Just moments ago, The Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest played out in Coney Island.
In its 98th year, the competition was a quick and quite messy event. Complete with elaborate backstories and serious training, the competition was attended by over 40,000 roaring fans. The chowing champions Joey Chestnut and Sonya Thomas prepped to defend their respective men's and women's titles and did so with sloppy and salivating conviction, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Chestnut’s success is nothing new. He is in fact the number one eating champion in the world as of today. The 29-year-old from San Jose, Calif nicknamed “Jaws,” will be taking home $10,000 and a mustard-yellow champion's belt for his triumph today. A six time winner, he set the record of 68 hotdogs and hotdog buns in 10 minutes in 2009, tied it last year and set a new record today with 69 franks - over 20,000 consumed calories at once - , according to ABC News.
With this seventh win, Chestnut has now defeated former rival, Takeru Kobayashi (tah-kah-roo koh-bee-yah-shee), so many times that he switched into a different eating contest. However he does it, Chestnut blew away his competition, with second place going to Matt Stonie at 51 hot dogs.
Winner Sonya “Black Widow” Thomas, 45, is also no stranger to devouring victory. The 105 pound woman shoved down 45 hotdogs to win the women's championship last year and also won in 2011, the first year the women’s competition was held separately at the event. The Alexandria, Virginia native was won today’s competition with about 37 franks, disappointed by her reduced consumption with a goal of 50 franks. Still, Thomas is Number 3 in the Major League Eating rankings, which includes both men and women, according to FOX 19.
The annual hot dog eating contest held on Coney Island has been a customary celebratory event since 1916, according to the company's archives. Major League Eating sanctions the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest and supports today victors.