Oakland / East Bay Area eating challenges and contests category

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Scott Eats ate 25 donuts in 5 minutes to win the first prize of $1,000 at the Donut Fun Run in Alameda, CA on October 19.
The Donut Fun Run will hold a donut eating contest in Alameda, CA on October 19 awarding $1,000 to the winner.

2024 Alameda County Fair Nathan’s qualifier

update June 18 Results with full names are on the MLE contest page. Dan Downey has a contest video

Full results have been posted without full names:

1st 27.75 Derek Hendrickson
2nd 24.5 Steve “The Rabbit” Hammond
3rd 22 Erik “The Red” Denmark first contest since 2022
3rd 22 Yasir Salem first Nathan’s contest since 2017
5th 16 Naader “Freak8r” Reda
6th 9.5 Nick Esarco
DQ ? Andrew Imhoff
1st 12 Tandra Childress competitive eating debut
2nd 10 Jocelyn Walker
3rd 7 Crystal Ocampo
4th 6 Elizabeth Salgado

Comments (4)

2024 Nathan’s qualifier circuit announced

Six Nathan’s qualifiers were posted today. Registration opens April 12.

  • May 11 Comstock, MI West Michigan Whitecaps game
  • May 17 Times Square, NYC
  • June 6 Cleveland, OH Parma Rib N Rock
  • June 8 Bristol, CT
  • June 15 Pleasanton, CA Alameda County Fair
  • June 22 Washington, DC Giant National Capital BBQ Battle

The last Central or Mountain time zone qualifier was at the Iowa State Fair in August 2019.

Comments (10)

Lumpy's Diner in Antioch, CA will hold a burger eating contest on October 14 awarding $500 to the winner.
The Donut Fun Run will hold a donut eating contest in Alameda Point, CA on October 21 awarding $1000/$200/$100.

2023 Alameda County Fair Nathan’s qualfier

update Contest video by Misty Family Vlogs

Official results update Men’s results have been fixed

1st 32.5 Derek Hendrickson
2nd 18 Abraham Reynaga-Withrow
3rd 13 Kirk Taylor
4th 10 Jon Davis
1st 14 Katie Prettyman
2nd 8.75 Elizabeth Salgado
3rd 5 Abby Horowitz

Comments (8)

Registration open for 2023 Nathan’s qualifers

Registration is now open for four Nathan’s qualifiers awarding a spot in the July 4 contest to the top male and female finishers.

May 27 Berea, OH
June 9 Dayton, OH
June 17 Pleasanton, CA
June 24 Washington, DC

update Registration for a June 17 qualifier in Cincinnati will open May 6 at 9 am. This places 3 out of the 6 announced qualifiers in Ohio.

Comments (4)

Nathan’s qualifier May 13 in Kissimmee, FL

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.

Comments (25)

James Webb wins Alameda County Fair Nathan’s qualifier

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

Comments (38)

Registration will open June 1 at noon eastern for Nathan's qualifiers at the Giant National Capital BBQ Battle in Washington, DC on June 25 and the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, CA on June 18. Both competitions will award spots in the July 4 contest to the top three male and female finishers.
The first Nathan's qualifier of the 2020s will take place at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, CA on June 18. The top 3 male and female finishers will receive a spot in the July 4 contest. Registration opens May 31.
The UC Berkeley student newspaper has a column asking if Joey Chestnut will wind up in hell for the sin of gluttony.
Dan Kennedy annouced he ate 20 burgers to win the first prize of $1000 in yesterday's eating contest at Lumpy's Burgers in Antioch, CA. Edward Chin was the runner up and Scott Rubin was 3rd. Previous winners were not allowed to received the first prize money, which prevented Molly Schuyler from defending her title.
Lumpy's Diner will hold a burger eating contest in Antioch, CA on October 12 awarding $1000/$250/$100 to the top 3.
Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch will attend a cheesesteak eating contest at IB's in Berkeley, CA on April 27.
The San Francisco Creamery in Walnut Creek, CA, home of a famed "Kitchen Sink" ice cream challenge was shut down after a health inspector found cockroaches in the restaurant. Reopening will require eradication of the pests and a positive report from a pest control company.
ThePress.net has an article about Jon Davis' victory in a pie eating contest at Hot Rods 4 Paws in Brentwood, CA Saturday.
The top 3 from last night's Lumpy's Diner Burger Eating Contest in Antioch, CA: 1) Molly Schuyler 25 $1000 (12 minutes) 2) Edward Chin 16 $250 3) Sergio Reyes Raya 10.75 $100
Lumpy's Diner in Antioch, CA will hold a burger eating contest on October 13 awarding $1,000 to the winner.

2018 Vallejo Nathan’s qualifier

update TheReporter article

Official results
1) Steve Hendry 28
2) Ryan “Max Carnage” Rodacker 20

1W) Katie Prettyman 14.5, highest female rookie total in 2017-18
2W) Mary Bowers 12

Exhibition: Joey Chestnut 72

Joey Chestnut will do an exhibition during the event.

Comments (10)

Times Herald Online has an article about Merlin Chestnut, father of Joey Chestnut, who works as a music teacher at Solana, CA Middle School. His students will perform a concert on December 20 at the 105 year old Empress Theater in Vallejo, CA.
The top 3 for yesterday's burger eating contest at Lumpy's Diner in Antioch, CA: 1 Edward Chin $1000 prize 2 Sergio Reyes Raya $250 3 Gim Chu $100 (via Sergio Reyes Raya) Contest video
ContraCostaTimes.com reports that Lumpy Sturgill, owner of Lumpy's Diner who passed away in June, will be named Brentwood (CA) Citizen of the Year. The East Bay Area restaurant held an annual burger eating contest.
Jon Davis reports that Molly Schuyler won last night's burger eating contest at Lumpy's Diner in Antioch, CA with a total of 19.5 burgers. Picture with trophy and novelty check update Oct 12 East County Today has a gallery
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