Italian Championship of Team Cheese Wheel Throwing

A peasant game turned national championship

The Italian Championship of Team Cheese Wheel Throwing is one of the most characteristic traditional games and sports events in the Marche region. It takes place in Castel di Lama, a municipality in the Province of Ascoli Piceno, and originates from an ancient peasant pastime: during breaks from working in the fields, labourers used to have fun rolling cheese wheels along the dirt roads, competing to see who could make them go the farthest. That popular gesture has now become a codified discipline, recognized by the FIGeST (Italian Federation of Traditional Games and Sports), with a true Italian Champion title at stake.

How to play

The technique is as simple in appearance as it is difficult to master: the thrower wraps a strap around the cheese wheel which, unwinding at the moment of the throw, imparts maximum rotation and speed to the wheel. Competitions are held in teams: the winners are those who, by summing the throws of the two teammates, cover the greatest distance along the designated road course. Precision counts as much as strength, because a poorly thrown wheel can end up in the ditches or go off course.

Categories

The competition is divided by the weight of the cheese wheel, from the most manageable to the most challenging:

• 3 kg — the most technical and fastest category
• 6 kg
• 9 kg
• 22 kg — the "legendary" category, the most spectacular, reserved for the strongest throwers
• Women's — a category dedicated to female athletes, who are increasingly numerous

Two days, two settings

The event traditionally unfolds over two days. The qualifications take place along the S.P. 15, in the stretch of countryside between Appignano del Tronto and Offida, an ideal setting for distance throws. The finals and the awarding of the national titles are held in the historic centre of Castel di Lama, transforming the town into a celebration of sport, tradition, and community. The event is organized by ASD Giochi Tradizionali Castel di Lama with the patronage of the Municipality and the Province of Ascoli Piceno.

A heritage of the Piceno

More than just a race, the Championship is a guardian of cultural identity for the community of Lama and for the entire hinterland of the Marche. It brings together veteran throwers and young athletes from various regions of Italy, promotes the region's rural products and traditions, and passes down popular knowledge that might otherwise disappear. For those visiting the Marche in spring, it is an authentic opportunity to discover an unexpected and genuine face of the Piceno area.