Results tagged “competitiveeating”

      

Joey Chestnut is now well on his way to a Kobayashi-like dynasty after winning his third consecutive Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. Chestnut jumped out to an early lead on his archrival Takeru Kobayashi and never looked back on his way to a new record of 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Kobayashi did everything he could to hold pace with Joey Jaws, setting his own personal record with 64 1/2 dogs—both men eclipsing the mark of 59 they both hit to send them into overtime a year ago. Chestnut even broke the 2007 record of 66 dogs that he set back when the old rules gave competitors an extra two minutes in regulation.

       

Yesterday the top dogs of competitive eating faced off at the scales. Reigning champ Joey Chestnut and six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi were weighed in prior to their annual July 4th Nathan't Hot Dog showdown tomorrow. Chestnut, 25, came in at 218 lbs, to his 31-year-old competitor's 132 lbs. The two have faced off four times, with each taking home the belt twice, so this year will be a tie-breaker. Chestnut currently holds the world record, with his 2007 performance of eating 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes

Competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi will do what no one wants to do: eat all the leftover holiday fruitcake! This is all part of the Major League Eating’s Holiday Food Bank Giving Initiative; the MLE tells us that "Kobayashi will attempt to break the fruitcake-eating world record, seeking to consume all fruitcake leftover from the holidays. The event is designed to benefit the Food Bank For New York City and to raise awareness of the crisis faced by food banks across the nation in the current economic environment."

      

Tomorrow's big showdown is set, with reigning Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Champions Joey Chestnut facing off against six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi in the battle of who can devour-and keep down-more hot dogs in 10 minutes. The two, along with other contestants, were weighed in today. Kobayashi is 165 pounds while Chestnut is 230 pounds. Last year, Chestnut set the new world record by eating 66 hot dogs--66 hot dogs equal to about about 14.5 pounds (Kobayashi ate 63 hot dogs, a new personal best for him, equal to 13.8 pounds).

Therefore all qualifying rounds will last just 10 minutes this year, and the ultimate July 4th battle will likely be shortened to that time as well. The change has outraged reigning champ Joey Chestnut, who didn't edge out six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi until the last few minutes of last year’s contest. Chesnut calls the change “ridiculous.”

We hope the following doesn't put anyone off their appetite before they've even had a chance to tuck into their Thanksgiving feast, but we have to describe what champion eater Tim Janus managed to consume in a publicity feast for charity. In the course of 15 minutes, Janus gobbled down the following:A 10-pound turkey Four pounds of mashed potatoes Three pounds of cranberry sauce Two and a half pounds of green beans This was accomplished...

While the residual mustard stains have barely dried from last week’s extremely popular Hot Dog Eating Contest at Nathan’s Famous, it seems like the realm of competitive eating in NY has reached an overdue “I’m full” saturation point. So it’s only in the interest of each borough having its own event that we bring you this next story- the 4th Annual Dumpling Eating Contest, taking place on Sunday August 5th as part of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in Flushing. For all of those who watched Joey Chestnut eat 66 weenies last week and exclaimed, “Hell, I can do that,” here’s your chance: the Dumpling Eating Contest is accepting registrants until the end of the month. Dumplings used in the competition are of the chicken and vegetable variety; according to the contest’s poster, current records are “Man- 49 pcs., Woman- 33 pcs.” at the two minute mark. So, um, let’s go ladies! Sponsors for the contest include Chef One Dumplings and the Tai Pan Bakery in Flushing, whose Village Voice listing says features “innovations like “Special Taste Mixed Hot Dog.”

It's our favorite July 4th tradition, this side of smiley-face fireworks: The Annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, held at Nathan's in Coney Island. And this year's competition is particularly tantalizing: Current champion Takeru Kobayashi has been having jaw pains, while Joey Chestnut broke the hot dog eating record, by scarfing down 59.5 at a June event. So we shall begin our liveblogging, and Jen Chung and Tien Mao will be providing other commentary during the competition from time to time.

Oh no! Could it be? Is the rematch between Takeru 'Tsunami' Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut in doubt? Last year at the Nathan's annual 4th of July Hot Eating Contest, Kobayashi narrowly defeated Chestnut to win the Mustard Belt for the sixth year in a row. Defending his title next week may not be possible for Kobayashi. First, his mother passed away in March, causing the Tsunami to take a sabbatical from training. Now, news comes from Kobayashi's blog (bad translation) that he's got a bout of jaw arthritis! Apparently Kobayashi can only open his mouth big enough to fit a finger and the injury happened just a week into training.

DISCUSSION: The one and only, legendary Kirk Douglas will be talking with Columbia undergraduate film studies director Annette Insdorf tonight. The 90 year old has a thing or two to say about life, and some stories about his own (the man survived a helicopter crash, for goodness sake), so listen up youngins.

Some high school reunions spurs thoughts of regret and schadenfreude. The 10 year high school reunion for some Regis High School alums prompted a group of classmates to attempt to ride break the record for fastest ride through the NYC subway system. Stefan Karpinski, Andrew Weir, Bill Amaosa, Jason Laska, Michael Boyle and Brian Brockmeyer teamed up to ride the subways starting yesterday afternoon at Rockaway Park station, and should be ending around 3PM or 4PM at the 241st Street stop in the Bronx, if they're on track (hee!). In order to break the record, they must stop at all 468 stations in under 26 hours, 21 minutes and 8 seconds.

Gothamist likes its pickles, but we're not quite sure if we like them quite as much as Arnie "ChowHound" Chapman, who won Carnegie Deli's annual pickle eating competition. There's no information out there just yet about how many pickles he ate and exactly what kind. Because everyone knows that half-sour are easier to eat than those extra-sour pickles. ChowHound, who hails from Amarillo, Texas, supposedly trains by eating a head of cabbage and speed drinking a gallon of water every day. That's some serious training. Currently ranked at 24 by Speedeat (who knew), ChowHound is not affiliated with the IFOCE, but the AICE (Association of Independent Competitive Eaters). The fact that their are two rival competitive eating organizations makes Gothamist think of endless possible competitions. They can have all types of wrestling competitions - sumo, Greco-Roman, "professional", and jello (the loser would be forced to eat all the jello at the end). amNewYork has an excellent gallery of all the pickle gluttony. Note the florescent color of those shirts. Were they supposed to look like the pickles the contestants were eating or radioactive material?

Stemming from a short piece in the Voice journalist Nerz writes about the history of competitive eating, tracks day to day training of the superstars and his own adventures in hope of gastrointestinal glory.

It's already underway at Artie's Delicatessen, but you might be able to hurry uptown to catch the Golden Palace Thanksgiving Invitational presented by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE). Eight competitors, each of whom was invited to participate, are competing to be the first to devour a 10-pound roast turkey in 12 minutes. Joey Chestnut, who according to IFOCE is "arguably the most promising rookie eater of all time" will compete against Sonya "the Black Widow" Thomas and Eric "Badlands" Booker, among others. But IFOCE realizes that Thanksgiving turkeys are not so plentiful for everyone, and are donating complete holiday meals for 20 families of four who would otherwise go without a Thanksgiving dinner through Food P.A.T.C.H.(People Allied to Combat Hunger) an affiliate of Second Harvest.

When most people see forty nine hot dogs, it's usually behind the counter at Gray's Papaya. But at Coney Island yesterday, it was the gold standard, as the reigning world hot dog eating champion, Takeru Kobayashi, won his fifth consecutive hot dog eating belt at Nathan's, eating forty nine hot dogs in twelve minutes. And Gothamist thought our acid reflux this weekend was bad! The 27 year-old Kobayashi didn't beat his world record of 53.5 hot dogs, set last year, and admitted that he showed up some more muscle (check out those guns!) which may have hurt him. Dude, but still, the second place finisher was Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, the slender cheesecake eating champ, who downed 37 hot dogs. The Post reports that Kobayashi "struggled throughout the first half of the contest — until a prodigious belch at the 7-minute mark got him back on track. He then started stuffing hot dogs in his mouth three at a time, a new technique dubbed 'The Three Way.'" Where's our Zantac?

April 16th: Brewtopia World Beer Festival. This brewfest features unlimited samples from over 300 of the world's finest craft beers. Who can resist? If you're still wavering, you might want to know that the event's organizers will be making a donation to Citymeals-on-wheels, which provides hand-delivered meals to homebound elderly New Yorkers. Convinced yet? Tickets for each session are available online at www.brewtopiafest.com or by phone at 877-772-5425 and are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th street between 6th & 7th Aves, two sessions: 1-5 pm, 6-10pm.

Crazy Legs Conti, Competitive Eater

Gothamist can hear the longing strains of Carly Simon, as we anticipate the festivities to come this Sunday, September 26th at the 30th annual Atlantic Antic.

Slice takes a break from pizza coverage to witness the historic event and believes that Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, a petite woman from Virginia, will bring the belt back to the states, with her third place showing of eating 32 dogs. And there's going to be a movie set in the world of competitive eating. More on competitive eating at the International Federation of Competitive Eating.