MySanAntonio has a preview of Saturdays’ Krystal Square Off qualifier which contains an interview with Sonya Thomas. update The Krystal Square Off blog also has an interview in which Sonya comments on sitting out last year’s finals:

Look, I’m a fast food manager and my staff and I take great pride and work long, rigorous hours in preparing orders for our customers, who love our food. I have seen Krystal burgers getting disrespected more and more every year to the point that I didn’t want to contribute to that image any more. A Krystal burger went into the water, but what came out was something that looked like it probably could have been eaten with a spoon. It made my heart so heavy to think about being a part of that. I know how I would feel if I saw people drowning the fast food items that I pour my blood, sweat and tears into preparing each and every day. There’s just something wrong with that. The least someone can do is eat our food the way it was intended to be eaten.

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Pat Bertoletti’s twitter reports that he won today’s Krystal qualifier in Chattanooga by eating 42 regular Krystal burgers and 5 Angus burgers worth 5 points. “Wild” Bill Myers was second.

George Shea’s twitter has the top 5:

1. Pat Bertoletti 67 points
2. “Wild Bill” Myers 34 points
3. Rick Petralia 31 points
4. “Chef” Mike Nafziger
5. Paul Barlow

update The Krystal Square Off blog already has full results

update Aug 25 The Chattanoogan has a gallery

update Aug 26 Flickr has galleries of the qualifier, running of the grill and media event.

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The comments of this post are for anyone who would like to publicize where they will attempt to qualify for the Krystal finals. Announced Krystal qualifier acceptances:

Chattanooga – Pat Bertoletti, Paul Barlow
Jacksonville – Bruce “The Hangman” Pobanz, RJ Frasca
San Antonio – Erik “the Red” Denmark

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The next poll will ask what you think of the Krystal Square Off banning dunking. The current choices are listed below. Please list others you think should be added in the comments:

• Approve, the dunking ban will make it more difficult to cheat
• Approve, too much food was wasted if dunking is allowed
• Approve, contests allowing dunking are not visually appealing to watch
• Approve, the IFOCE circuit needed something to spice it up
• Disapprove, dunking had become a fundamental part of IFOCE contests
• Disapprove, the records will not be consistent from year to year
• Disapprove, the totals will drop
• Neutral, don’t have a preference for dunking vs. non-dunking

update The poll has started

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The new rules are now available for this year’s Krystal Square Off. Dunking has been banned and competitors will receive 5 Big Angus burgers, which will count as 3 5 regular Krystals when consumed. A video about the rules changes is available. The purse for this year’s contest will be $50,000.

The qualifier schedule for 2009

August 22 – Southern Brewers Festival in Chattanooga, Tenn.
August 29 – Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, Tex.
September 7 – Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Fla.
September 12 – UAB Football Game in Birmingham, Ala.
September 13 – Lenox Square in Atlanta, Ga.
September 19 – Tennessee State Fair in Nashville, Tenn.
September 20 – Tennessee Valley Fair in Knoxville, Tenn

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The Krystal Square Off twitter has a link to a blog entry announcing that this year’s finals will take place on September 27. The blog also announces two new rules changes: one will limit “detritus”, the second modification is not described.

As for the other change, Brad Wahl, the vice president of marketing at The Krystal Company, shared, “Let’s just say it’s a really big change; one that will make this year’s competition the most exciting in the six-year history of the Krystal Square Off. Much like the way the three-point shot revolutionized the game of basketball, this new rule will drastically alter the way eaters approach our contest from a strategic level.”

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Clay Today has an article about Hall “Hoover” Hunt being inducted into the Jacksonville Krystal Hall of Fame with more information about the boxes that Hall Hunt will appear on:

A total of 15 customers are being recognized and inducted to the Hall of Fame. Three of those are from the Jacksonville area and all of those individuals will have their faces stamped on Krystal boxes that surpass one million units per person present in the states where the fast food restaurant can be found– “from Texas to Virginia and everywhere in between”.

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• Picture of Juliet Lee at the Nashville qualifier
• Favorite KSO V pictures at Krystalist
• Kobayashi has some pictures from the Krystal Square Off on his blog
• Tomoko Miyake has posted a FAQ using questions sent by her fans (Her favorite baseball team is the Hanshin Tigers)
• Craigslist posting about Raleigh, NC wing contest Sunday

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Val Bromann has a blog entry and gallery about her trip to the Krystal finals. Her father drove her from Chicago to Chattanooga from midnight to Sunday morning.

Hall Hunt also has some pictures on his blog.

update Jamie of Hungry Sisters has a pre-KSO report which includes her selection as Kobayashi’s bunnette and several videos. (She will post a contest report later)

update #2 The trip report on hungrysisters has been extended to cover the contest and a gallery has also been uploaded.

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• News video from the corny dog contest
• Jill Stoler has a contest report from a Brooklyn wing eating contest won by Will Millender
• MosesNews.com will stop covering competitive eating and offer political commentary and restaurant reviews
• News video from the Nashville Krystal qualifier
• Beautiful Brian has uploaded a song about the Nashville Krystal qualifier called “The Cheater” based The Who’s “The Seeker”
• Clips from Sunday’s Gluttonous King broadcast with Scandinavian subtitles

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From the Krystal Square Off twitter:

1. Joey Chestnut 93 burgers
2. Pat Bertoletti 85 burgers
3. Takeru Kobayashi 84 burgers

update #4 Fox 61 video
blog entry by Kevin the Cool Guy
blog entry by unexpected spectator
youtube video recorded from the audience

update #3 A gallery of the finals is available

update #2 Times Free Press has an article
DNJ.com has a report on Dr. Big Time’s 10 place finish

Kobayashi has a blog entry which concludes (automatically translated)

First of all, I would from next year through the IFOCE, or do believe in freedom.

Of course, is also free to Nathan and Crystal would want to be a challenge.

update The Krystal Square Off blog has full results

IFOCE.com reports Kobayashi received a 2 burger deduction, which cost him second place and $5,000 in prize money

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