FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JOHNSTON AND HARRIS CROWNED NATIONAL MARATHON CHAMPIONS AT STROMLO
CANBERRA, ACT — Sunday, 27 September 2026 — Local hero Brendan Johnston and international contender Holly Harris have claimed elite victory at UC Stromlo Forest Park today, battling through a high-caliber field to secure the coveted Green and Gold jerseys at the 2026 AusCycling MTB Marathon National Championships, hosted alongside Rocky Trail Entertainment’s 17th Shimano 100 Marathon.
A total of 320 athletes took to the start line under crisp Canberra skies. Following a warm practice day on Saturday, Sunday morning brought a chilly start before turning into ideal, cool conditions once racing was underway. While 94 competitors tackled the 1-lap (30km) and 2-lap (60km) Shimano 100 classifications, 226 endurance racers launched into the National Title races across a demanding 90km, 3-lap course.
Elite Men: Johnston Rules the Capital
Canberra’s own Brendan Johnston wasted no time making his intentions clear, laying down a furious pace right out of the gate. Returning from international campaigns in the US—including standout performances in the Life Time Grand Prix and the Sea Otter Classic—Johnston’s sharp form and deep familiar knowledge of Stromlo paid dividends.
By the end of Lap 1, Johnston had built a commanding 1:43 cushion over the chasing pair of Brent Rees and defending champion James Kelly. Johnston maintained his chokehold on the lead over the remaining two laps to cross the line in 3:32:18, securing valuable UCI points alongside his seventh National Championship title. Rees took the silver medal (+4:02), edging out Kelly who completed the national podium in third (+4:12).
Elite Men’s Podium:
- Brendan Johnston (Canberra, ACT) — 3:32:18 (L1: 1:07:21 | L2: 1:12:23 | L3: 1:12:34)
- Brent Rees (Toowoomba, QLD) — 3:36:20 (L1: 1:09:14 | L2: 1:12:37 | L3: 1:14:29)
- James Kelly (Armidale, VIC) — 3:36:30 (L1: 1:09:15 | L2: 1:12:37 | L3: 1:14:38)
Elite Women: Harris Controls Heavyweight Clash
The Elite Women’s title race developed into a thrilling, tactical battle on Stromlo’s technical singletrack. Holly Harris (Armidale, NSW) stamped her authority on the race early, setting a blistering opening lap of 1:22:46.
Despite intense pressure from high-performance road and off-road engine Ella Bloor and marathon specialist Katriina Dower, Harris held her nerve across all three laps to seal the National Championship victory in 4:21:42. Bloor crossed for silver just 1:24 behind Harris, while Dower rounded out the podium a further 38 seconds back in third.
Elite Women’s Podium:
- Holly Harris (Armidale, NSW) — 4:21:42 (L1: 1:22:46 | L2: 1:28:30 | L3: 1:30:26)
- Ella Bloor (Christmas Hills, VIC) — 4:23:06 (L1: 1:23:05 | L2: 1:29:07 | L3: 1:30:54)
- Katriina Dower (Albert Park, VIC) — 4:23:44 (L1: 1:23:43 | L2: 1:28:57 | L3: 1:31:04)
Rising Stars Dominate Under 23 and Junior Titles
The next generation of Australian mountain biking put on an incredible display, showing serious depth across the junior categories. Anthony Graham took out the Under 23 Men’s national jersey in 3:54:40, while Elle de Nooyer commanded the Under 23 Women’s title with a stellar 4:31:23 victory.
In the Junior U19 divisions, Oscar Menzies laid down a blazing 3:55:02 performance to claim the U19 Men’s crown, while Alana Fletcher powered through two laps to secure the U19 Women’s National Title in 3:01:24.
The U17 categories delivered massive local highlights and standout lap times. Canberra’s own Michael Straffon—fresh off his 2025 Shimano 100 Miler win—used his home trail knowledge to secure the U17 Men’s title in 2:32:38 across two laps. In the U17 Women’s race, rising star Sylvia Dagg took the national jersey in 2:55:59; her electric opening lap of 1:24:24 turned heads right across the venue, trailing Elite Women’s winner Holly Harris by just 1 minute and 42 seconds!
A Celebration of Australian Endurance Cycling
With Rocky Trail’s DJ Nigel dropping the beats at the start-finish hub and spectators lining Stromlo’s iconic singletracks, the 17th Shimano 100 and National Championships proved once again why Rocky Trail’s mix of high-stakes racing and grassroots energy is unmatched.
Full category results, lap time breakdowns, and media galleries can be found at the Rocky Trail Entertainment website.
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