{"id":1321,"date":"2025-05-23T15:08:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T14:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sidelinesmag.co.uk\/?p=1321"},"modified":"2025-05-30T16:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T15:34:14","slug":"cheese-rolling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/sidelines\/2025\/05\/23\/cheese-rolling\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheese rolling: meet the team behind world-famous Cooper’s Hill event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Each year, the world’s wildest community sport takes place on Cooper’s Hill: cheese rolling. Sidelines uncovers more.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The small village of Brockworth in Gloucester has come into the spotlight once again. Their annual cheese-rolling event involves participants chasing an 8-9 lbs roll of double Gloucester cheese down an almost vertical hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For something that attracts widespread attention from thousands of people all over the globe, its preparation is the hands of a small team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chris Anderson holding the double Gloucester cheese after one of his wins, photo courtesy of antiquesandteacups<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Chris Anderson, 23x winner and World Record holder in this crazy tradition, says, \u201cI go up with a team every year to prepare the hill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe go up the hill, clearing rocks, logs, rubbish and cutting the grass. There were about 20 of us who went up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day before the cheese roll, the team set up all the fencing ready for the crowd to be stood behind. The event attracts approximately four to five thousand people, creating an atmosphere Chris calls “absolutely electric.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite racing a total of 26 times, due to a hip injury, Chris will be swapping cheese rolling for spectating this year alongside the organising team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Master of Ceremonies Jem Wakeman is another key part of the team who make it all possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Approaching his tenth year in the role, Jem places himself at the top of the hill for each race, tasked with counting down for the people racing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell them the rules and then do the countdown. \u2018One to be ready, two to be steady, three for the cheese, and four!\u201d Jem says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe normally have a guest rolling the cheese. Last year, a family rolled the cheese for the dad who had died. We like to keep that side local.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of this tradition for the local village and community is undeniable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris says, \u201cIt’s huge for the village. It brings financial help to businesses and charities and we are so passionate about keeping the tradition running.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How cricket crafts coaches from the ground up<\/a><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.24.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/div>\n\n\n\n

At 190 metres long, with the first 25 being near vertical, the incline of Cooper\u2019s Hill is no joke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVideos just don\u2019t show how steep it really is. And without actually going and looking at it yourself, you won\u2019t understand,” Chris says. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to have the bottle to run as much as possible and it’s the case of trying to keep your balance, but sometimes, it is quicker to let yourself fall.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s safe to say he has chased cheese down a hill more times than an ordinary person, and it’s not without its hazards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his first win, the cheese-chasing-champ broke his ankle, but not in the way most would expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI broke it by celebrating at the bottom. I jumped up to celebrate and fell into a little hole so it put a bit of a damper on the win, but I was just buzzing to have won to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Chris Anderson (@cheesechaser_runs)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n