Cheese rolling mayhem comes to Gloucestershire – but winner hates cheese 

It’s that bizarre time of year, when daredevil challengers take part in the famous Cooper's Hill cheese rolling competition.

Champion chaser Chris Anderson won the competition again, securing an incredible 17th race win, after leaving his rivals for dust.

 cheese rolling at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth
Winner: Chris Anderson Credit: Joe Giddens/PA

The 28-year-old soldier may love competing in the unusual race but admits he absolutely hates cheese. He dedicated his win in memory of a friend who recently passed away.

“It's brilliant, I'm really happy. My friend Izzy John sadly passed away recently so this is for him and his family. He won it multiple times,” he said.

 cheese rolling at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth
A cheese has been chased down the 200 yard hill, annually, since the early 1800s Credit: Joe Giddens/PA

“Cheese rolling is really important to Brockworth. It got cancelled in 2009 and the organisers this year have done a brilliant job and I'm really happy to win it for the community.”

Explaining his winning technique, Mr Anderson said: “I try and get the same sort of line and try and do the same sort and thing and win.”

 cheese rolling at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth
Competitors take part in the annual unofficial cheese rolling at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, Gloucestershire Credit: Joe Giddens/PA

History of the cheese race

The cheese competition is held annually on the spring bank holiday near the Gloucestershire village of Brockworth.

It involves racers chasing an 8lb piece of Double Gloucester 200 yards down a steep hill at high speed, with the first person to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill winning the cheese.

Health and safety

The competition was cancelled in 2009 over health and safety fears after more than 15,000 people turned up, although rebel cheese rollers decided to hold the event anyway.

After a year's hiatus - when police warned against the use of a real cheese - the imitation lightweight foam cheese was binned in favour of the genuine article.

Warning signs were put up near the route warning spectators and competitors they were attending entirely at their own risk.

The winners

American Kenny Rackers, who won the event in 2013, explained: “I came over especially for this and I did what I had to do to win.

“It feels great, I trained a long time for this and got hurt on the hill practising. I came three days early and I took a bad spill but I came to win and that's what I did.

“I came 3,000 or 4,000 miles just for this race. I put it on my bucket list and today it was to win and that's what I did.”

Another winner Josh Shepherd said: “My tactic was to stay on my feet and go as fast as I can and roll with the flow. I don't know what I'm going to do with the cheese. I don't really like cheese unless it's melted, cheese on toast maybe.”

 

License this content