London- Stilton village in Britain, which has given its name to the variety of English cheese, has held its annual cheese rolling competition, with men’s and women’s teams competing in a knockout competition for bragging rights and a rather grand title.
Cheese-handling skills are not normally a prerequisite for success in sporting competition, but to win, the English village of Stilton’s most coveted prize, they are essential.
Jo, a member of Anna’s Girls, the team that took top honors in the women’s category, said: “It’s fantastic. Got my own trophy. I can say I’m a world champion. Great Spirit. It’s all just good fun really.”
The event is jokingly billed as an ancient tradition. In fact, the competition began in the mid-20th century, when an enterprising pub landlord sought a way to boost business, after the village was bypassed by a major road.
Teams of four contestants roll wooden blocks shaped like rolls of cheese through the streets – the real cheese would be unlikely to survive the competition. As with many team sports, coordination is vital to success.