Laura Crowe & Mark Hanrahan in track races in New Zealand

Over the weekend, both Laura Crowe of An Riocht AC and Mark Hanrahan from Leevale AC were in action at the International Track Meet in Christchurch, New Zealand.

2014 International  Track Meeting - 22/02/2014  Rawhiti Domain & Christs College Upper Field         
Women 800 Metre Run                                                    
  1 Angela Smit               SR CANU                   2:07.52
  2 Laura Crowe                  Ireland                2:08.23
  3 Nikki Hamblin                Auckland               2:09.47
  4 Ariana Harper                Wellington             2:15.42
  5 Flora Brocherie           SR CANU                   2:16.64
  6 Pippa Trevella            19 CANU                   2:17.39

2014 International  Track Meeting - 22/02/2014  Rawhiti Domain & Christs College Upper Field         
Men 3000 Metre Run NZ Champs                                                 
  1 Ben St Lawrence              Australia              8:03.02
  2 Mark Hanrahan                Ireland                8:20.77
  3 Daniel Balchin            SR NBOL                   8:22.19
  4 Callan Moody              SR NBOL                   8:30.00
  5 Hamish Carson                Wellington             8:32.47
  6 Jonathan Jackson             Auckland               8:34.51
  7 Matt Harris                  Wellington             8:37.50
  8 Evan Cooper                  Wellington             8:38.22
  9 Rowan Hooper                 Wellington             8:43.83
 10 Craig Eustace             40 Christchurch Avon      8:49.72
 11 Stephen Lett                 Auckland               8:51.14
 12 Ben Musson                19 Papanui Toc H          8:52.71
 13 Tony Payne                   Auckland               8:54.88
 14 Cameron Avery             17 Christchurch Avon      9:07.91
 15 Dallas Wichman            SR Sumner                 9:13.37
 16 Alexander Gorrie          SR CANU                   9:16.39

Strangely enough, it seems as if all the races were held on a grass track. I presume the softer surface might make times a little bit slower??

The Baldwin Street Gutbuster...the steepest road race in the world?

The annual 'Baldwin Street Gutbuster' race went ahead on Sunday the 18th of Sept 2011 in Dunedin, New Zealand. What is unusual about this race is that it was run on what according to the Guinness Book of Records is the 'Steepest Residential Street in the World'.

The course is some 350 metres long with a climb of appox 70 metres resulting in a 19 degree or 35% slope. The race itself involves running 350 metres to the top and back down again. The current record which was set in 1994 is 1:56 and the winning 2011 time was 2:32.

Pictures from the BBC News website

To put that in comparison with some local hills, the famous (...or is that infamous?) Patricks Hill in Cork City has an ascent of approx 40 metres over a distance of 250 metres. There was a charity race up this hill back in 2010 on the same weekend as the Cork City Marathon. It also features regularly on various cycling events.

Another Cork beauty is Strawberry Hill just off Blarney Street. It has an ascent of approx 50 metres over a distance of 370 metres.

Nothing as bad as Baldwin Street though!

Are there any steeper roads in Cork / Ireland?