Champion chaser who hates cheese wins annual Cheese Rolling contest for the 17th time

Hannah Al-Othman30 May 2016

A champion chaser has won a world-famous cheese rolling championship for the 17th time - despite hating cheese.

Chris Anderson left daredevil challengers trailing in his wake as he won the annual Cheese Rolling again.

The 28-year-old soldier raced down Cooper's Hill in Gloucestershire like a rocket to win the first two races of the world-famous event to take home the 8lb Double Gloucester..

Mr Anderson, who serves with 1 Rifles, dedicated the race and Double Gloucester in memory of his friend Izzy John, a champion cheese roller himself.

"It's brilliant, I'm really happy. My friend Izzy John sadly passed away recently so this is for him and his family. He won it multiple times," he said.

"Cheese rolling is really important to Brockworth. It got cancelled in 2009 and the organisers this year have done a brilliant job and I'm really happy to win it for the community."

Explaining his winning technique, Mr Anderson said: "I try and get the same sort of line and try and do the same sort and thing and win."

Winner: Cheese-hating soldier Chris Anderson won for the 17th time (Joe Giddens/PA Wire )
Joe Giddens/PA Wire

The cheese is chased 200 yards down the 1:2 gradient Cooper's Hill at Brockworth.

Some competitors travelled from across the world to take part in the series of madcap races, which attracted TV crews from around Europe, while thousands of people lined the course to watch.

Rebel cheese rollers have been staging their own unofficial event after health and safety fears caused the official competition to be cancelled in 2010 after more than 15,000 people turned up to watch the previous year's competition.

Since then it has been held unofficially with the police keeping a watchful eye.

Local roads closures were put in place up to two-and-a-half miles around the slope, and warning signs were put up near the route warning spectators and competitors they were attending entirely at their own risk.

After a year's hiatus - when police warned against the use of a real cheese - the imitation lightweight foam cheese was binned in favour of the genuine article.

Tradition: Competitors take part in the annual unofficial cheese rolling at Cooper's Hill (Joe Giddens/PA Wire )
Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Long-time cheese-maker Diana Smart and her son Rod, who have produced cheese for the chase for more than 25 years, once again provided the wheels for this year's event.

Four cheeses weighing about 3kg each and three smaller ones, weighing about 1.5kg, are used.

The unusual event has been celebrated for centuries and is thought to have its roots in a heathen festival to celebrate the return of spring.

The women's race was won by Flo Early, 25, who first won as a teenager in 2008.

She only decided to take part this year at the last minute having been in hospital earlier this week with a kidney infection, and she was still suffering from a sore arm caused by a drip.

"I just got here and they said it was the girls' race, so I decided to take part," she said.

"I've just come out of hospital and I'm not meant to be doing this. I can't use my right arm. My mum would be furious if she knew."

Miss Early, who currently lives in Berlin, had returned to her family in Stroud for her brother's 30th birthday.

"It's pretty good to win and I like a bit of cheese," Miss Early added.

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