World’s Most Dangerous Race

At first glance, it sounds like a joke. A group of people sprinting down a nearly vertical hill, chasing a wheel of cheese. But the Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Race, held annually in Brockworth, England, is no laughing matter, especially not for the competitors leaving the hill with broken bones, concussions, or worse.

In fact, many call it the world’s most dangerous race, a title earned not just from its absurd premise but from the sheer carnage left in its wake.

A Mad Dash Down a Mountain

The rules are simple, a 9-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down a 200-yard hill, and the first person to reach the bottom wins it. But Cooper’s Hill isn’t just any hill, it’s more of a grassy cliff, with an initial drop of 60 degrees and an average gradient of 45.

To win, runners must throw themselves downhill, often at breakneck speed, literally.

You’ve just got to have a disregard for your own safety,

a quote from Chris Anderson, a local legend who’s won 23 races, despite multiple injuries, broken ankles, concussions, and more.

Anderson recalls one victory he doesn’t even remember. “That was a bit of a blur,” he said of his 2007 win, which ended with him unconscious at the finish line.

Ancient Tradition Meets Viral Fame

While its true origins are unclear, cheese rolling at Cooper’s Hill dates back to at least 1826, possibly earlier. Some believe it began as a pagan rite to bless the land, others say barrel-makers tested their craft by rolling casks downhill.

Whatever the roots, the tradition endured. In today’s internet age, the event has gone global. Thousands now gather every May bank holiday to watch or participate, and winners have come from as far afield as Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

But for all the international attention, the locals still dominate, especially the ones who grew up “throwing each other down” the hill for fun.

The 2025 Mayhem

This year’s winners included:

• Tom Kopke of Germany, who took the first men’s race.
• Eva, a 20-year-old who admitted post-race that she doesn’t even like cheese.
• Luke Briggs, dressed as Superman, who won the second men’s race.
• Byron, a New Zealander, who won the final.
• Ariel Dempsey, who claimed the uphill women’s race purely to retrieve her phone from the hilltop.

Chaos, Carnage, and Commitment

Footage from the race looks like a slow-motion car crash, bodies tumbling, legs flailing, participants bouncing like ragdolls. Some try to slide gracefully. Most fail.

Anderson recalled seeing a competitor’s leg snap gruesomely mid-run. Broken ankles, dislocated shoulders, and concussions are practically guaranteed.

In 2023, women’s champion Delaney Irving was knocked out just before crossing the line. She woke up in the medical tent, already a winner.

Flo Early, the women’s record-holder, was left with a permanent shoulder disfigurement from one tumble. As she once said, “You don’t chase cheese and come out unscathed.”

Even so, many come back year after year. Why?

It’s addictive,” Anderson admitted. “But I always try to do it as sober as possible. If you’re drunk and you break something, there’s not much they can give you for the pain.

Run at Your Own Risk

The race is officially unofficial. There’s no formal organizer, no insurance, and no one to sue if you break a leg. Even the 86-year-old cheesemaker, Diana Smart, was warned by police in 2013 that she could be held liable just for providing the cheese.

Signs around the hill emphasize, enter at your own risk. Participants know the danger. Many, like Anderson, embrace it.

He’s 37 now, recovering from a hip injury, and says he’s “supposed to be retired.” But if his teenage son ever competes, he might come out of retirement, just to make sure he does it properly.

The most dangerous thing is going slow and getting hit from behind. I’d like him to be quick enough to get away from the carnage.

And despite winning more cheese than anyone else, Anderson makes one final confession:

I actually don’t like it. It’s got quite a strong aftertaste to it.

So why do they run?

Not for the cheese. Not even for the glory. But for the thrill, the tradition and the unbeatable story of risking it all for a wheel of dairy flying down a death-defying hill.