Chestnut reclaims Nathan's hot dog contest title

Famed competitory eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut reclaimed his rubric Friday astatine the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot-dog eating contention aft after skipping past year's gastronomic conflict successful New York for the coveted Mustard Belt.

Chestnut, 41, consumed 70 1/2 blistery dogs and buns successful 10 minutes, falling abbreviated of his grounds of 76 wieners and buns acceptable connected July 4, 2021. It marked the 17th triumph successful 20 appearances for the Westfield, Indiana, eater astatine the internationally televised competition, which helium missed successful 2024 implicit a declaration dispute.

Defending champion successful the women's division, Miki Sudo of Tampa, Florida, won her 11th title, downing 33 dogs, besting a twelve competitors. Last year, she ate a grounds 51 links.

A ample crowd, galore wearing foam blistery canine hats, braved precocious temperatures to witnesser the yearly eat-a-thon, held extracurricular the archetypal Nathan's Famous edifice successful Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. Many amusement up to spot Chestnut's much-awaited instrumentality to an lawsuit helium has called "a cherished tradition, a solemnisation of American culture, and a immense portion of my life."

Chestnut bested 14 chap competitors from crossed the U.S. and internationally, including Australia, the Czech Republic, Ontario, England and Brazil.

Last year, Major League Eating lawsuit organizer George Shea said Chestnut would not beryllium participating successful the contention owed to a declaration dispute. Chestnut had struck a woody with a competing brand, the plant-based nutrient institution Impossible Foods.

Chestnut told The Associated Press past period that helium had ne'er appeared successful immoderate commercials for the company's vegan blistery dogs and that Nathan's is the lone blistery canine institution helium has worked with. But Chestnut acknowledged helium "should person made that much wide with Nathan's."

Last year, Chestnut ate 57 dogs - successful lone 5 minutes - successful an accumulation with soldiers, astatine Fort Bliss successful El Paso, Texas. He said that lawsuit was "amazing" and helium was pleased to inactive person a accidental to devour blistery dogs - a batch of them - connected July Fourth.

"I'm blessed I did that, but I'm truly blessed to beryllium backmost astatine Coney Island," helium said.

Last twelvemonth successful New York, Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago gobbled up a 58 to gain the men's title.