German YouTuber Tom Kopke has won the first men's downhill race at the iconic cheese-rolling contest on Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, for the third time in a row. The event was marked by challenging conditions, with heavy spring rain making the track softer, but also more dangerous for competitors.
A German YouTuber has been crowned champion of Gloucestershire 's iconic cheese-rolling contest for the third time in a row. The annual Spring Bank Holiday event, held on Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, sees daredevils hurl themselves 180 metres down the county's steepest hill while chasing an 8lb wheel of Double Gloucester cheese.
Guinness World Record holder Chris Anderson, 38, was coaxed out of his cheese-rolling retirement by recent double champion Tom Kopke, 24, who challenged him to a face off at this year's race. The competition in the first men's downhill race was tight until the very last minute when Mr Kopke overtook the seasoned vet just before the finish line - winning for the third year in a row.
This year's event was notable for its challenging conditions, with the heavy spring rain making the track softer but also more dangerous for competitors. Meanwhile, Alis Heugas from France won the women's race in a fluffy onesie, while Niels Wennemars from the Netherlands took second place in the men's race. The event also saw a number of minor injuries, with Mr Kopke appearing to have sustained some injuries to his hip during the chase.
Despite the risks, competitors have been drawn back to the event year after year, with rebel cheese rollers taking to the hill to stage their own unofficial competitions. The event's organisers have reported that 15,000 people turned up to watch the 2009 competition, which was cancelled due to health and safety concerns in 2010. Mr Kopke appeared to be gracious in defeat, embracing his rival Chris Anderson at the bottom of the hill after being declared the winner.
'I think I got a good recovery on the middle of the hill and then sprinted the rest,' said Mr Kopke in an interview. His advice to his competitors is that they should shut off their brains and 'go for it'. For Mr Anderson, it was a bittersweet victory, as he announced that he would be retiring from the competition after years of winning.
This year's win marked Mr Kopke's third year in a row as champion of the event, and he declared that this year's cheese will be the sweetest of all
Cheese Rolling Gloucestershire Cooper's Hill Tom Kopke Chris Anderson Guinness World Record Spring Bank Holiday Downhill Racing
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German YouTuber crowned champion of Gloucestershire's cheese-rolling contest for third time in a rowA German YouTuber has been crowned champion of Gloucestershire's iconic cheese-rolling contest for the third time in a row, beating the Guinness World Record holder in the first men's downhill race.
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