Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling 2009

What do you get if you cross Borat in a florescent mankini, a host of cape-wearing German superheros, a cow, a 1:1 gradient, and an 8lb Double Gloucester cheese?

The Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling:

One of Britains most bizarre & dangerous sporting challenges, which involves chasing a giant cheese down a steep slope.


The venue:

A 33m slope at Cooper's Hill near Brockworth, UK.

Which was the scene of much Bank Holiday mayhem this weekend just gone. As 5,000 or so of people risked life and limb in an attempt to catch a 8lb double gloucester cheese wheel, as it went rolling down the hill.


The Race:



At the top of the hill, competitors (any number from 2 to a maximum of about 20) sit in a line and wait.

The Master of Ceremonies (the guy in the white suit in the middle) escorts an invited guest to the start line and helps him / her to sit on the precipitous slope, holding a 7-8lb. 'Double Gloucester' cheese.

At the command (given by the M.C.) of ........

'ONE to be ready!'
'Two to be steady!'
'Three to prepare!' ..... ........

the guest 'roller' releases the cheese, which rolls down the hill at great speed,

The M.C. continues ......... 'and FOUR to be off!'

At this point the competitors hurl themselves down the slope after the cheese.



The first person to arrive at the foot of the hill wins the cheese.


The slope on Cooper’s Hill in Gloucester, is in fact so steep that none of the contenders managed to stay on their feet, instead they tumble head-over-heels down the hill in a desperate effort to catch the cheese (which travels at approximately 70 miles per hour.)

The Gloucestershire Rugby team, stand along the bottom of the hill and become the 'catchers' for the day.

(Basically they stand at the bottom of the hill and tackle the silly people that hurl themselves down the hill, so they don't run into the brick wall at the end of the hill ... though no one wanted to tackle the man in the mankini! hahaha)

There were lots of delays as the day went on, as many of the competitors/spectators had to be carted off the hill on stretchers.


But I have to say that the head-over-heels falls, slides, somersaults, and a fair few face-plants, gave us more than enough excitement to make up for the delays they caused.

Not to forget, the idiot that fell out of a tree, and the spectator that got knocked out by a wayward cheese!

All in all it was a hilarious day out, that won't be forgotten anytime soon!

If you don't believe me take a look at this video on youtube, of some of the action!

What's next you might ask???....

Bog snorkeling in Wales perhaps?