Runners trip, stumble and fall down Cooper's Hill in annual cheese-rolling competition
A German YouTuber has tripped, stumbled and tumbled his way to victory for the second year running at one of Britain's zaniest sports contests.
Tom Kopke, of Munich, was king of Cooper's Hill in the annual cheese-rolling competition in which runners plunge down a 180 metre perilously steep pitch in pursuit of a speeding wheel of double Gloucester cheese.
Mr Kopke was the first to reach the bottom of the hill behind the cheese.
"All the people at the top said they were going to steal my title but this is mine," a shirtless Mr Kopke declared as he clutched his prize.
The prize was a 3 kilogram circle of cheese.
The contest, traditionally held on the late-May public holiday near Gloucester, about 145 kilometres west of London, dates back at least two centuries, maybe longer.
It is attended by thousands, who pack the woods flanking the hill or take cover behind fences at the bottom, as competitors from around the world risk serious injury in the hope of glory.
Gravity and acceleration combine to leave few runners on their feet, leading to epic wipe-outs that can result in twisted ankles, broken collarbones and concussions.
Ava Sender Logan, from London, won the women's race after somersaulting and rolling at least a dozen times as she clutched her head.
"I will probably feel it tomorrow," she said.
"It felt quite long coming down and then I hit my head. I'm down. That's what matters. I'm fine."
AP
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The silence had become deafening. The absence of any news out of north London creating rumour and intrigue. With Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy both on holiday, the vacuum created its own ominous void. And yet the longer the gap between that heady night in Spain that ended Spurs' lengthy trophy drought and any news one way or another from the club about the Australian's coaching future, the more it seemed as though Postecoglou's time would be up. How can Spurs get rid of a man who has delivered exactly what he said he would? The end of Tottenham's trophy drought could and perhaps should have been Postecoglou's ticket to a third season at the helm. However, in the cold light of day, Postecoglou was always going to be hard pressed to keep his job. Yes, the euphoric scenes in Bilbao painted a picture of a team that had suddenly achieved something few thought they would. 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