Cheese rolling in Filecchio – Tiro della Forma

Despite the occasional sprinkling of rain, large crowds were this afternoon in Filecchio for a sporting event with a difference. An event which does not appear on television, is hardly reported in newspapers and for many people has acquired the label”an urban myth” as they are unsure if it is a real event or not.

For those in the know, cheese rolling is not a mythical beast. It is not something that was done in the past and in modern Italy no longer exists but is instead a closely contested, dynamic sport with a guiding body laying down strict rules to the competitors.

It is not a sport for the weak of heart, poor spirit or weak constitution – and that goes not just for those taking part but also for the spectators lining the route.

As part of the final events for this years annual sagra della polenta e uccelli, now in its 44th year, the organisers set up the 2nd Filecchio Cheese Rolling competition – Tiro della Forma

Three teams comprising of three athletes, competing against each other in the narrow streets of Filecchio to see which team can move a cheese  from one end of the village to the other in the least possible throws.

As you can plainly see in the large gallery of images and video at the end of this article, it was a fiercely fought out event right up until the final throw from the winning green team.