Daily Tribune
A competitor comes tumbling down the hill in pursuit of a round Double Gloucester cheese during the annual Cooper's Hill cheese rolling competition near the village of Brockworth, Gloucester, in western England, on 27 May 2024. The annual Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling involves competitors chasing an eight pound Double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill.
HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP
What do bruised bodies, a steep English hillside, and a three-kilogram wheel of Double Gloucester cheese have in common? In the village of Brockworth, Gloucestershire, they come together every May for what many might call the world’s most absurd and dangerous race.
The annual Cheese Rolling event, held on the last bank holiday of May, draws thrill-seekers from around the world who hurl themselves down the near-vertical Cooper’s Hill in pursuit of a runaway cheese. With a slope that reaches up to a 60-degree drop, even standing upright is a challenge. Racing down it? A guaranteed recipe for chaos.
There’s no official registration, no insurance, and absolutely no safety guarantees. Signs warn participants they race at their own risk. Organizers don’t even claim ownership of the event — it simply continues after being canceled in 2010, year after year, as a fiercely protected tradition.
The roots of the race stretch back to at least 1826, and may even be older, possibly linked to old pagan customs meant to bless the land. Today, it’s gone viral, attracting global competitors and thousands of spectators. The only thing more famous than the cheese is the carnage it leaves behind.
This year’s race saw German YouTuber Tom Kopke, 23, win the first men’s downhill event for the second time. Covered in scrapes, Kopke proudly declared, “I risked my life for this. It’s my cheese.”
Other colorful victories included Gloucester native Luke Briggs — dressed as Superman — who took the second men’s race, and New Zealander Byron, who won the final men’s round. American Ariel Dempsey clinched the uphill race and said she only joined because it was the fastest way back up the hill after forgetting her phone at the top.
The spectacle is nothing short of organized chaos. Most competitors can’t stay upright more than a few seconds. They tumble, slide, and cartwheel their way down, often leaving the hill bruised, limping, or dazed. Injuries are routine. Past races have seen twisted ankles, broken bones, and even unconscious winners — 2023 women’s champ Delaney Irving famously passed out just before the finish line and only discovered her victory while receiving medical attention.
