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The quiet suburban street of Baldwin Street, in New Zealand's southern city of Dunedin, is reputed to be the world's steepest street. It is located in the suburb of North East Valley, 3.5 kilometres northeast of Dunedin's city centre.
A short straight street of some 200 metres length, Baldwin Street runs east from the valley of the Lindsay Creek up the side of Signal Hill. Its lower reaches are of only moderate steepness, and the surface is tarmac, but the upper reaches of this cul-de-sac are far steeper, and surfaced in concrete, for the twin reasons of ease of maintenance and safety in Dunedin's frosty winters. At its maximum, the slope of Baldwin Street is approximately 1:2.86 - that is, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the altitude rises by 1 metre.
The street is the venue for an annual event in Dunedin, the "Baldwin Street Gutbuster". Every summer since the mid-1990s (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 up to 1000 competitors annually.
Since 2002, a further charity event has been held annually in July, which involves the rolling of over 10,000 Jaffas (spherical chocolates covered in a solid coating). Each jaffa is sponsored by one person, with prizes to the winner and funds raised going to charity.
External links
- "Gutbusting street" (http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/story-angles/adven_steepeststreet_storyangle.cfm)
- Jaffa Race 2004 (http://www.seenindunedin.co.nz/events/city/jaffa_race.html)
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