The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is one of the most extraordinary sporting events in the world. Every Spring Bank Holiday Monday, competitors launch themselves down a 200-yard slope with a gradient approaching 50 per cent, chasing a 7 to 9-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. The cheese, which has a one-second head start, can reach 70 mph. No one catches it — the first person to reach the bottom wins. The event's origins are uncertain but are believed to be several hundred years old. Some historians link it to ancient pagan fertility rites — rolling objects down hills to symbolise the turning of the seasons. Others suggest it began as a way of maintaining grazing rights on the common land. Since 1988, the cheese has been supplied by Diana Smart and her son Rod from their farm in Churcham. Multiple races are held during the day, with separate events for men and women. Injuries are common and often spectacular — the local volunteer ambulance crew treats broken bones, dislocations, and concussions every year. In 2009, around 15,000 spectators turned up, three times the safe capacity, leading to the event being officially cancelled the following year. Locals ran it anyway. They have done so every year since. The most successful competitor in the event's history is Chris Anderson, who won 23 races over 15 years. In recent years, international competitors from Germany, Australia, Japan, and the United States have travelled to Gloucestershire specifically for this event.
“Since 1988, the cheese has been supplied by Diana Smart and her son Rod from their farm in Churcham.”
