‘I risked my life for this’: YouTuber wins cheese-rolling race two years in a row

The concept of a super spring financial institution vacation for many people comes to lazing round at house and rarely lifting a finger. For a make a choice selection of daredevils flocking to Gloucestershire, on the other hand, the day is spent chasing a wheel of cheese down a hill.

The annual custom, idea up to now again to 1826, sees competition dash, shuttle and tumble down Cooper’s Hill close to Brockworth to check out to win an 8lb wheel of double gloucester.

The cheese is given a head get started of a couple of seconds and is claimed to roll down the hill at about 70mph. The cheese is chased 200 yards (182 metres) down the 1:2 gradient hill. The first particular person to the ground wins the cheese.

Among this yr’s winners had been a YouTuber and college pupil elevating cash for refugees and homeless folks.

The fresh dry spell of climate made the racetrack more difficult, slower and extra unhealthy for the competition who had been cheered on via hundreds of supporters.

The German YouTuber Tom Kopke, 23, from Munich, was once the winner of the primary males’s downhill race, preserving the name he gained remaining yr.

“It was crazy. This year was different,” he stated. “Last year the hill was muddy and this year it was dry and dangerous and people got injured.

“I shut off my brain and went for it. All the people at the top said they were going to steal my title but this is mine. I worked for this. I risked my life for this. It’s my cheese. Back to back.”

Longtime cheese-maker Rod Smart, who has produced cheese for the chase for greater than 25 years, as soon as once more equipped the wheels for this yr’s match.

Four cheeses weighing about 3kg every and 3 smaller ones, weighing about 1.5kg, are used.

The ladies’s race was once gained via Ava Sender Logan, 20, who was once racing for the Refugee Community Kitchen, which helps displaced folks in northern France and homeless folks in London and Edinburgh.

“This is my first time,” the college pupil from London stated. “I thought it was such a tradition, and I will probably feel it tomorrow.

“I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it. It felt quite long coming down and then I hit my head. I’m down, that’s what matters. I’m fine.”

The 2d males’s race was once gained via Luke Preece, from Gloucester, who flew down the hill wearing a Superman gown. “I am absolutely buzzed, amazing … the adrenaline,” he stated afterwards. “My dad did it, I can’t believe it, it’s amazing.”

The ultimate males’s downhill race was once gained via Byron Smith, 33, from New Zealand, who needed to accept 2d position remaining yr. “It feels great, yeah,” he stated. “I did it last year and came second in my heat and I thought I could do it this year and I did.”

Since 2010, the development has been staged unofficially after well being and protection fears led to the reputable pageant to be cancelled when greater than 15,000 folks became as much as watch the 2009 pageant.

Since then, it’s been held with the police preserving a watchful eye.
Local roads were closed as much as two-and-a-half miles across the slope.

In 2013, the wheel of cheese was once changed with a light-weight foam model over protection fears however, the following yr, the actual deal returned for just right.

The foundation of the contest is unknown. Some imagine it got here from claiming grazing rights at the commonplace and land round Cooper’s Hill; others suppose it would were a fertility ritual.

The acclaim for the competition has boomed lately, with competition and TV crews travelling from all over the world. The BBC has even livestreamed the races, with the broadcaster infrequently having to apologise for the ripe language spluttered on the adrenaline-fuelled match.