The sports world is made up of many disciplines that thrill billions of people. But more and more new disciplines are born out of nowhere and thrill a certain multitude of individuals who participate in events more or less known locally and beyond. Surely an anomalous sport by classical conception is cheesrolling, a strange discipline born in England and which annually collects a fair number of participants.
Cheesrolling requires participants to run down a hill chasing a cheese wheel, the winner is the first athlete who will be able to touch the huge cheese wheel and at the speed of the cheese descent it can reach 110 km / h. I have seen several videos on some dedicated channels and I admit that it is really a lot of fun, at least to watch the competition as a spectator, but it is much less so for the participants because they are very often authors of serious injuries due to the daring falls along the way.
The discipline was born in Wales, although it seems that it was also practiced by the ancient Romans, on the occasion of an event held once a year on Copper Hill near Brockworth and Cheltenham. But cheesrolling has inspired competitions all over the world, even here in Italy, the competition is held near Lake Garda, a stone's throw from the mountain range of the Alps.
All participants are required to wear a protective helmet and it is also recommended to use tools to protect the weak points of the body such as elbows and knees. In fact, running down the slope, although the terrain is chosen carefully in order to avoid boulders or trees that could cause serious damage in the event of a fall, can trigger falls at high speed and the body is subject to violent blows which in the worst cases cause major trauma in various areas of the body.
The positive aspect of sport is the guaranteed fun and enjoyment of an incredible landscape. Often these events are for charity and the proceeds are dedicated to voluntary organizations: the Italian event in fact raises funds to donate to the Italian Red Cross. The beauty of sport is to see all the participants hug each other before, during and after the race which often ends with a long party full of beer and food throughout the evening.
Cheesrolling is indeed a strange sport, beyond any archetype, but it contains all the elements for success: fun, competition and showmanship. It does not require particular physical skills.The athletes must be able to remain in balance while running at high speed, avoiding making a mistake in the support of the feet, a minimum error and you risk rolling for tens of meters on the grassy ground.
I admit that I would like to try this competition, as a child with my friends we ran down a huge asphalted slope and I still have some scars from a bad fall. Falling on the grass would be a different feeling, and I like the recklessness of running wild in nature. A strange sport but it deserves to be seen :P
