Showing posts with label Gloucester cheese race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gloucester cheese race. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Gloucester cheese chase was downhill all the way

They came, they ran and when it was all over, the biggest cheese chaser (say that fast a dozen times) was 19-year old, Christopher Anderson. He took first place - and a back brace for his efforts - in the annual Bank Holiday Cheese Rolling Contest at Cooper's Hill. One might ask the reason for people chasing after a circle of giant Gloucester. Go know but the prize being a big chunk of cheese certainly must be some inspiration.

The challenge was even greater given the weather conditions being less than satisfactory with a torrential rain pelting down. Approximately 3000 specatators cheered on the cheese chasers with contestants coming as far away as Australia, New Zealand and Japan attempting to climb Coopers Hill and then sliding down after their fromage.

Photos of the contestants in action here: http://www.cheese-rolling.co.uk/the_event.htm

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Sunday, May 25, 2008

Something definitely cheesy afoot

Cheese lovers rejoice! The annual Cheese Race to take place in Gloucestershire, will go on rain or no rain.

Well that's good news. I mean, nothing should stop people from taking a perfectly good and tasty chunk of Gloucestershire cheese and rolling it down a hill. Why? Go know! However, the event must have something going for it since it's more than 200 years old.

The event is more than a little cheesy if you ask me but here are the details so you can plan to attend.

Organisers of the annual cheese- rolling event in Gloucestershire have insisted that it will go ahead on Monday whatever the weather. In the event participants chase a 7lb Double Gloucester cheese in four races at Cooper's Hill, near Brockworth. BBC weatherman Ian Fergusson said: "The steep slope at Cooper's Hill, which is challenging even in good weather, will prove especially slippery and muddy."

In 2007, several people were injured during the event. Safety concerns led to it being called off in 2006 after rescue volunteers were unable to assist as they had been called to help with the aftermath of an earthquake. The race has been held at Cooper's Hill for the last 200 years and is believed to date back to Roman times. The winner of each race gets to keep the Double Gloucester.

Anyone can enter if one feels so inclined and according to the official site, the rules are simple:
"You do not need any type of application form to enterThere are no qualifications and no entry fee! All you have to do is arrive at the top of the hill, make the decision (possibly check that your 'Last will and testament ' is up-to-date!) make sure that you won't need that pair of jeans ever again and ......... GO!!!!"

That's good news - no fee, mind you who would pay to enter is another whole issue, here.

Rumor - and keep it mind it's strictly a rumor here - has it that some owners of local cafes have been seen under the cover of night, collecting the cheese remnants and using it for the next daily special being macaroni and cheese.

Here's the official site for the contest: http://www.cheese-rolling.co.uk/


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