‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook to run full length of New Zealand

Published

3 months ago

February 4, 2025

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Russ Cook, the “Hardest Geezer” who ran the length of Africa, is set to start a new long-distance running challenge.

The fundraising runner, from Worthing, West Sussex, finished a 16,000km (9,941 miles) journey from the southernmost point of the continent – Cape Agulhas in South Africa – to Ras Angela, Tunisia in April last year.

Speaking to Kay Burley and Rob Harris on Sky News Breakfast, Cook said he will now run 3,000km (1,864 miles) and navigate mountainous terrain on the Te Araroa trail across New Zealand.

“We got about 30,000ft of elevation gain, [like] 60 back-to-back marathons,” he said. “I’m really excited to go out there and explore the country and get after it.”

The 27-year-old will kick off his latest challenge in March from Stirling Point in Bluff, located at the southern tip of the South Island.

With the finish line at Cape Reinga in Northland at the top of the North Island, Cook must navigate diverse terrain including mountains, native forests, cities and coastlines.

“It’s been a little while now since Africa, so the cogs are turning again and we’re back out there for another landmass,” he added.

“New Zealand, I couldn’t think of a better place to go… obviously, we banked up quite a lot of mileage in Africa, so the legs are well accustomed to that now.”

‘Thought I was going to die’

Cook also told Sky News about a moment during his Africa run when he was held hostage in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said he was “separated from my sports team and then ended up on the back of a motorbike for seven hours” while running through the country – one of 16 he crossed during the ultra-marathon.

“We got driven into this little village… I thought I was going to die, it’s actually quite dramatic. We made contact with my team, and they got a rescue mission together, took about two days.

“And then we squared some money and it was all alright in the end. Lucky one, it really changed the way I thought about a lot of things.”

‘Ten Mount Everests’

The runner – also known as Hardest Geezer – added “there’s a lot of things with this one that I’m not quite sure how it’s going to go” – pointing to the elevation he’ll be running in New Zealand.

“We’re looking at about 10 Mount Everests in 10 weeks of elevation gain,” Cook said. “So you’re just going to be scaling mountains. We’ve also got to go through rivers, forests, the trail – it is really diverse.”

This time, Cook and his team will stop along the way to talk with people, with the runner saying: “It was one of the things I really like in Africa, getting to dive into a lot of the culture and learn about a lot of different people in a lot of different places.

“So with New Zealand, we’re going to really make an effort, stop and do that a little bit more this time, and get to learn about the Maori people and the indigenous culture.”

Cook has partnered with 100% Pure New Zealand, a campaign by Tourism New Zealand promoting the country, for this long-distance run.

Along with his 3,000km run, he will also go bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge, skydiving above Abel Tasman National Park and swing across a canyon in Queenstown.

Rene de Monchy, chief executive at 100% Pure New Zealand, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Russ on his next incredible mission, and excited to help guide him through the wealth of landscapes, coasts, culture and cuisine the country has to offer all year round.

“Russ’s determination, sense of adventure and kindness towards others truly reflect the values of our nation.”

World

Israel to allow ‘basic quantity of food’ into Gaza to avoid ‘starvation crisis’

Published

3 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Israel to allow 'basic quantity of food' into Gaza to avoid 'starvation crisis'

Israel has said it will allow a “basic quantity of food” into the besieged enclave of Gaza to avoid a “starvation crisis” following a near three-month blockade.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the decision was “based on the operational need to enable the expansion of the military operation to defeat Hamas“.

Gaza, where local authorities say more than 53,000 people have died in Israel’s 19-month campaign, has been under a complete blockade on humanitarian aid since 2 March.

It comes as global food security experts warn of famine across the territory and after a UN-backed report from last Monday which warned one in five people in Gaza were facing starvation.

The statement from the prime minister’s office said it would “allow a basic quantity of food to be brought in for the population in order to make certain that no starvation crisis develops in the Gaza Strip”.

“Such a crisis would endanger the continuation of Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ to defeat Hamas,” it added.

“Israel will act to deny Hamas’s ability to take control of the distribution of humanitarian assistance in order to ensure that the assistance does not reach the Hamas terrorists.”

It comes after a British surgeon working in Gaza said in a video to Sky News the enclave is now “a slaughterhouse” amid Israeli bombardment.

Israel has just ramped up its offensive in Gaza – where it’s been conducting a military campaign in retaliation for 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October 2023 – with Palestinian health officials reporting at least 130 people were killed overnight into Sunday.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed troops had begun “extensive ground operations throughout the northern and southern Gaza Strip”.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 464 people had died in Israeli military strikes in the week to Sunday.

In a statement on Sunday, IDF said its air force struck “over 670 Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip to disrupt enemy preparations and support ground operations” over the past week.

Israel has launched an escalation to increase pressure on Hamas, seize territory, displace Palestinians to the south and take greater control over the distribution of aid.

World

Nicusor Dan beats hard-right favourite George Simion in surprise win in Romanian election

Published

15 hours ago

May 18, 2025

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Nicusor Dan beats hard-right favourite George Simion in surprise win in Romanian election

Pro-Western candidate Nicusor Dan has unexpectedly beaten hard-right populist George Simion in the Romanian presidential election.

Mr Simion, 38, and his rival – a centrist who’s mayor of Bucharest – faced off in the second round of the contest.

According to the official tally, Mr Dan was leading by nearly nine percentage points with more than 98% of the votes counted.

After exit polls suggested he wasn’t going to win, Trump-supporting Mr Simion rejected the result and said estimates put him 400,000 votes ahead.

Speaking after voting ended, Mr Simion said his election was “clear” as he posted on Facebook: “I won!!! I am the new President of Romania and I am giving back the power to the Romanians!”

Romania’s last election was annulled after its highest court ruled the leading candidate, nationalist Calin Georgescu, should be disqualified due to claims of electoral interference by Russia.

The result is surprising because in the first round, 38-year-old Mr Simion, founder of the right-wing Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), took 40.96% of the vote – almost 20 points ahead.

An opinion poll on Friday had it much closer, but still suggested the two men were virtually tied.

Mr Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician, is running as an independent and has pledged to clamp down on corruption.

He is also staunchly pro-EU and NATO, and has said Romania’s support for Ukraine is vital for its own security.

When voting closed at 9pm local time, 11.6 million people – about 64% of eligible voters – had cast ballots. About 1.64 million Romanians living abroad also took part.

The election is being closely watched across Europe amid a rise of support for President Donald Trump.

After polls closed, Mr Dan said “elections are not about politicians” but about communities and that in the latest vote “a community of Romanians has won, a community that wants a profound change in Romania”.

“When Romania goes through difficult times, let us remember the strength of this Romanian society,” he said.

“There is also a community that lost today’s elections. A community that is rightly outraged by the way politics has been conducted in Romania up to now.”

World

Israel to allow ‘basic quantity of food’ into Gaza to avoid ‘starvation crisis’

Published

15 hours ago

May 18, 2025

admin

Israel has said it will allow a “basic quantity of food” into the besieged enclave of Gaza to avoid a “starvation crisis” following a near three-month blockade.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the decision was “based on the operational need to enable the expansion of the military operation to defeat Hamas”.

Gaza, where local authorities say more than 53,000 people have died in Israel’s 19-month campaign, has been under a complete blockade on humanitarian aid since 2 March.

It comes as global food security experts warn of famine across the territory and after a UN-backed report issued last Monday which warned one in five people in Gaza were facing starvation.

“Such a crisis would endanger the continuation of Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ to defeat Hamas,” it added.

“Israel will act to deny Hamas’s ability to take control of the distribution of humanitarian assistance in order to ensure that the assistance does not reach the Hamas terrorists.”

It comes after a British surgeon working in Gaza said in a video to Sky News the enclave is now “a slaughterhouse” amid Israeli bombardment.

Israel has just ramped up its offensive in Gaza, with Palestinian health officials reporting at least 130 people were killed overnight into Sunday.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed troops had begun “extensive ground operations throughout the northern and southern Gaza Strip”.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 464 people had died in Israeli military strikes in the week to Sunday.

Israel has launched an escalation to increase pressure on Hamas, seize territory, displace Palestinians to the south and take greater control over the distribution of aid.

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