It's that time of year again - competitive hot dog eating season! Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest is only a couple of days away, and the question on everyone's mind is, "Will Kobayashi rule supreme?"
Three-time world champion Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi of Japan will be defending his world championship title at the event. Kobayashi ate 44 1/2 hot dogs and buns to win the title last year, short of his recording setting performance in 2002 of 50 1/2 hot dogs and buns. Keep in mind, that's 50 1/2 hot dogs and buns in twelve minutes. The current American record holder is Ed "Cookie Jar" Jarvis, who finished second last year with 30 1/2 hot dogs and buns.
I'll be cheering for Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas. She burst onto the competitive food eating scene last year when she broke the women's record at Nathan's, finishing 25 hot dogs and buns. After that record-setting performance, she quit her job and began competing in eating contests full-time. The IFOCE (International Federation of Competitive Eating) remarks of Sonya:
There is an century-old prophesy within the competitive eating community, dismissed by most, that foretells the rise of the 'One Eater,' a woman who will electrify America's gurgitators and lead them to international victory once again. Like Joan of Arc before her, this eater will be slender of stature, but mighty in strength. In recent months, the prophesy has been mentioned more and more frequently as the eaters have watched Sonya Thomas excel in nearly every contest she enters.I would not be surprised to see Sonya finish in the top three this year. On her website she writes, "In this, my rookie year, my speed has picked up considerably since my first Nathan's; my stomach capacity has always been pretty good. Anyway, I'm just going to do my best, and whatever happens, happens--that's it!"
Game on!
Event Details: Preliminary ceremonies for the 2004 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest will begin at 11:30 am at the corner of Surf & Stillwell avenues in Coney Island, Brooklyn. At 12:25 pm, eaters representing the United States and nations from all over the world will be introduced, and at 12:40 pm the historic 12-minute all-you-can-eat contest will begin.
Directions:
Nathan’s Famous
1310 Surf Avenue
(Corner Surf & Stillwell avenues, Coney Island, Brooklyn)
(718) 946-2202
D, Q or F Trains to Stillwell Avenue, last stop
Belt Parkway to Exit 6, Cropsey Avenue
South on Cropsey Avenue to Surf Avenue (Keyspan Park), Left, Two blocks
Commercial parking lots on West 17th Street and West 12th Street between Mermaid and Surf, West 15th Street between the Boardwalk and Surf and on Neptune Avenue between West 12th and Stillwell Avenue
