Latest news with #extremesport
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Gloucestershire cheese rolling: Two people taken to hospital
Two people had to be taken to hospital from the traditional cheese-rolling races in Gloucestershire on on Cooper's Hill, which has an incredibly steep gradient, the annual event drew thousands of spectators to watch competitors from across the world chase large cheeses down the Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said it sent an air ambulance and five land ambulances to the event after the first race, at about 12:15 races are labelled "unsafe" by the local authority and are classed as an extreme sport. A spokesperson for SWASFT said: "We were called at 12:17hrs on Monday 26 May to an incident at Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire. "We sent five double-crewed land ambulances, an air ambulance, an operations officer, a doctor, a first responder and the hazardous area response team to the scene. "We conveyed two patients by land ambulances to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital." While ambulances were able to access Cooper's Hill this year, there have been times paramedics have struggled to access to the site, with the cheese rolling said to put a strain on emergency Borough Safety Advisory Group (SAG) warned the public that the event was advance of this year's races, the group said it had safety concerns, one being whether the emergency services would be able to respond to a potential "major incident" involving multiple casualties. As reported by the BBC on Monday, one person from the first men's race was taken to Stewart, a Tewkesbury Borough Councillor, said the council does not want to stop the event from happening in future, but does have safety concerns."The Safety Advisory Group has been left with no alternative other than to declare the event unsafe and has a duty to share this with the public," Mr Stewart the safety warnings, the event continues to attract people from across the YouTube sensation IShowSpeed needed medical treatment after taking part in the 2024 event,.German YouTuber Tom Kopke claimed victory in one of the men's downhill races for the second consecutive year on cheese rolling, believed to date back 600 years, is largely staffed by volunteers.
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
‘I don't even like cheese', says winner of cheese-rolling competition
A champion of the Gloucestershire cheese-rolling competition has admitted she does not 'like cheese'. Eva, a 20-year-old Londoner, won the first women's race at the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake in the village of Brockworth, Gloucestershire. She told the BBC that she does not actually 'like cheese' despite winning the 7lb Double Gloucester wheel in one of Britain's most dangerous downhill races. Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake is an annual event in which racers from far and wide gather at the top of Cooper's Hill and chase a wheel of cheese. The race includes uphill and downhill races for adults and children. Considered an extreme sport and one of the UK's most difficult downhill races, spectators gather to cheer on the competitors who chase the cheese down the incredibly steep hill. The winner gets to keep the cheese. 'It's such a cool tradition,' said Eva, who took home the Double Gloucester as a first-time racer down Cooper's Hill. While some competitors may opt to run, bounce, or slide down the slope, Eva used the unusual tactic of throwing herself down the hill while holding her head. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she said she did not remember much of her tumble downhill. The competition is not for the faint of heart as trips and stumbles are common as the racers tear down the hill after the Double Gloucester, which can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. One competitor was taken to hospital from injuries sustained from the first men's race. Another victor of this year's event was Ariel Dempsey, an American PhD candidate at Oxford University, who won the mixed uphill race, but only because she had left her phone at the top of the hill. 'I did the downhill race and left my phone up here with someone. I thought the uphill race would be the best way back up,' said Ms Dempsey, who spontaneously decided to take part in the race on the morning of the event. The annual cheese-rolling competition is thought to have started at least 600 years ago as a festival to mark the beginning of summer, with racers and spectators joining the festivities from increasingly further afield. Seven racers ambled away with cheese wheels, including two locals. Dressed as Superman, Gloucester resident Luke Briggs said he had been 'waiting 30 years' to win at Cooper's Hill, having come close to victory in previous years. 'My dad won it a few times, I came back for him,' said Mr Briggs. The second local victor was Alfie Townsend, who wore football boots which he said helped him keep his balance on the slope. He said the event was 'pretty important to him' as his mother also ran the races and he had won another event two years ago. His mother Carla said: 'I'm chuffed. I've still got his cheese from two years ago wrapped up in the fridge.' The final cheese wheel of the day was taken home by Byron, who came all the way from New Zealand in what was the closest race of the day. 'I think maybe 15 years ago I saw someone do it and I wanted to follow his footsteps,' Byron said.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Cheese rolling live updates: Daredevils descend on village to chase Double Gloucester wheel down steep hill in one of UK's most extreme races
Daredevil cheese rollers from across the world will descend on a tiny village in Gloucestershire for one of Britain's most bizarre bank holiday traditions. Classed as an extreme sport and dubbed one of the UK's toughest downhill races, the competition involves chasing a 7lb (3kg) Double Gloucester cheese wheel down Coopers Hill in Brockworth. The winner gets to keep the cheese. Although the origins of the tradition are unknown, theories suggest it may have started at least 600 years ago as a pagan festival to mark the start of summer. Cheese rollers descend on Gloucestershire village for bizarre bank holiday race Every year thousands of people visit Cooper's Hill in Brockworth as daredevils from across the world compete to chase for a wheel of Double Gloucester. We've become used to the sight of people sprinting, tripping and tumbling down the steep bank in the name of cheese in what has become one of the most extreme and bizarre events in the British calendar. Stick with us as we bring you live coverage including news, pictures and videos from the event. We will also provide a live stream so you can watch the races as they unfold with the first one scheduled for 12pm.
RNZ News
17-05-2025
- Science
- RNZ News
‘Manu jumping': The physics behind making humongous splashes in the pool
By Pankaj Rohilla and Daehyun Choi* of Supreme champion Kree Smith, of Northland's Wainui Valley, hits the water at Russell's Manu Masters. Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf Whether diving off docks, cannonballing into lakes or leaping off the high board, there's nothing quite like the joy of jumping into water. Olympic divers turned this natural act into a sophisticated science, with the goal of making a splash as small as possible. But another sport looks for just the opposite: the extreme maximum splash, one as high, wide and loud as possible. Welcome to the world of " manu jumping ". Although not a familiar term in the United States, manu jumping is beloved throughout New Zealand. The sport originated in Māori communities, where popping a manu is a way of life. Manu jumpers are known for leaping from bridges, wharves and diving platforms to make the giant splashes. The sport is playful yet competitive. At the Z Manu World Champs , you win based on the height and width of your splash. The current record: a splash more than 10 metres high . The concept sounds simple, but like Olympic diving, it turns out there's a science to manu jumping. As fluid dynamicists , we study the way living organisms interact with fluids - for instance, how flamingos feed with their heads underwater, or how insects walk on water. So when we stumbled upon viral videos of manu jumping on TikTok and YouTube, our curiosity was triggered. We launched a scientific investigation into the art of making a splash. Our research was more than just fun and games. Optimising how bodies enter fluids - whether those bodies are human, animal or mechanical - is an indispensable branch of science. Understanding the physics of water entry has implications for naval engineering, biomechanics and robotics. We discovered that creating the perfect manu splash isn't just about jumping into the water. Instead, it's about mastering aerial maneuvers, timing underwater movements and knowing exactly how to hit the surface. The microsecond the manu jumper hits the water is critical. Two splashes actually occur: The first, the crown splash, forms as the body breaks the surface. The next, the Worthington splash, is responsible for the powerful burst of water that shoots high into the air. Manu jumping is all about triggering and maximising the Worthington splash. So we analysed 75 YouTube videos of manu jumps. First, we noticed the technique: Jumpers land glutes first, with legs and torso scrunched up in a V-shaped posture. But the moment they go underwater, the divers roll back and kick out to straighten their bodies. This expands the air cavity, the space of air created in the water by the jump; then the cavity collapses, detaching itself from the body. This period of detachment is known as "pinch-off time" - when the collapse sends a jet of water shooting upward. All of this happens within a fraction of a second. We found that jumpers entered the water at a median V-angle of about 46 degrees. Intrigued, we recreated these movements in a lab aquarium, using 3D-printed, V-shaped projectiles to test different V-angles. The result? A 45-degree angle produced the fastest, tallest splashes, virtually matching what we observed in the human jumpers. V-angles greater than 45 degrees increased the risk of injury from landing flat on the back. We found it interesting that the jumpers very nearly hit the optimal angle largely through what appeared to be intuition and trial and error. Digging deeper, we then built Manubot, a robot that mimics human body movements during manu jumps. It's able to switch from a V-shape to a straight posture underwater. This is how we learned the optimal timing to maximise splash size. For instance, for someone who's 5ft 7in (170cm) and jumping from 1m, opening their body within 0.26 to 0.30 seconds of hitting the water resulted in the biggest splash. Open too soon or too late, and splash size is compromised. One caveat: Humans are far more complex than any 3D-printed projectile or a Manubot. Factors such as weight distribution, flexibility and anatomical shape add nuance that our models can't yet replicate. For now, though, our findings highlight a simple truth: Creating the perfect manu splash isn't the result of luck. Instead, it relies on a carefully tuned symphony of aerial and underwater manoeuvres. So the next time you see someone spray everyone in the pool with a gigantic jump, remember - there's a beautiful science behind the splash. * Pankaj Rohilla and Daehyun Choi are Postdoctoral Fellows at Georgia Institute of Technology. - This story was originally published on The Conversation .
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Cheese Rolling 2025: Your guide to the Gloucestershire tradition
With the famous Gloucestershire cheese rolling event to return very soon, many people will be planning on watching or participating. Classed as an extreme sport and dubbed one of the UK's toughest downhill races, the competition involves chasing a 7lb (3kg) Double Gloucester cheese wheel down the steep Coopers Hill in Brockworth. The winner gets to keep the the origins of the tradition are unknown, theories suggest it may have started at least 600 years ago as a pagan festival to mark the start of and participants from around the world will descend on Coopers Hill on 26 May to watch all the action unfold. What exactly is cheese rolling? The long standing tradition includes competitors throwing themselves down Coopers Hill, which has a 1:2 gradient, after a wheel of Double cheese can reach speeds of up to 70mph, with the first runner to catch it or cross the line at the bottom being crowned the unusual event has been celebrated for centuries and is thought to have its roots in a heathen festival to mark the return of winner of each race gets to keep the Double Gloucester cheese wheel. What are the timings? The races begin at 12:00 BST, starting with the first men's downhill are then scheduled to take place every 15 minutes, with the under-11s uphill going second, the second men's downhill going third and the over-12s uphill going fifth race, the women's downhill, is set for 13:00, with the adult mixed uphill following at 13: last race, the third men's downhill, is expected to take place at 13:30. Who can take part? Participants in the downhill races must be over the age of 18. The races are free to enter and no registration is required. Instead, competitors just turn up at the top of the hill on the at 180m (590ft) high, Coopers Hill is the steepest slope in Gloucestershire. There are loose rocks, twigs and stinging nettles along the way down. Very few contestants manage to stay on their feet while chasing after the cheese and end up falling. There is potential for injury, so competitors are warned they participate at their own risk. How can I watch? Even if you are not attending the event, you can follow along at home. We will bring you all of the highlights on BBC Points West, BBC Radio Gloucestershire, our social media and right here on the website.
