At noon in Great Britain (7am here) The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake was held at Cooper’s Hill, near Gloucester in England. In this extreme sport, participants race down the 200-yard long hill chasing a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. The event has a long tradition, held by the people of the local village of Brockworth, but now people from all over the world take part. There have been winners from all of the world, including Canada, Belgium, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
… From the top of the hill, a 7–9 pound round of Double Gloucester cheese is sent rolling down the hill. Competitors then start racing down the hill after the cheese. The first person over the finish line at the bottom of the hill wins the cheese. While competitors try to catch the cheese, it has around a one-second head start and can reach speeds up to 70 miles per hour. Multiple races are held during the day, with separate events for men and women.
… In the 2013 competition, a foam replica replaced the cheese for safety reasons. The winners were given prizes of actual cheese.
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