The Science of Sport

June really is the month for sport in Cork - with the Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon next Monday 7th, the Ocean to City race on the 12^th and Bike week from the 13-20^th. CIT Cork Institute of Technology’s Blackrock Castle Observatory today rowed in by announcing a sports science theme for this month’s Cork Science Cafe.

 

At the next Cork Science Café on Friday June 4^th at 6.15pm, Peter Maher, Olympic marathon athlete and physical therapist (specialising in sports injuries) will open a discussion on gait analysis and race readiness. Outlining ‘force plate gait analysis’, the technology he uses in his own practice, Peter will draw from over 10 years experience in treating both high profile and weekend warrior athletes. As he is also running in the Cork City Marathon on Monday 7^th, no doubt Peter will have valuable tips to pass on from his own experience. 

Commenting on the link, Gina Johnson, Event Organiser for the Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon said “You’d be tempted to think that ‘science people’ and ‘sports people’ are a world apart, but they’re not. Quite a few of the elite athletes here in Cork work in technology. The programme for this month’s First Friday at the Castle will surely appeal to families in town for the big race."

 

Other events on the June 4^th First Fridays at the Castle, BCO’s monthly open night include:

6-8pm - Staying Fit at Zero:

Half-hour family friendly workshops exploring exercises astronauts use in space to keep their muscles in top condition. Also… BasketBot: Students from St Francis’ College, Rochestown, demonstrate the basketball-playing robot they built and programmed to win the 2010 CEIA Lego Robot Competition for schools.

7-8pm - Project Zero Gravity :

This short film produced by Agtel for the European Space Agency, (ESA) explores the physiological effects of weightlessness and includes footage from the International Space Station.

8:00pm - Sensor Research for Sports, Fitness & Health:

Mark Gaffney has worked on wearable sensors for Tennis for the Clarity research group & Tennis Ireland . Mark will outline his own work and how this fits in with Clarity’s sports research taking place at Tyndall, UCD & DCU.

 

Plus…The award-winning interactive astronomy exhibit ‘Cosmos at the Castle’ is open until 9.00pm*

- All events are FREE -

Cork Science Café is an informal gathering inviting YOU to explore some of the latest ideas in science & technology and their impact on our culture. Meetings take place monthly in the relaxed surrounds of the Castle Bar and Trattoria at Blackrock Castle Observatory’s First Fridays at the Castle, in association with UCC, Tyndall National Institute, CIT, the Cork Electronics Industry Association and Cork City Learning Forum. Check www.bco.ie for information on topics to come, or email info@bco.ie to suggest one