Nicole Paton - Bogong Brand Ambassador
Updated 01/08/2024
Nicole Paton is a competitive ultra runner from Melbourne specialising in the 60-100km distance on mountainous terrain. Growing up on a farm in North-East Victoria she had a very active and adventurous outdoor lifestyle as a child. Her parents enjoy travelling around Australia, camping and hiking so that was a large part of her outdoorsy upbringing.
Nicole began her running career as a child running school Track and Cross-Country events at state level. However, it wasn’t until 2015 that she really discovered her passion for mountain ultra running after meeting some inspiring mountain runners while trekking in Nepal. Shortly after that trip, she bought her very first pair of trail runners at Bogong Equipment back in 2015 and has purchased many more items since that time.
Nicole ran her first mountain race in early 2016 at the Razorback Run and since that time she has completed 15x 100km events and over 50 ultras.
She was teammates with fellow Bogong Sponsored Athlete Matt Crehan representing Australia at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2023 and they were the respective male and female winners of the 2024 Cradle Mountain Ultra Run.
Further to this, Nicole is an active member of the Victorian Ultra Runners trail running community that Bogong generously supports. She is also a run leader for Dandenong Trail Runners.
International Events
- Selected to represent Australia at the World Skyrunning Championships Skyultra 70km in Spain, September 2024
- 56th Female and 1st Australian female to finish the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, Innsbruck Stubai 2023, Long Course 87km. Highest placed Australian of either gender in the Long Course 87km.
- Solo female invited to represent Australia at the Taiwania Ultra Trail, Taiwan, 2023. An invitational event including high level athletes representing countries throughout Asia and Oceania.
- 2nd Female and 7th overall at the Taiwania Ultra Trail, Taiwan, 2023.
- Selected as an invitational elite competitor for the inaugural running of The Wild V5000 86km in New Zealand, 2023.
- 4th Female in The Wild V5000, New Zealand, 2023
Australian Events
- 5th Female at Ultra Trail Australia by UTMB, UTA100, 2024
- 1st Female and 1st Overall in Bogong 2 Hotham 64km, 2024
- 1st Female in Cradle Mountain Run 80km, 2024
- 1st Female, 2nd Overall and female course record in You Yangs 50km, 2024
- 1st Female, 1st Overall and female course record in Great North Walk 100km, 2023
- 1st Female and female course record in Portland 3 Bays Ultra 60km, 2023
- 1st Female and 1st Overall in Alpine Challenge 60km, 2023
- 1st Female in Oscars Hut 2 Hut 100km, 2023
- 1st Female in Wonderland 50km 2023, You Yangs 50km 2023, Maroondah Dam 50km 2023 and Wonderfalls 55km April 2023.
- 1st Female in GSER 50 mile, 2022
Upcoming Trail Running Goals for the next 6 months
- World Skyrunning Championships Skyultra 70km in Spain, September 2024
- Surf Coast Century 100km, September 2024
- Great Ocean Walk 100km, October 2024
- Multi-stage Manaslu Trail Race in Nepal, November 2024
- To complete my Level 1 Recreational Running Coach course through Athletics Australia
- To further my community involvement as a volunteer run leader and coach for Dandenongs Trail Runners and also as a participant or volunteer at many local grass roots running events
Long Term Goals
- CCC @ UTMB World Series 100km final 2025, which I gained entry to through my recent result in UTA100
- To again represent Australia at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2025
Snow Sports
Nicole loves to spend her time in the mountains and is a keen backcountry snowboarder and ski mountaineer. To pursue this passion, she spends as much time as possible at Mt Hotham during the winter season. She is the booking officer and marketing manager for Leeton Alpine Sports Club at Mount Hotham and is an active member of the Hotham community.
Nicole has been an enthusiastic volunteer for the Victorian Backcountry Festival since its creation in 2018. In 2023 she was the lead splitboard guide for the festival. She has also worked as an assistant guide with other local backcountry guiding companies.
Nicole has travelled extensively pursuing the sport of backcountry snowboarding including both guided and self-guided expeditions in Japan, Canada, Alaska, Colorado, New Zealand and Kashmir, India.
Social Media
See our range of trail running gear, or have a look at previous Bogong Blogs.
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