Hahah this is crazy! i had no idead that this existed

I can't believe this turned into a debate about UK vs America! Yes, participating in a competition like this probably isn't the smartest thing for one's health. Neither is American football. Or boxing. etc etc. This looks like a fun, ridiculous race. Hope the injured were okay and I wish we had something like this in the states. Was that one guy dressed up as Borat?

This is completely awesome! These pictures are great. Also, as an American, please forgive my fellow countrymen who posted idiotic comments. While I believe my country is a great nation, no one ever said we don't have our share of morons.

Makes me proud to be part BRITISH, A YANK, AND TO BOOT I'M PART IRISH...I would've FIT RIGHT IN ON THAT RACE .....Dang it - I'D FIGHT TO GET A SLICE OF THATCHEEZE BABY!!!!! NOW I KNOW WHY US AMERICAN'S ARE SO CRAZY/SILLY - THE CHEEZE DOESN'T FALL TOO FAR FROM THE HILL...I MEAN THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL TOO FAR FROM OUR ANCESTERS TREE!!!! PEACE TO EVERYONE - AND REMEMBER "HAVE FUN"!!!!! EVERYONE NEEDS A SLICE OF FUNTIME!!!!

BETCHA 'THE GREENBAYPACKERS FOOTBALL MILWAULKEE CHEEZEHEADS FANS CHEEZEHEADS WILL FINALLY GET OFF THEIR CHEEZE HEADS AND DO SOMETHING TO "SPICE UP THEIR CHEEZEY WAYS"!!!!

Men never cease to amaze me..........

You don't have to travel to England for this silliness, come up to Maine for the National Cheese Rolling Championship as part of the Maine Celtic Celebration in Belfast, Maine, Saturday, July 18th.

Join the mayhem and maybe take home a wheel of State of Maine cheese!

www.mainecelticcelebration.com

#39 - what a sad and lonely life you must lead if you have convinced yourself that this is photoshopped rather than thinking there are people who actually go outside into daylight to take part in a community event. Barking mad and lethal event, but a community event nevertheless......

I guess Holland is too flat to understand the fun of this
But we could try it too. We've got bigger cheeses and the dikes will be higher in a few years

have heard strange things, got a gallery tour right now -- i would like to take part in this madness

yOU ARE ALL CRAZY!! eSPECIALLY THE GUY AT THE 16TH PICTURE WEARING THE GREEN THING?? !!! HE IS CRAZY!!!

I enjoyed the video very much! In the blogs I sensed in many cases "Anti-American" sentiments. I would like to remind those that made that type of statement that we are proud, and yes, sometimes arrogant, but we have never enslaved a conquered country, nor kept it! We have, to the detriment of our own welfare, helped other nations in natures ills & continue to do so. I served 22 years, 1945-1966 in the Naval Air Arm of the USA & am very proud of that service and what we accomplished. During that period I also performed many voluntary duties on my own time, Local Fire Dept., Sheriffs Dept. etc.

This contest is made out of awesome.

#117 - Pictures 11 & 17 refer to the womens races...

héhé that's so stupid. I wanna do it :)
(actually i sometimes do it while descending the final part of our mountain, but there no lawn)

cara! que loko, peguem o queijo!!!!!
IAHiHAihIAhIHAhIAha

Stupid but funny! Hahahahahahahaha!

The UK is one of the most regulated contries in the world when it comes to health and safety on the job site. In the construction industry you would have to kit out a guy as a fullblown mountaineer just to crawl up or down a slope like this, and you probably still would break half a dozen rules and laws. Yet the same guys that would not hesitate to sue their company for a grazed knee at work do not mind potentially paralising themselves for a cheese that by the time they get it probably will give them a food poisoning as consolation prize.

Wow! I'm glad a woman won. Too bad you can't even see her face in the picture.

Love it! Hilarious contests are some of the most wonderful things ever. Think ostridge chariot races (chariot made of a 55-gal drum), bed races, build-a-bicycle races (the most wonderful was a round one with about 5-6 peddlers), build-a-boat and sail it around a lake without sinking, even sack races and three-legged races. Snowball and pillow fights are fun, too. The more imaginative the better! Isn't there a Wellie Toss in England, too? Some of you poeple need to lighten up. This sort of thing should bring us together in laughter; not set us apart.

I think this is great!!!

A note to Saxon, what are you speaking about? A whole cheese is STILL worth a month's wages in the Netherlands, LOL

I live about a mile from Cooper's Hill where this race is run so I can answer some of your questions...
They don't have to catch the cheese (that's impossible - it's going fast!). First across the finish is the winner and gets the cheese - which normally would cost about £30 I think.
There are a team of (large) catchers at the bottom to stop people going through the house at the bottom of the hill. That would really hurt.
Numbers have been restricted in recent years as it was just way too dangerous having 40 odd people going at the same time.
There is an uphill race for the less adventurous (and kids). No cheese is rolled up the hill funnily enough.
There is a separate women's race.
If anything the hill is steeper than it looks in the photos. It's about 1:1 (45 degrees) and very, very rough - lots of ruts and holes.

DUDE! THIS SPORT LOOKS AWESOME!

This looks like ridiculous fun.

To those popping a vein over its existence: why do you care so much? Oh no, there are people doing silly, stupid things for fun! Whatever shall we do?! Goodness; it doesn't have to be your thing, but why get so bent out of shape over the fact that others do it? They might hurt themselves, sure, but that's their business -- and they'll certainly have had a good time in the process. You miss out on a lot in life if you don't loosen up and strip off the bubble wrap every now and then.

running down a steep-ass hill risking life and limb for cheese and glory. i love it! would love to be part of this. thank god we humans can take a break from the humdrum and live a bit every now and then.

This is totally something I would want to participate in... Even though I'm accident prone... I could see myself running down the hill just because I can...

America should have something like this..

EXCELLENT.

(Am rather confused at the vitriolic comments. Didn't realize that something so innocent and fun could bring this out in people. The internet never ceases to amaze...)

I like cheese!
#107....meeow!!! ;)

@39

clearly not
and then you clearly dont know what a photoshopped picture looks like

i love it when i find pictures of myself on the web! i'm the dude in the orange shirt that looks like he's broken himself in picture number 12, and again in number 16! Was soooo close to a prize this year (its the 8th year i took part) came fourth 'apparently' i'm still searching the web for video evidence to prove or disprove that fact, cause i reckon i was third, lol! Such an amazing sport (if you can call it a sport) When i moved over from america i thought this was the stupidest thing i'd ever seen, now ten years later and 8 times down the hill, i can honestly say its one of teh most fun things i've ever done! they actaully do give a cash prize for second and third place, but the real prize is the ever elusive double gloucester cheese... one day it WILL be mine! haha

what else can I say?

Superb picture as always.. nice coverage

WELL DONE

Love it. I personally think this would make a great OLYMPIC event. Probably get more "tv play" time than any other sport! LOL

To "Bear" (comment #141): That high horse you're riding is a precarious one, to say the least! "We have never enslaved a conquered country, nor kept it"? Did you somehow forget the millions of native Americans that were wiped out over the course of a century or so after independence? The U.S. is a country that was fundamentally built on the murder of native peoples and the theft of their land. It's a huge stain on our national conscience. One that, unlike Australia, we've never had the courage to fully address.

All those yanks who are slagging this event off and trying to belittle the Brits are only doing so because they haven't got the bottle to have a go at something like this themselves; they're happy to make lots of noise and whoop and holler at each other but when it comes down to doing something as insane, they'd run a mile away in an instant, losing control of their bowels at the thought of the slightest bit of pain. Yellow bellies the lorra them.

Rule Brittania.

Thong dude must have awesome arse-rash.

And you wonder why England isn't a real world power any more...

Fantastico!!! Semplicemente fantastico!!!
Saluti dalla Svizzera!!!

Rule Britannia!

So #151, or anybody that has actually watched this, does the cheese ever stop rolling neatly on its edge towards the bottom? I would think it might flatten out and flop/skid off to the side, maybe not even make it all the way down..?
Btw, I love the whole idea of this, and the pics are great (except for injuries and thong guy)!

HAHAHA! These are hilarious! Go Borat in #16! LOLOLOL!! Great shots =)

The broken's bones fest :D

Já devem estar imitando esta bos** aqui no Brasil!!!

Os idiotas copiam e imitam tudo de ruim de outras culturas...

We did this in 2003, I came second.
2004 we ran the bulls in Pamplona.
2005 we did the Tewksbury raft race (the most dangerous event so far if you take into consideration the idiot locals with broken bottles)
2006 we did La Tomatina,
2007 we did World Big Snorkeling Championships.
2008 we did the World Mud Running Championships in Amsterdam.
And this year, we are doing the Glen Nevis River Race, climb to the top of Ben Nevis, with a lilo, jump in the river, first to bottom, over 40ft waterfalls, wins. SPECTRE FOREVER!!

This is one of the most wonderful things I've seen in a long time. Who wouldn't run after cheese! Even though I wouldn't chance a broken neck at 61 years old, I'm glad there are those who are willing to risk it all for a great tradition. This beats the running of the bulls (just crazy) and is right up there with the tomato fights they have in Spain (I think). Hell, in the States, we have cow flop tossing. Now that's just nasty.

That is amazing i love the guy in the borat costume. I would love to do this.

ThiS IS hilarious... ill do it ...with a helmet...but im so down to do it

This is great! I'm a little confused (grossed out) by the guy who thought it would be a good idea to do it in a thong... but to each his own, I guess!

One more thing...how did the comments, here, become a US v. UK pissing match? Get a life and stfu already, seriously!

inutile donc indispensable !!!!!!!

#80 - The US didn't "steal" "St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, etc.". Since the very foundation of the US is diversity, we openly celebrate ALL traditions and the history of other nations. We have never claimed them as ours - unless you consider OUR Independence Day (July 4th). How many other nations support their citizens celebrating that holiday as openly and widely? I'd guess very few, if any.

Awesome coverage!! The pictures are absolutely fantastic!!

And honestly, if you don't want others to refer to stereotypes that insult YOUR culture, don't use stereotypes to refer to other cultures.

A stereotype is used to put an individual in a box, which we should all realize is impossible.

Humanity will be humanity, and attempting to seperate us based on different cultures and geographic locations will only end in hurt.

When people put-down or politicize everything it often says more about them than it does the country of origin or of those participating. So the saying, "consider the source". I am far to old for such an event and it's really not "my thing", but three cheers to those who get involved in things for the pure please of the experience.

All you peeps who are blasting #39, you need to take a chill pill. It's a meme. Google the phrase "i can tell by the pixels and by having seen a few 'shops in my time."

It's called a joke.

Hah, what fun to watch this! I'm glad to see people having fun even if they're totally crazy. ;)

Now can we all hug and make up? I'm American and I'd be proud to be British just as I'm proud to be American. Heck, anyone who puts cheese on such a pedestal is ALL RIGHT! :)

the silliest thing I've seen! wonderful to see...

omg!! wow 0_o

to 177..ref,u.k.verses us of a ,you know what family,s are like,always pissing each outher off,and winding them up.[from an englishman.]

@179 Cool cool I just think that if my great great grandfather was American and had moved to, lets say, Australia in search of a new life I wouldn't still be celebrating Independence Day I would no doubt consider myself fully Australian, get where I'm coming from? And you don't celebrate ALL traditions and the history of other nations at least not on the same national scale. If half of Ireland moved to Boston tomorrow I'd understand the need for St. Patrick's day to be remembered but not 3rd or 4th generation Irish and the rest of America who are most likely 3rd or 4th generation elsewhere. To a real Irish man it seems a bit strange that's all!

hahaha, if only america was this cool :p
no offense, but anything to do with cheese is just dank in my book .

I would love to be in the cheese chase oneday, but i really do have bad luck and am super clumsy, id be rolling down that hill within two steps!!! LOL Can only people in gloucester enter or is it a free for alll!??? I love old traditions, need to find me a town/village where there are lots of little weird traditions like this, i love it!

omg! The cheese is TINY!!! All that for a tiny piece of cheese......it should be a HUGE block, that would spice it up a bit!!!

These pictures of this very strange event, totally caught my attention and I have to marvel at the sheer grit, tenacity, nerve, toughness, doggedness and a little nuttiness that is demonstrates another creative side to humanity.

Go New Zealand!

that was stupidity!!!

Way to go Brits! it's one of those silly traditions that brings color to a greyness of the ordinary life.
We, the Portuguese have our share of those aswell :) keep it up!

great photos btw.

It's easier to buy the cheese from a super market than to brake my neck, just to get it for free or to be in the papers.

"#80 - The US didn't "steal" "St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, etc.". Since the very foundation of the US is diversity, we openly celebrate ALL traditions and the history of other nations. " ----- We openly celebrate any opportunity to get drunk, must be the Irish in us...

Only the English!!!

@ comment: 104
If being pointless is the point then it's not pointless because it has a point.
So if it has a point it can't be pointless and since "being pointless" is the point, it can't have a point.
Well, the point of something just can't be "being pointless", I think that's the point of what I am trying to tell here.

I want a cheese rolling contest in the states.

Canada is having it's 2nd annual Cheese-Rolling contest - at Whistler, BC on August 15!!!

Thank you for posting these. Although I now live in the USA, I went to high school (Sir Thomas Richs) just a mile or so from Coopers Hill.

I'm happy this silly and little known tradition is gaining some international publicity. It warms the cockles of my heart ;-)

Están locos estos Britanicos! Obelix would say it in French...

I think this is a GREAT thing for people to do! Especially since it is a local event, outside criticism is NOT worth a hill of cheese.

this event is a remnant from bad medieval times, where the lords would let the peasants run down the hill, as they were slaves and not willing to free themselves. it was a benefit to all: the lords powered up their status as the peasants were so grateful for the present they were given, and the lords could get rid of the unbelievably disgusting cheese, which is the mad cow's topping on the disgusting english kitchen. the lords were good friends with the french, from where they had their food imported. watching their slaves break their neck while running down their hills, the taste of a ripe camembert must have been a sensational treat, framed dirt and blood. god bless the queen!
go

isso foi aqui em minas?

Hilarious :D

Is this the reason the cheese shop had no cheese?

The decadences of western societies can be viewed in their follies. The mores of our societies are funded by the sweat and blood of others less fortunate. Now there’s nothing wrong with a silly game here and there. But speaking generally, we are so oblivious to the human suffering of the world. So much so that, we become causes of it without even having a little voice in our head making us feel conscientious about our wrong doing. Think colonialism, Holocaust, poverty, rampant wars, crusades, etc.

This is not to say the decadent few of East are without blame. In fact, they are more so than the Western people since they live among the suffering and breathe it as they ride their BMV and Benz throw a crowd of beggars. Think the royalties of 3rd world countries.

Sad! Sad! Commentary on life.

Will it ever be possible that everyone has a decent home, decent clothes, two square meals a day, and the right to cheese rolling race?

"117. This must be a guy's thing again... I don't see any women participating... anyway it's just good fun.... :)) Posted by louise May 28, 09 07:03 AM"

Then who are those people in pictures 11 and 17? Geez, Louise.

@207 -

not as such ...

That better be some good cheese....

@117, louise

Do you even read the info under every picture or do you just whiz by them? The winner of the cheese run was a girl, i.e. pic # 17.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk6_2cqVnI4

The official video. Amazing

Every Countries has their own silly games, is fun to watch....., that what a color of lives, rather than distance spit ..( no offense ).

the 4 and the 12 are great!!!!

tht was right good lmao we wanna do tht we have got plenty ov hills like tht where we live most lads we saw was pretty cute really where gunna do it xx

Were there any 85 year olds in the downhill tumble? Why is it the fun things are limied to young folks? Old farts only think, not do.

Muito louco, é de uma idiotice tremenda mas, is Cool. serratalhada.lojapronta.net

it's crazy!...but i like it

ah yeaaaah!

so good haha

Ah, what we won't do for cheese

Preety damn fun i bet also i like chese XD

Check out the 2nd Annual Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival in Whistler BC, on August 15th, 2009.

Find out more and sign up: http://www.canadiancheeserolling.ca/
Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Canadian-Cheese-Rolling/21639183931?ref=ts
Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lLB5ZR9kTg

wtf man that looks hella fun

when be hungry the chese is important then the daimond

wtf

LMFAOOOOOOOOO IS THAT GUY IN PICTURE 13 NAKED??

OMG IM SOO PLAYING THIS GAME!! ROFLLLLLLL!!

the best is the man in the green thing.
We are his fans.
If someone knows his telephone number please tell us.
Thank you.

THE MAN WITHOUT CLOTHES RULES

THE F*CKING BOSS!