A Nanaimo woman took the term sa国际传媒榢nock yourself outsa国际传媒� literally when she entered sa国际传媒� and won sa国际传媒� a cheese-chase race during her trip to Europe.
Delaney Irving, 19, had been travelling with a friend and they decided theysa国际传媒檇 go watch a cheese-rolling race near Gloucester, England, that annually draws hundreds of people to watch and compete.
The event on Coopersa国际传媒檚 Hill sa国际传媒� a near-vertical slope where competitors run, stumble and tumble down as they try to catch a three-kilogram wheel of double Gloucester cheese sa国际传媒� was held Monday, May 29.
sa国际传媒淲e decided that we should go watch the race, so we headed over to England for that reason,sa国际传媒� said Irving, in an e-mail interview. sa国际传媒淲e only decided about a day or two before the race that we would compete in it. I heard about the race a few years ago when my dad showed me a video of it. I never thought Isa国际传媒檇 be competing in it but here we are.sa国际传媒�
There were about two dozen cheese chasers in the womensa国际传媒檚 division.
sa国际传媒淎s soon as the cheese was pushed down the hill, we were off,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淢y strategy was to just roll as soon as I felt myself falling and I ended up rolling down most of the hill. At the very end of the hill I got back up onto my feet, but soon after fell on my head and rolled across the finish line unconscious.sa国际传媒�
She was unconscious for about two minutes and was taken to a medical tent where she came to and started to piece together what had happened and that she had won the race. She later went to a hospital for a precautionary CT scan, which showed everything was OK.
sa国际传媒淢y body is pretty bruised and achy, but other than that Isa国际传媒檓 good,sa国际传媒� Irving said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 very lucky that I didnsa国际传媒檛 hurt my head too badly.sa国际传媒�
And the reward for going through her ordeal?
sa国际传媒淭he prize was the seven-pound cheese and a scarf sa国际传媒� and bragging rights,sa国际传媒� Irving said.
She flies back to Canada this week, when she will find out if she can bring the cheese wheel home in her carry-on bag, but she thinks shesa国际传媒檒l have to check it in with her luggage and she already has plans for the cheese when she gets back to Nanaimo.
sa国际传媒淥nce I get back Isa国际传媒檒l have some friends and family over and wesa国际传媒檒l have the ultimate charcuterie board,sa国际传媒� she said.
Irving said shesa国际传媒檇 like to return, one day, to Coopersa国际传媒檚 Hill, but not necessarily as a competitor.
sa国际传媒淚 would definitely go back to watch againsa国际传媒a国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淏ut now that Isa国际传媒檝e done it and won it, Isa国际传媒檓 not in a huge rush to fling myself down a hill again,sa国际传媒� she said.
READ ALSO:
chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on and follow us on
