Who Moved My Cheese? PC police kill centuries-old tradition

A sad day in Britain — and indeed, the world — as it was announced that the annual Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling races in Brockworth, Gloucester have been canceled. That ends an at least 200-year-old tradition of humans haphazardly hurtling down a steep hill in pursuit of a rolling cheese; indeed, some claim the event even dates back to Roman occupation. But since last year’s event attracted more than 15,000 spectators to the tiny hamlet of Brockworth — three times the race area’s capacity — police have canceled the 2010 poursuite de fromage due to safety concerns. Bah!
Video following the jump.

It’s more than a bit ironic that the race was scrapped not due to concerns for the people throwing themselves down a steep hill in pursuit of cheese; but instead for the people watching.
If there is a spectacle in sport more glorious than this, I’d like to know what it is.
For Princess Bride fans: “AS … YOU … WIIIIIIISSHHHHHH!” …
From the London Daily Mail:

All of the cheeses thrown down the hill are made by Diana Smart, 83, on her farm at Birdwood in the Forest of Dean. She said she was ‘shattered’ by the news that this year’s event had been cancelled.

‘I’m shaking at the prospect of not having any cheese-rolling,’ she said.

‘It is one of our biggest raisers of funds for the business, particularly this year when we’re desperately trying to increase our premises.’

Other business owners also accused organisers of ‘not working hard enough to ensure that we don’t lose another part of our English culture’.

But wait: What is this I see in the Daily Mail comments section? Is a cheese revolution brewing?

* Are you people so spineless that you always do as you are told? Get the hell down there and carry on the tradition — Sod the authorities, because as everyone knows: THERE IS NO AUTHORITY BUT YOURSELF — Richard Isbell, Santander, Spain, 12/3/2010 18:48

Viva la Cheese!
***
Cheese-rolling race axed after 200 years… thanks to health and safety killjoys [London Daily Mail]