Kiwi among winners of annual UK cheese rolling competition

Participants take part in the annual cheese rolling at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, Gloucestershire. Photo / Getty Images

A champion of the Gloucestershire cheese-rolling competition has admitted she does not “like cheese”.

Eva, a 20-year-old Londoner, won the first women’s race at the Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake in the village of Brockworth, Gloucestershire.

She told the BBC that she does not actually “like cheese” despite winning the 7lb Double Gloucester wheel in one of Britain’s most dangerous downhill races.

Another winner was Byron, a New Zealander, who does like cheese.

Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake is an annual event in which racers from far and wide gather at the top of Cooper’s Hill and chase a wheel of cheese. The race includes uphill and downhill races for adults and children.

Considered an extreme sport and one of the UK’s most difficult downhill races, spectators gather to cheer on the competitors who chase the cheese down the incredibly steep hill. The winner gets to keep the cheese.

“It’s such a cool tradition,” said Eva, who took home the Double Gloucester as a first-time racer down Cooper’s Hill.

While some competitors may opt to run, bounce, or slide down the slope, Eva used the unusual tactic of throwing herself down the hill while holding her head. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she said she did not remember much of her tumble downhill.

The competition is not for the faint of heart as trips and stumbles are common as the racers tear down the hill after the Double Gloucester, which can reach speeds of up to 112km/h.

A man sustained injuries at the event, and had to be airlifted to hospital. The second men’s race was delayed as the competitor had to be carried away from the hill on a stretcher.

Local police, ambulance, and fire services issued safety warnings before the competition, saying they could be overwhelmed in the event of a “mass casualty incident”.

Another victor of this year’s event was Ariel Dempsey, an American PhD candidate at Oxford University, who won the mixed uphill race, but only because she had left her phone at the top of the hill.

“I did the downhill race and left my phone up here with someone. I thought the uphill race would be the best way back up,” said Dempsey, who spontaneously decided to take part in the race on the morning of the event.

The annual cheese-rolling competition is thought to have started at least 600 years ago as a festival to mark the beginning of summer, with racers and spectators joining the festivities from increasingly further afield.

Seven racers ambled away with cheese wheels, including two locals.

Dressed as Superman, Gloucester resident Luke Briggs said he had been “waiting 30 years” to win at Cooper’s Hill, having come close to victory in previous years.

“My dad won it a few times, I came back for him.”

The second local victor was Alfie Townsend, who wore football boots which he said helped him keep his balance on the slope.

He said the event was “pretty important to him” as his mother also ran the races and he had won another event two years ago.

His mother, Carla, said: “I’m chuffed. I’ve still got his cheese from two years ago wrapped up in the fridge.”

The final cheese wheel of the day was taken home by Byron, who came all the way from New Zealand in what was the closest race of the day.

“I think maybe 15 years ago I saw someone do it and I wanted to follow his footsteps,” Byron said.

Unlike Eva, he also said that he loves cheese.