A 33-year-old Kiwi man, Byron Smith, has taken the top prize in one of the UK’s most intriguing events.
Smith won one of the races at the annual Cooper’s Hill cheese rolling competition, where runners send themselves down a 180-metre hill in pursuit of a speeding wheel of Gloucester cheese.
This comes just one race after German YouTuber Tom Kopke stumbled his way to victory for a second consecutive year.
The contest, traditionally held on the late-May public holiday near Gloucester, about 145km west of London, dates back at least two centuries and is attended by thousands.
Smith won his award in the final men’s downhill race of the day, saying afterwards he felt “great”.
The 33-year-old Kiwi said he went in the third race to avoid facing Tom Kopke, he said, humourously.
“I did this last year, and I came second. Tom beat me. He’s a very quick guy, I didn’t want to race him again, so I went in the third race and I’m happy I did because I managed to win.”
Photo Credit: 1News
