According to the IFOCE.com contest list page (along with the St. Pat’s Chowdown page), $28250 has been awarded in contests so far this year, while $51750 was the sum of the cash prizes for the first half of last year, resulting in a 45% decrease.

There were 3 contests with a 5 digit purse in the first half of 2007 ($10,000 Long Beach chili cheese fries, $15,000 St. Pat’s Chowdown, $10,000 shoo fly pie), while $5,000 is the largest purse so far this year.

The comparison does not attempt take into account the value of non-cash prizes. There were two contests with non-cash awards (not counting Wing Bowls) in the first six months of 2007 (TripRewards wings and the amateur shoo fly pie contest) while all contests so far this year have cash prizes.

The decline in the second quarter (2007:$21750 vs. 2008:$16750) was considerably less than the difference for the first three months of the year (2007:$30,000 vs 2008:11,500)

A listing of the contests and their prizes follows after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Kobayashi’s latest blog entry is about qualification for Nathan’s (automatically translated):

Thus the final closeup, I can play in qualifying and has been limited.

Today is the last chance tournament will be held in Long Island.

I like playing as soon as physically.

Chances are slim.

Eric is likely to play, I want my best! ！ !

The “Eric is likely to play” statement means that he will probably appear at Eric “Badlands” Booker and “Hungry” Charles Hardy’s promo contest this afternoon.

Sponichi has an article

Wiiware-World.com reports that this week’s new download for the Wii will be the marble game, Magnetica Twist, making July 7 the earliest possible release date for the Major League Eating video game.

• Jill Stoler has a belated birthday tribute to Pat Bertoletti
• Poll about biggest eating baseball players: (1st Babe Ruth 2nd John Kruk 3rd Tommy LaSorda)
• Sonya has a commentary about the Nathan’s finals
• Furious Pete is seeking a dining partner for his attempt at the Zeus Burger at the Clinton Station Diner July 5.
• Kobyashi reports he is now in New York City
• Tomoko Miyake has an autograph signing session for her new book
  

There are two short competitive eating articles in current magazine issues. I do not believe either article is online:

1. Maxim has a mini profile of Joey Chestnut in the notes section at the start of the magazine
2. National Geographic has an article about Coney Island which mentions Nathan’s hot dog contest

update Skinnyboy has a scan of the National Geographic article

A list of all non-winning 15+ qualifier results follows after the jump. Mike Fitzgerald was the competitor with the best total who did not qualify for the finals. There were 31 non-winning result larger than Kevin Ross’ 17.75 total at the California qualifier, including one by Kevin Ross himself.

Read the rest of this entry »

Kobayashi’s latest blog entry is about changing his hair color. His hairdresser’s blog has a picture of the new hair style and says that the red / yellow combination was chosen to represent ketchup and mustard.

San Bruno, CA qualifier results from InsideBayArea.com

1. Kevin Ross 17.75 HDB, awarded year’s worth of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs
2. Roger Schlafly, Santa Cruz, 11 HDB

The only pre-contest media mention I could find was a listing in a San Francisco Chronicle calendar which mainly contains gay pride week activities.

update Runner-up Roger Schlafly has a blog entry

update #2 The San Mateo Daily Journal has a contest report. Joey Chestnut appeared and signed autographs.

Camden qualifier results from megamunch comment

Badlands Booker - 27.5
Buffalo Jim Reeves - 22
Steakbellie - 20.25
Yasir Salem - 19
Wing Kong - 18
Sean Gordon - 18
Dave “U. S. Male” Goldstein - 18

update The IFOCE.com report is out now

update #2 CourierPostOnline.com has a report on the contest listing the duration as 12 minutes.

update #3 Megamunch has a blog entry and gallery from the contest

NJ.com has a preview of the contest focusing on Dave “U. S. Male” Goldstein.

Joey Chestnut has written an entry for his yardbarker blog about tuning up for the Nathan’s finals by competing in a hot dog eating contest held at Hooterpalooza last Tuesday in Fremont, California. Joey managed to eat 43 hot dogs in 8 minutes, which is greater than the winning total at all 10 minute qualifiers held this year. Joey reveals his feelings about Kobayashi in the second half of the blog entry.

Youtube videos of the contest are available: Part 1, Part 2

There is an interview video embedded in the comments.

According to Zap2It.com, ESPN’s telecast of the 2008 Nathan’s finals will rerun immediately after the original program. This will be the only additional showing in the week following July 4.

The 2007 Nathan’s finals were rerun 7 times between July 4 and July 12.

• Today is the 5th anniversary of Sonya Thomas’ debut in competitive eating
• Beautiful Brian has a video tribute to Allen Goldstein’s 5 years in competitive eating
• Pete Davekos Technique & Commentary video recorded at the Hartford qualifier
• Brian “Eatin” Keaton wins second Jake’s Burger qualifier (from email)
• George Shea favors Coney Island redevelopment plan at hearing
• Five Eating contests at in Hutchinson, Kansas on Saturday.
• Contest announcements: qualifiers for Dickey’s BBQ contest (championship to be held in early 2009), National Black Rock Burger Team Eating Championships (Yaphank, NY)
• UEPa meeting July 12 at Gregory’s Steakhouse in Allentown. Ian Hickman will attempt a 120 ounce steak

A list of upcoming independent contests awarding 3 or 4 digit purses follows. Jill Stoler has a blog entry about trying to get into a qualifer for Dani’s Pizza Eating Contest.

Unofficial QVC results from Hall Hunt comment:

1. Pat Philbin 22.5
2. Micah “Wing Kong” Collins 22
3. Eric “Steakbellie” Livingston 17
DQ Sean Gordon (21 before reversal)

An Opie & Anthony forum thread started by a QVC worker confirms Philbin’s victory

update The results have been posted on IFOCE.com Sean Gordon was officially disqualified

update #2 NJ.com has an article illustrated with a picture from 2006 of Philbin and Don Lerman.

update #3 Some pictures are now available

update #4 (from Wing Kong) Philly.com has a report about the qualifier. Badlands Booker, Steakbellie and Wing Kong are expected at the Camden qualifier tomorrow. Humble Bob says he hopes to be the oldest eater to eat his age at the Nathan’s finals.

update #5 video of Sean Gordon’s reversal during the post-contest announcements is available

The Palm Beach Post (via the Google News archive) reported that some local officials would serve as judges in the 1997 Nathan’s qualifier held in Boca Raton, Florida:

In Boca Raton, a hot dog capital of another ilk, the orgy begins Saturday at noon at Nathan’s in Boca Village Town Square (pick up entry forms there). No weenies among the judges either. The strong-willed group includes Boca Vice Mayor Steve Abrams, Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore

Theresa LePore would go on to receive greater notoriety as the designer of the “butterfly ballot” used in Palm Beach County in the controversial 2000 election.

Beautiful Brian’s Bits & Pieces mentions that Eric “Badlands” Booker and “Hungry” Charles Hardy will compete in a promotional contest early next week. The blog for the contest producer has more information about the event:

Monday, June 30th at 3pm

Nathans Famous
1530 Old Country Rd
Westbury, NY 11590
(516) 832-8900‎

This location is east of Meadowbrook Parkway. It is a big Nathans/Burritoville/Arthur Treachers/Famous Rays (down the block from the main Nathans Headquarters). Come down to watch if you want to be a part of the show.

The segment will be shown on TV10/55 News at Eleven’s sports report at 11pm on June 30th or July 1st.

A page about next month’s “Smokin’ at the Ocean” BBQ and Brewfest has been set up on Chinook Winds’ website. The festival will have an IFOCE rib eating contest on July 13 and qualifier for amateurs the day before. Joey Chestnut is the only listed expected entrant.

Kobayashi has posted an entry about the upcoming Nathan’s finals on his blog. It is not 100% clear from the automatic translation, but he appears to commit to competing in the July 4 contest. (The comments seem to think he will attempt to win his seventh title) From the automatic translation:

NEISANZU 2008 world championships

Play! ！ !

I said you left the tournament career makeover?

Where to play sports or another kind of feeling.

So I thought at the goal and still HAKKIRI MITSUKARANAKU I have no choice.

First of all, I aimed to win it from the start,

Thank you cheer! ！ !

If Kobayashi does compete, he will most likely receive a bye since it does not appear a Japan Nathan’s qualifier will be held in 2008 even though the qualifier registration form listed the date of the Tokyo qualifier as June 24. Some commenters have speculated that Kobayashi will compete in the San Francisco qualifier on Saturday. The last time Kobayashi was not the defending champion for an IFOCE event which had qualifiers, the 2004 Krystal Square Off finals, he entered the Jacksonville qualifier the week before.

Kobayashi has a blog entry about dining at Nobuyuki Shirota’s restaurant and doing a noodle eating challenge there. Shirota also has a post about the meal on his blog.

update Sponichi.co.jp has an article about Kobayashi which makes it pretty clear he intends to compete

• Video of Arturo Rios showing his hot dog eating techniques. Pete Davekos also appears. (from Andrea Fasano)
• Possible location change for next UEPa meeting
• Current leaders in bodybuilding.com water drinking contest
• Results of UK nettle eating contest
• Canada Day hot dog eating contest in Canada
• Canada Day pepper eating contest in Beijing

Update Skinnyboy says he made no such comment to the initial commeter “News at Five” on his blog - ojrifkin

Austinist has a gallery of the vegetarian hot dog eating contest held last Saturday. Contest results can be obtained by combining the gallery captions with this blog entry by the runner-up.

1. Spencer “Tree” Lockwood 21 VHDB, 12 minutes
2. Colin “Tim Duncan of CE” Kalmbacher 20 VHDB
3. Sean “Mongo” Kelly

Gabe Venit emails that “Gentleman” Joe Menchetti won the first qualifier for Jake’s Burgers contest yesterday by eating 5 Jake Burgers (double hamburgers) in 2 minutes 15 seconds. Gabe Venit was second with a time of 5 minutes and 30 seconds to complete 5 burgers.

In his most recent blog entry, Pat Bertoletti says he has yet to receive the hot dogs traditionally awarded to Nathan’s qualifiers winners for his victories in 2007 and 2008. If other qualifier victors would like to state whether they have received their hot dog prize, please comment in this thread.

The northern California Nathan’s qualifier will take place this Saturday at The Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno in the JCPenney Lower Court. Previous qualifiers were held in Daly City.

(from Baseball Think Factory) The Pittsburgh Pirates blog Mondesi’s House has a report about watching yesterday’s game from the section offering all you can eat food. The blogger actually only saw the last seven innings of the game because the first trip to the refreshment stand required waiting in line 30 minutes.

My final tally: a burger, two hot dogs, an order of nachos, and three Diet Pepsis. It’s not much more than I’d eat at a family cookout, especially spread over three hours.

Actually, I didn’t see much “abuse” from the AYCE customers. It’s not as if there was some enormous guy walking back and forth the entire game with four burgers in his hand at all times. The speed of the line clearly discourages a lot of people. Some employees looked like they were trying to keep up with the crush; others looked like they were moving in suuuuper—slooooow—-motion.

• Erik Denmark to compete in the Detlef Schrempf Celebrity Golf Classic today. Kato Kaelin will also be a participant.
• Pat Bertoletti on the Nathan’s finals
• Jamie of Hungry Sisters on her 9 HDB performance at Myrtle Beach
• Jill Stoler has a report with videos of the Brooklyn Stinky Cheese eating contest. Will Millender won the contest.
• “Beautiful” Brian judges the NYC Olive Garden and finds it wanting
• Chicago Pizzafest results
• No MLE video game release this week