PYALONG has put itself on the international running map after its biggest ever King of the Hill event saw competitors push their physical and mental limits over a jaw-dropping 109 hours.
Starting at 11am on Saturday, October 31, the event continued until late Wednesday night, with runners completing a 4.2km loop featuring about 300 metres of elevation on a hill just outside Pyalong.
Competitors were required to start a new lap every hour, on the hour, with anyone missing the cut-off or choosing to stop being eliminated. With no predetermined finish line, the challenge kept going until only one runner remained.
With entries selling out nine months in advance. This year’s event attracted a record 200 athletes, up from 163 in last year and just 59 in its inaugural year in 2024.
Polish-born Tasmanian Piotr Babis was the last person standing, therefore the overall winner, completing the 109 laps for a total distance of 457.8km and 32,700 metres of elevation, which is more than three times the height of Mount Everest.
Finishing just one lap behind was second-place competitor Pyry Liukkonen, who completed 108 laps. Judith Arndt, ex-olympic cyclist was the last woman standing after completing 49 laps, covering 205.8km.
This year’s highlights include superpassing the previous course record of 90 hours while also breaking a world record for the most elevation gained in one week. While the running achievements gained international attention, it was the sense of community surrounding the event that left an equally lasting impression.
Runners travelled from around the world to take part with competitors ranging in age, all the way to 71-years-old. Hundreds of support crew members and spectators also visited the site throughout the event.
With every hour streamed live on YouTube, it allowed viewers to follow all the action. The event has recorded more than 25 million views across social media.
For Jack Rayner, who completed 19 laps, the growth of the event has been just as impressive as the achievements on the course. Having experienced the King of the Hill event from both sides as a local competitor and volunteer, Rayner said this year’s event had taken a significant step forward in size, production and atmosphere.
“It had just leveled up to the point where you felt like if you didn’t attend this event you were the one missing out and I think that’s what they were going for and they nailed it.”
One of the most memorable moments came during the early stages of the race, when spectators erupted into cheers as a runner sprinted towards the finish line to make the next hourly cut-off. Despite only a handful of athletes realistically being in contention to win, he said the support extended to every single competitor there.
“The cheers and the adulation was something that I’ve never witnessed before and as I went off on the second lap I thought to myself that’s what I want, I want everyone cheering for me when I’m giving my all,” Rayner said.
“You’d think with $25,000 on the line that [people] would not want to help [each] other, but it was the complete opposite; they wanted to go far together.
“That’s the beauty of this event.”
Kasey Georgelin, another local volunteer and competitor, completed 11 laps this year, an achievement that once seemed out of reach.
“This local event and the boys organising it have changed my life,” Georgelin said.
“This year completing 11 laps was something I didn’t see ever happening. [It’s a] good local event to test yourself physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Organiser Ethan Fleming said the event was built around pushing people beyond their comfort zones and discovering what they were capable of achieving. With the support of the Pyalong community and locals being central to the event’s growth.
“When we started this in 2024, the goal was to push people to do uncomfortable things,” he said.
“None of this happens without Pyalong. The landowners, the volunteers and everyone local who got behind it have made this hill what it is.”
With the event continuing to attract competitors and spectators, its growing profile could also bring significant opportunities to the wider community. The livestream captured the attention of viewers beyond the local area, with people following the race around the clock and even travelling to Pyalong in the middle of the night to see the action for themselves. For the region, it presents an opportunity to showcase its small towns, local businesses and scenery.
“Events like King of the Hill will drive people to come out here and they’ll want to see what the Mitchell Shire has to offer,” Rayner said.
“We have some of the greatest scenery, greatest people in this community, and everyone wants to help everybody.”
King of the Hill will return to Pyalong next year. Organisers have already planned to increase the prize pool for 2027, aiming to establish one of the highest prize purses in ultra-running, and continuing to bring together the community to celebrate the event.
Congratulations to everyone who competed and everyone involved.