They came from near and far yesterday to a paddock in the back blocks of Wendon Valley, to chase a wheel of cheese at breakneck speed down a hill and claim their 15sec of fame in the New Zealand cheese-rolling championship. For some, like Mosgiel's Joe Baty, it was the exhilaration that brought them back for a second year.
It was a case of deja vu for Baty, who again won the first of the 10 heats. Grinning at his feat and clutching his winning wheel of Whitestone Royal Blue cheese, Baty admitted he did not even like cheese.
His secret to success – "don't give up, run like you mean it" .
For others there was a degree of nostalgia. David Lee is formerly of Gloucester, the home of cheese-rolling.
He had his first cheese-rolling run in 50 years when he lined up in the over 40s heat.
Growing up in the shadow of Gloucester's famed cheese-rolling hill, Mr Lee used to take part in the English event as a teenager.
Mr Lee proclaimed the New Zealand version and venue superb, although the hill on Rosemary and Bob Henderson's farm was a lot kinder than the steep face runners in Gloucester have to tackle.
"A lot of people (in Gloucester's event) just curl up into a ball and roll to get down the hill."
Without a trace of nerves, Mr Lee, who admitted only to be over 50 something, took on the hill and came away with a personal victory.
Afterwards he confessed the hill was a lot faster than it appeared but, undeterred, he vowed to be back next year.
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