A facebook event page claims that the first Nathan’s Famous qualifier of 2023 will take place May 13 at Old Town in Kissimmee, FL (south Orlando). BBQ in DC will also hold a qualifier in Washington, DC on June 24. The traditional New York Mets Father’s Day qualifier might also return. Nathan’s will sponsor the giveaway promotion for their June 18 game, which has previously been a hint that a qualifier will take place during the event.

update April 21 A press release says there will also be qualifiers in Cincinnati on June 17 (probably a Reds game) and Pleasanton, CA (probably a return to the Alameda County Fair)

Registration opens today (April 21) at noon eastern for the Kissimmee qualifier.

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Official results

Joey Chestnut was rushed by a stage crasher, but still managed to defend his title.

For people who lack ESPNews, DutchMazz is running a live video from the top of the Coney Island subway station. Tim “Eater X” Janus was on the bus of champions, perhaps he will compete.

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Official results

Miki Sudo will look to become the first parent with the top male or female total in the Nathan’s Famous finals in the 21st century. All of the other previous top finishers since 2001: Takeru Kobayashi, Joey Chestnut, Matt Stonie, Sonya Thomas have been childless. There do not appear to be any surprises with the field. w

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The Nathan’s weigh in was held today. Joey Chestnut was in crutches. He made a instagram post on December 29 about a leg injury requiring surgery. Tim “Eater X” Janus was present; it was not clear if he will be a competitor. His last eating contest was in October 2015.

update The official field is now out. There are no major surprises. Beard Meats Food will compete and Tim Janus will not make a comeback. Instead of doing a blog entry for each article about the competitors. I will have links to all the coverage of the confirmed entrants below

Geoff Esper
Nick Wehry
Gideo Oji
Pat Bertoletti
Ronnie Hartman
Brett Healey intends to retire from competitive eating after Nathan’s
Juan Rodriguez
Steve Hammond
Bartley Weaver, IV
James Webb
Adam “Beard Meats Food” Moran
George Chiger
Derek Hendrickson
Pablo Martinez
Derek Jacobs

Miki Sudo
Michelle Lesco
Katie Prettyman
Sarah Reinecke Rodriguez
Sophia DeVita
Larell Marie Mele
Jules Golberg
Holly Titus
Jocelyn Walker
Rene Rovtar
Prudence DiBenedetto
Catie Livermore

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The official field for the 2022 Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest has yet to be released. Last year, the entrant list was not announced until July 4. Here is how the roster could shape up:

Previous Champions bye: Joey Chestnut, Matt Stonie (might not compete)
Miki Sudo, Michelle Lesco

Qualfied: James Webb, Pablo Martinez, Derek Hendrickson, Pat Bertoletti, Ronnie Hartman, Derek Jacobs
Prudence DiBenedetto, Rene Rovtar, Catie Livermore

Probable Byes: Geoff Esper, Nick Wehry, Gideon Oji, Darron Breeden (will probably miss due to birth of son)
Sarah Rodriguez, Larell Marie Mele, Katie Prettyman, Sophia DeVita-Gutierrez

Possible Byes: Max Suzuki, Ricardo Corbucci, Steve Hammond, Adrian Morgan, Adam “Beard Meats Food” Moran, Bartley Weaver, George Chiger, Brett Healey, Juan Rodriguez
Holly Titus, Jocelyn Walker, Kelly Wong, Kathryn Tesch, Mary Bowers

When the contest was originally fannounced, the field sizes were given as 16 men and 12 women.

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The top 3 men and women from today’s Nathan’s qualifier at Giant National Capital BBQ Battle in Washington, DC. The top 3 men and women advance to the finals.

1 Pat Bertoletti 40, 1st Nathan’s qualifier since April 21, 2012
2 Ronnie Hartman 29.5
3 Derek Jacobs 27

1 Rene Rovtar 6.5
2 Prudence DiBenedetto 5
3 Catie Livermore 2.8

update
Mac Stoddard has a video. Crazy Legs Conti and Buffalo Jim Reeves also competed. Mike Whities had to miss the contest for work. George Chiger and Jules Goldberg might have received byes.

Catie Livermore’s 2.8 hot dogs is a record low qualifying total, breaking a tie for 3 by:
Lauren Gallagher, Foxborough, MA 2011
Meghan Drake, Valdosta, GA 2017

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GamblingSites.com has a preview of the Nathan’s finals for bettors. The following odds for the men’s field are given:

oey Chestnut (-2500) (bet $2500 to win $100)
Geoffrey Esper (+700) (bet $100 to win $700)
Nick Wehry (+1000)
Darron Breeden (+1200)
Gideon Oji (+2000)

Matt Stonie is not listed.

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update Derek Hendrickson, Safeway and Misty Family Vlogs have videos. KCBS has a radio segment

The top 6 men from today’s Nathan’s qualifier at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, CA (top 3 qualify for finals)
1 James Webb 41.5
2 Derek Hendrickson 28.75
3 Pablo Martinez 28.5
4 Erik Denmark 25
5T Gabriel Lucas 7
5T BJ Thompson 7

Austalia’s James Webb broke the UK Commonwealth Nathan’s record previously held by Adam “Beard Meats Food” Moran (32)

There were not female entrants according to Pablo Martinez

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Daily Mail has an article about Anne Nelson, whose father, Port Authority Police Officer James Nelson, died in the World Trace Center wreckage. Another shocking fatality would strike the family 16 years later.

Tragedy stalked Anne again in 2017 when her sister Caitlin (then a 20 year old college student) died in a freak accident when she choked in a charity pancake eating contest.

‘I think that loss is what really made me process my father’s death a little more. Even though I had gone to therapy before, the enormity of it all didn’t really hit me until that happened.’

Anne Nelson’s story is proof that people can live through not one but multiple traumas and still recover. Now 31, Anne tries to honor her sister and dad in everything she does.

She currently works as a special needs teacher at an elementary school, inspired by Caitlin’s studies in social work and her father’s life-long emphasis on education. ‘I take a little bit of both of them in what I’m doing and I try to carry them with me through that.’

Nathan’s Hot Dog qualifiers, restricted to NYC civil servants, were held on top of the original World Trade Center from 1998 to 2000. “Hungry” Charles Hardy won all 3 contests. Very little information about the competitions remains on the internet. Here is a screen capture from the 2002 documentary “Footlong”

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