Bernadette Benson

Who is Bernadette Benson?

Bernadette Benson is a Canadian born athlete specialising in ultra distance events.

She holds dual citizenship in Australia and has competed in numerous road, track, and trail events around the world. In April 2011 she broke a Canadian W40 100 km record while racing at the Coburg 24 hr track race in Victoria, Australia. In December 2010 she was first female in the 6 Inch Trail Marathon held in Western Australia and set a new course record. In November 2010 she won the Victorian 6 Hour & 50 km Track Championships outright with a distance of 70.406 km. At the Australian National Championship in Brisbane in June 2010 she was the first female outright winner of the event in 25 years. She broke the Canadian 24Hr W40 record with her distance of 200.886 km. In early 2010 she won the Bunbury 50 km Ultra road event in a time of 4hr 15min and returned in 2011 to win in a time of 3hr 57min. She participated in the 2010 Swiss Alpine 78 km race starting in Davos, Switzerland and she placed 6th in her class and 15th female overall.

In late 2012, Bernadette won the female division of the Coast to Kosci 240km race, considered by many as Australia's premier ultra. Her time was the fastest of any Australian woman in the history of the event. In May 2013, Bernadette competed at the 10th IAU World 24 Hour Championships, where she ran 216.343km, breaking five Australian and three Canadian records along the way, including the Canadian female open 24 hour record.