PrintNathan's Hot Dog-Eating Contest Returns to Coney Island on July 4
Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut competing in Nathan's Hot Dog-Eating Contest 2008 during overtime.
Despite New York City's proposal to crowd Coney Island with high rises, the original Nathan's hot dog stand will remain the venue for this year's hot dog-eating contest on July 4. For the last two years Joey Chestnut has beat six-time champion, and his arch rival, Takeru Kobayashi. But to clarify, last year was especially close. After they tied at 59 frankfurters in 10 minutes, there was a five-dog overtime! Whoever could shove all five in their mouths the fastest, won.
This year, Italy is sending its national champion, Franco Camerini, and Nathan's has been running a qualifying circuit around the United States in 16 cities, including Biloxi, Mississippi; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Norfolk, Virginia. The winner of each round moves onto the battle.
But, let's be honest. It's probably just another match between Chestnut and Kobayashi. If a recent battle in Los Angeles involving P'zones (a cross between a pizza and calzone) was any indication, Chestnut might have to hand over the Mustard Yellow Belt. Who are you rooting for?
And to note, the night before, Coney Island is holding another competitive eating contest, but with two major differences: it's just the hot dog buns, and a team of three humans will take on three elephants from Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, reports the Brooklyn Paper. The odds may be in the elephant's favor in terms of stomach space, but they also might not understand the term "Go!"
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8 Comments:
Serious question: do they actually keep it all down afterward??
violetcassis at 12:21PM on 06/18/09
I wish they dont call this a sport.
mandarin at 1:07PM on 06/18/09
@violetcassis - they have to keep it down or they are disqualified for a "reversal of fortune".
I once went to watch Sonya Thomas in a crabcake eating competition in Baltimore, and after she handily beat her competition, she was walking away with a plate full of more crabcakes, which she said she was going to have for dinner. (true story).
She actually gave the crabcakes to me and my friends because we had gone to root for her, and even made posters to cheer her on. The crabcakes were quite tasty, and Sonya was incredibly nice!
jumpyfroggy at 1:23PM on 06/18/09
sorry I had to link my old post here!
hmw0029 at 2:07PM on 06/18/09
Do you ever wonder if someone could just enter into the contest, and leisurely eat a few hot dogs for free? Do you have to pay to enter the contest?
I would totally just sit, casually munch on 3-5 hot dogs in the ten minutes and watch the others gorge themselves, haha.
decemberain27 at 2:15PM on 06/18/09
You have to win a qualifier to make it to the big table, but in 2006 Jed Donahue famously sat at the table and just ate one hot dog. He got a lot of grief from other eaters for doing so because they try really hard to be in the competition and some saw it as an insult to the heart of the competition.
AnaPowell at 2:30PM on 06/18/09
Yikes! Eating is serious business!
Cassaendra at 8:18PM on 06/18/09
We will be in for the July 4th contest to Kobayashi Shihan. Will we need to get to nathans very early, to get a good view.
Jigoro Kano at 10:37AM on 06/27/09