Highlights from the 2022 Cheese Rolling Championships
The famous cheese rolling race returned to Gloucestershire after a two-year hiatus
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling race was back in Gloucestershire, U.K. on Sunday morning. If you missed the highlights from the Super Bowl of downhill sprinting, we have you covered.
The event has been held on Cooper’s Hill since 1826. It involves competitors chasing a four-kilogram round of double Gloucester cheese down a 200m hill. The rolling cheese reaches speeds of 100 kilometres per hour. The first person to make it down the hill wins the huge piece of cheese.
Members of the local rugby team wait at the bottom as “catchers” to help slow people down. Emergency medical workers are nearby in case of serious injuries, which there are many.
This year, there were three races, a men’s race, a women’s race, and a safe children’s race, which is an uphill run. Wet weather made the conditions slippery underfoot as many tripped and tumbled downhill.
The women’s race
Mayhem in the ladies race #cheeserolling pic.twitter.com/aWCDIiDsQ1
— Ben Falconer (@benfalconer) June 5, 2022
The race was won by first-timer, Abby Lampey, who travelled to Gloucestershire from North Carolina to take part in the festivities. Lampey can be seen in the video above, throwing herself down the hill from the start.
The men’s race
Apparently the third mens race was a tie. Presumably the VAR tech is just out of shot #cheeserolling pic.twitter.com/AbhwfKt9w6
— Ben Falconer (@benfalconer) June 5, 2022
The renowned cheese chasing champion, Chris Anderson, 34, won his 23rd cheese race in 15 years in what he said was his final event since becoming a dad during the pandemic.
Anderson has suffered numerous injuries in the name of cheese domination over the years, including bruised kidneys, a concussion and a broken ankle. It was he who set the tone for the competition at his first race when he fell while running and found that purposeful falling was a more reliable way to win than running.
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