This year, the Festa introduced a ‘Cheese-throwing Competition’. A local explained to me that this started off as a pass-time and has developed into a sport with different leagues. This competition starts at the bottom level of the village and the goal is to reach the finish line (at the top of the village) in the least amount of throws. Each competitor takes a turn at throwing their 8 kilo wheel of pecorino (aged cheese made of sheep’s milk) as far as they can throwing once in a ’round’. The wheel has their competitor number carved into it and it stays where it lands until the round is over. These guys are serious. It was like playing bocce with huge wheels of cheese. Very serious faces were abound and some verbal altercations with the official when a wheel was considered ‘out of bounds’ and placed at the place where it exited the street.
Carefully Wrapping His Strap
Getting the grip correct
Launch
Other league players watch on and support
Focused
His shirt shows his Cheese-throwing league
