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Who to look out for in the KMR Foothills

2026 Australian Athletics Mountain Running Championships

March 2026

By Brodie Nankervis

The 2026 Australian Athletics Mountain Running Championships are in Tasmania this weekend, when they’re incorporated into KMR’s Foothills events this weekend. Both the open and junior mountain running championships will be held on the foothills of Kunanyi.

The Open Championship will be contested over the new 14km version of the Foothills course. This course has it all, steep fire road uphills, twisting MTB tracks traversing both ups and downs and technical but flowing descents. It features the iconic Breakneck track climb, and a fun descent down Myrtle Gully.

Dave Bailey

In a busy trail running calendar, the championships has attracted an impressive list of athletes. In the men’s category, the champs is headlined by David Vernon, recent winner of a very competitive Tarawera 21km. David is new to the trails, but with a 31:51 10km PB and 1:10:43 half marathon PB he will be difficult to beat. Two local legends will be doing their best to do just that, David Bailey and Titch Hagger. Both Australian representatives at the 2024 World Skyrunning Championships, these guys know how to run fast on trails. David has won many a Kunanyi Trail Series race, as well as a multitude of trail races across Australia. He has even won the 9km version of the Foothills race in 2023 and 2025! Titch is also well known to the trails of Kunanyi, and will be going after the win on home soil. Other serious contenders for the championship include Hector Macgillivray, recently 6th at the very competitive Donna Double and 2nd at the 2025 Mt Buller Skyrun and Toby Lang, 2nd and 6th in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the 25km Mountain Run at KMR.

Jessie Speedy

In the women’s category, the headliner is New Zealand trail and mountain running sensation Jessie Speedy. Jessie had a very impressive 2025 season, coming 1st at both Tarawera 21km and UTA 22km, two of the premier trail running events in Oceania. She culminated her season at the World Trail and Mountain Running Championships. Jessie had an incredible run in the classic distance (the race that most resembles this course!), coming 28th in the world! The women’s field may be a little lighter on (but there’s also still time to get your entry in to chase that podium!) but Jessie won’t be unchallenged. She will be up against Jill Lyall, 8th and 7th in the 25km Mountain Run in 2024 and 2025 (both Salomon Golden Trail years with stacked fields!).

Elijah Gosby

The junior race will be held over the traditional 9km foothills course. Standout names include Elijah Gosby, up-and-coming legend out of the Blue Mountains who placed 1st at UTA 11km in 2025 and boasts a 8:46 3km PB! Elijah won’t have it easy, as he will be up against 2025 World Trail and Mountain Running Champs representative Robert Shannon and local young gun Ollie Hardie, who demonstrated his developing talent with 7th place in the Foothills 9km last year.

Whatever the results, the 2026 Australian Mountain Running Champs look to be a great race, so get down and cheer on the runners if you are in Hobart! If you want to jump in and have a crack, entries are open all the way up until Saturday 28th March @ 3.00pm AEDT!

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