One such quirky sporting event is the Cheese Rolling event held each May in the English countryside. This 200-year-old event begins when a 6.5 pound (3-kilogram) piece of cheese is rolled down an extremely steep hill. Thousands watch as up to 20 competitors run and tumble down the hill in an effort to catch the cheese. However, outrunning the cheese, which reaches speeds of up to 70 miles (113 kilogram) an hour, isn’t really possible. So the winner is the person who reaches the bottom of the hill first.
Running down a hill after a hunk of cheese may sound and look funny, but it is also quite dangerous. Because the hill is so steep and uneven, there are always broken bones, concussions, and sprained ankles. Such injuries are so common, in fact, that an ambulance waits at the bottom of the hill to collect the participants with the inevitable injuries. Considering the risk involved in this event, you might assume that the winner gets a spectacular prize. But the first person to reach the bottom of the hill receives no money, no car, not even a trophy. The winner simply gets to take home the cheese!