Mountain Run is one of the best runs in Australia,” she said.
“We've just got a really good mix of really steep, really runnable, single trail and technical terrain. I think it's rare to find all of those aspects in one race in Australia.”
Ms Collins said bringing all national titles together would strengthen the sport and attract the country’s best runners.
“It's super, super exciting for the sport,” she said.
“Having all the national champs together at one really good event is a really good step forward for the sport.”
She said the challenging terrain would help athletes prepare for international competition.
“It's got that elevation gain, it's got that gnarly hard climbing that you'll see a lot in European races that you don't always see in Australian races,” she said.
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the championships would provide a major boost to the visitor economy.
“It's such an exciting announcement and a really great opportunity to put us on the trail running map internationally,” she said.
“Tourism is increasingly dependent on events ... and people travel for events, whether that's choirs coming to Festival of Voices or runners coming for the Kunanyi Mountain Run.”