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Cheese-rolling legend beaten by German YouTuber
Tom Kopke won the men’s downhill race for the third time as hundreds watched competitors chase a seven-pound cheese wheel.
On Monday, German YouTuber Tom Kopke, 24, from Munich, won the men's downhill race at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, narrowly defeating Guinness World Record holder Chris Anderson near the finish line.
Health and safety concerns led officials to cancel the official event after more than 15,000 spectators turned up for the 2009 competition; rebel cheese rollers have staged it unofficially since 2010 with police oversight.
Around two dozen competitors hurtled down the notoriously steep 180-metre hill while hundreds of spectators watched, with temperatures soaring to nearly 30C during what forecasters said could become the hottest spring bank holiday on record.
Kopke declared after his victory that "This years cheese will taste the sweetest of all the cheeses I have won," while Anderson, finishing second, said "I saw Tom come past me and knew it was over."
Long-Time cheese-maker Rod Smart, who has supplied wheels for more than 25 years, provided the cheese as multiple races took place throughout the afternoon, with all downhill races won by non-Brits reflecting the competition's international appeal.