ANIKI channel has a video of Max Suzuki training for the Nathan's finals.
Bidding for good is currently taking bids on a judgeship at the Nathan's finals. The current bid is $100 and bidding closes tomorrow. Moeny received will go th the Childern's Museum of the Arts.
Derek Jacobs repeats at Nathan’s Cincinnati qualifier
update Fox Sports Ohio has a video
Winners of qualifiers at tonight’s Cincinnati Reds games. The contest time was apparently moved up due to a rain delay.
1) 25.5 Derek Jacobs, repeats as Cincinnati qualifier winner
1W) 8.5 Holly Titus
2018 Preakness Balloon Festival Nathan’s qualifier
update May 20 Darron Breeden has a video
update May 14 Videos: Frank Godfrey Jr. | K Womble introduction video
Darron Breeden practice session video
| 1st | 46.5 | Darron Breeden | |
| 2nd | 33.5 | Nick Wehry | 3rd most so far in 2017-18 circuit |
| 3rd | 20 | Kevin Liu | |
| 4th | 13 | Corey Yu-Yang Hsu | |
| 5th | 12.75 | William “Wild Bill” Myers | |
| 6th | 7.5 | Jonathan Koscianski | |
| 7th | 6.5 | Bryan Shepherd | |
| 8th | 5.5 | Chris Kilgalen | |
| 8th | 5.5 | Brett Shepherd | |
| 10th | 5 | Rich Henderson |
| 1st | 26 | “The Lovely” Juliet Lee | qualifies for 12th consecutive year |
Palm Beach Happening has an interview with Jason Ruppert, runner up in the 2018 Fort Myers Nathan's qualifier.
The fourth episode of the MLE podcast Men in Boaters was released today. The retirement of Meredith "Deep Fried" Diva was announced and Darron Breeden and Juliet Lee were listed as expected entrants in Saturday's Nathan's qualifier at the Preakness Balloon Festival in Maryland.
Darron Breeden announces that he will compete in the Nathan's qualifier in West Friendship, MD on May 12.
2018 Las Vegas Nathan’s qualifer
update May 8 The Laughing Lion has a video
Results via El Toro periscope (official results)
1) 42.5 Max Suzuki, highest total on 2017-18 circuit so far
2) 25.5 Tom Gilbert
3) 17.75 Ron Koch, final MLE contest
1W) 29 Michelle “Cardboard Shell” Lesco, highest female total on 2017-18 circuit
Tom Gilbert is expected to be the primary threat to Max Suzuki. This will be his first MLE contest since the 2013 Las Vegas Nathan’s qualifer. His total of 31 was the highest non-winning total on the 2012-13 circuit, but he did not receive the wild card spot in the finals which went to Erik Denmark.
In a new video, Raina Huang says she declined to sign the MLE contract before the Nathan's Qualifier at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA, which was a prerequisite for competing. A printed copy of that document was not availabe for her; the only copy was on a phone screen.
Rich Lefevre appeared on 8 News Now to promote Saturday's Nathan's qualifier at the NYNY Hotel & Casino. The hosts did not seemm to be aware that he had already qualified for the finals. (facebook video).
The MLE twitter announces that Max Suzuki will do Saturday's Nathan's qualifier at the NYNY Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. I think he will be the first Japanese competitive eater to attempt to qualify for the Nathan's finals since the 2006 qualifier in Tokyo. No other Vegas entrants were listed.
2018 Magic Mountain Nathan’s qualifier
Official results
1) Rich LeFevre 31
2) Jon Bello 21
3) Doug Ecks 15
1W) Steffi Valkov 8
Raina Huang did a training session at the FoodBeast headquarters. She will attempt to be the 7th female to break 20 hot dogs in her Nathan’s debut. Rich LeFevre, Crazy Legs Conti and Jon Bello are also expected to attend.
2018 Wild Adventures Nathan’s qualfier
update Apr 27 Matt Hazzard has a video and NewsWest9 has an article
update Valdosta Daily Times has a video
Results from video (Official Results)
1) Matt “Hungry” Hazzard 22
2) “Buffalo” Jim Reeves 20
1w) Dee Martin 6.5
The results can be viewed on Facebook Live
2018 Fort Myers Miracle Nathan’s qualifier
update April 16 Naples Herald has an article, gallery and video
@miraclebaseball Twitter gallery
Article about Miracle employee Ben Brown competing
Results from viewed on Facebook Live video (official results)
1) 25 Pablo Martinez
2) 11 Jason Ruppert
1W) 10 Kathryn Tesch
2W) 8.5 Rene Rovtar
2018 Poteet Strawberry Festival Nathan’s qualifier
Winners according to Fink Beats the Stomach Official results
1) Juan Neave 24
2) Crazy Legs Conti 17
3) Nate Biller 15
1W) Kassie Zapata 10
The second episode of the MLE podcast, Men in Boaters, was released today and mentioned the expected entrants of Saturday's Nathan's qualifiers. Pablo Martinez and Rene Rovtar are expected to compete in Fort Myers, FL while Juan Neave, Nate Biller, Crazy Legs Conti, Steve Schuster and Kassie Zapata headline the Poteet, TX field.
2018 Miami Marlins Nathan’s qualifier
| 1st | 21.5 | Eric “Badlands” Booker | qualifies for 20th time |
| 2nd | 13.5 | Victor Aldrich | |
| 3rd | 9.5 | Ryan Hadley | |
| 4th | 7 | Jason Ruppert | |
| 5th | 6 | Richard Rusak |
| 1st | 7.5 | Tracie Dickerson | won in OT |
| 2nd | 7.5 | Rene Rovtar | lost in OT, 1st contest since being named FBTS 2017 Rookie of the Year |
| 3rd | 4 | Brittany Broder |
The winners have been posted from today’s Nathan’s qualifier at Marlins Park in Miami
1) Eric “Badlands” Booker 21.5
1W) Tracie Dickerson 7.5 (won in OT)
An official MLE podcast, Men in Boaters, has been started with Rich Shea and Crazy Legs Conti as co-hosts. They call Sam Barclay, the emcee of tomorrow's Nathan's qualifier in Miami, who says that Rene Rovtar will have a female competitor from Winter Park, FL. Eric "Badland" Booker and George Shea also did podcasts earlier this week about the qualifier for Miami.CBSlocal.com.
The Fink Beats the Stomach has an interview with the winners of the Nathan's qualifier in Nashville in October 2017, Brynn Szeles and Ronnie Hartman, who has moved to Buffalo to pursue a professional wrestling career. Brynn has been a competitive eating fan for over a decade, but could not compete in a qualifier due to living in Hungary.
Eric "Badlands" Booker announces that he will compete in the Nathan's qualifier at the Marlins ballpark on Saturday. Unlike last year's qualifier in Miami, the competition will be held outside the stadium before the game, so there might be the possibility for walk-on entrants which could avoid an all-male field like the 2017 qualifier had.
Erik Denmark and Sarah Reinecke discuss their victories in the Nathan's qualifier at the Bite of Oregon in Portland in the latest Fink Beats the Stomach podcast.
2018 Nathan’s qualifier schedule
Update: The schedule has been posted and registration is open for all qualifiers on http://www.majorleagueeating.com/contests.php 
Notable omissions include all NASCAR qualifiers and the NYNY Casino in Las Vegas which has held a qualifier every year since at least 2003. The Mets ballpark takes over as the longest running qualifier site.
MLE announces that the 2018 Nathan’s qualifier schedule will be released at 2pm Eastern today.
The Cincinnati Reds May 18 and the New York Mets June 24 are probable sites since Nathan’s Famous is listed as a sponsor for those game dates.
A qualifier will not be held at the San Antonio Big League Weekend next month since that event will not take place in 2018 due to the NCAA Final Four being held at the Alamo Dome.
George Shea appears in an advertisement for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway, so the Fort Worth racetrack might be the site of a Nathan's qualifier on April 7 or 8.
The Preakness Balloon Festival will hold a Nathan's hot dog qualifier in West Friendship, MD (Baltimore area). I think this is the first Nathan's qualifier in Maryland.
The first Nathan's qualifier of 2018 has been announced: April 14 in Fort Myers, FL. Registration will open February 1.
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