If Only I could beat a rolling wheel of cheese…

You can’t, according to physics and all things logical.  So, would you be shocked to learn there is an annual competition in Gloucestershire, England where fools, oops, I mean participants, chase a wheel of cheese down a steep hill?  Folks from around the world come to compete and/or watch the Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake. 

The origins of the competition are a bit mysterious but is thought to have started some 600 years ago by a local church to symbolize the rolling away of sins.  In modern times, folks compete against 7-9 pounds of double Gloucester cheese screaming down an extremely steep hill 200 yards long.  It is definitely not a fair fight as the world record for the fastest cheese descent of the hill is just under 14 seconds, reaching 70 mph.  Even if it was flat, Usain Bolt (the fastest sprinter in the world) would need at least 19 seconds. 

If the official race is canceled due to safety concerns, the fools, oops again, participants, still compete unofficially.   The prize for winning is the wheel of cheese you lost to, as that is pretty much a foregone conclusion. 

It’s worth noting a medical team comes prepared to help.  And thank goodness for that!  The participants often tumble, rumble and flip down the steep, uneven, concave hill.  The fools suffer scrapes,  bruises, broken bones, and even loss of consciousness.  In fact, the winner of the 2023 ladies’ race didn’t learn she had won until they revived her.

I know what is next – how can I see this??  Here are a couple of videos for you.  Enjoy!

First up is the race and interview with the 2023 unconscious victor. (please note she is hugging the prize)

And then a documentary-style video on the event, chock-full of interviews, history, cows, and a healthy dose of slo-mo.