2013 Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake

MAY 28, 2013 |

Yesterday, on a farm near Gloucester, England, thousands gathered for the annual Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, continuing a tradition that dates back at least 200 years, despite recent warnings from police. In the event, groups of fearless racers risk life and limb chasing an 8 pound (3.5 kg) round of Double Gloucester Cheese down an extremely steep and uneven hill, with a 1:1 gradient in some sections. The last officially organized race was in 2009, since then, it has continued unofficially every year, despite the potential for serious injury. Earlier, local police warned cheese-maker Diana Smart, who has supplied cheese to the race for 25 years, that she may be construed as a race organizer, and therefore legally liable. The BBC reports that this year organizers replaced the cheese with a lightweight foam version, in order to make the race safer. The winner of the race takes home the cheese