Steepest Street in the World
Baldwin Street in a suburban part of New Zealand’s southern city of Dunedin, is considered the world’s steepest residential street.
The street is the venue for an annual event in Dunedin, the Baldwin Street Gutbuster. Every summer since 1988 (usually in February), this exercise in fitness and balance involves athletes running from the base of the street to the top and back down again. The event attracts several hundred competitors annually, and as of 2008 the record is 1:56, set in 1998.
Since 2002, a further charity event has been held annually in July, which involves the rolling of over 30,000 Jaffas (spherical confectionery-coated chocolate sweets). Each Jaffa is sponsored by one person, with prizes to the winner and funds raised going to charity.
This event follows a tradition started in 1998, when 2,000 tennis balls were released in a sponsored event raising money for Habitat for Humanity.
