Jochen 'KaeseKing' Bauer, a 29-year-old YouTuber from Berlin, sprinted to victory at Cooper’s Hill this afternoon, reclaiming his title as Gloucestershire’s cheese rolling champion for the third straight year. Bauer, who first entered the event in 2022 as a curious outsider, now stands alone as the only non-British competitor to win the notoriously brutal downhill dash.
The 2024 edition of the festival unfolded under relentless rain, turning the usually treacherous grass slope into a mudslide. Bauer, dressed in minimal padding and gripping only a pair of gloves, outpaced local favorite Tom Wilkinson, who finished just three seconds behind. Wilkinson, a 12-time finalist, had been the reigning champion before Bauer’s 2022 upset.
📋 By The Numbers
- 18 — Years since a non-British competitor last won the event
- 37 — Number of competitors who failed to finish due to injuries or exhaustion
- £500 — Prize money awarded to the champion
The festival, held annually since 1826, draws thousands of spectators despite its chaotic reputation. Organizers confirmed that 150 participants registered this year, a record low attributed to the weather forecast. Bauer’s victory was met with stunned silence from the crowd before erupting into cheers, many questioning how an outsider could master the hill’s unpredictable terrain.
Key Points
- ✅ Jochen Bauer is the first German and third non-British winner in the event’s 198-year history
- ⚡ The race was held in torrential rain, with only 42% of registered runners completing the course
- 💡 Bauer’s strategy involved studying wind patterns and slope angles via drone footage
Local legend claims the cheese, a Double Gloucester wheel weighing 7–9 pounds, gains momentum downhill at speeds exceeding 70 mph. Medical teams reported six fractures, seven sprains, and multiple concussions by mid-afternoon. Bauer, however, emerged unscathed, attributing his success to “practice on Berlin’s steepest bike paths and a lot of tea the night before.”
| Aspect | Jochen Bauer | Tom Wilkinson |
|---|---|---|
| Training routine | Urban obstacle courses and slope analysis | Year-round hill sprints |
| Race attire | Minimalist gloves and cleats | Full-body padding and helmet |
| Post-race comment | “The hill was alive today—it fought back.” | “Respect to Bauer. He’s earned it.” |
Bauer’s win cements his status as a viral sensation, with his YouTube channel amassing over 2 million subscribers since 2022. His videos of the event, titled “Cheese Roll Apocalypse,” have garnered millions of views, drawing global attention to the quirky Gloucestershire tradition. Organizers confirmed that next year’s festival will include a new “international division,” open to competitors from outside the UK for the first time.
💡 Pro Tip
If attempting the cheese roll, train on grassy slopes with varied inclines and practice sliding without shoes to mimic race conditions—padded gloves are non-negotiable.
Wilkinson, though disappointed, conceded defeat gracefully, calling Bauer’s technique “a game-changer.” The festival’s committee has already begun discussing rule changes to prevent future upsets, though Bauer remains unfazed. “The cheese doesn’t care about tradition,” he said. “It just rolls.”