Hot dog eating contests require a strong stomach, both for the competitors who must ingest as many as possible within a set time, and for the audience, given the scenes are not pleasant to watch. But in the United States, they are somewhat famous, particularly the tournament held at Coney Island in New York City every July 4th.
Since 1997, as part of the Independence Day celebrations in the United States, the fast-food chain Nathan’s Famous has organized a competition that attracts people from all over the world, including from Brazil. However, this year’s edition is not without controversy: the champion of the last eight years, Joey Chestnut, was excluded for signing a commercial agreement with a rival manufacturer of vegan sausages.
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“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs,” the contest organizers stated on social media. “He is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him, so we hope he returns when he is not representing a rival brand,” they added.
Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest is KICKING OFF🌭🌭🌭 pic.twitter.com/QP3SAGM1Ek
— Major League Eating (@eatingcontest) July 4, 2023
Chesnut has been the champion since 2016, and his record performance came in 2021 when he consumed 76 hot dogs in the 10-minute duration of the competition. In addition to receiving a large belt, the winner in each category (male and female) takes home about $10,000.
His absence has thrown off the betting houses, which now have Geoffrey Esper as the favorite, having placed second last year. Esper’s career also includes good performances in other eating competitions, including pizza, chicken wings, and tamales. In the women’s category, the heavy favorite is Miki Sudo, who has won the Coney Island event eight times in the last decade.
Brazilian presence
Among the international participants is a Brazilian. He is a YouTuber and influencer who goes by the name Corbucci Eats. His account includes records showing that he has participated in past editions of what he calls “the best championship in the world.”
His latest videos are already from the United States, where he’s buying large quantities of hot dogs at supermarkets and practicing his technique for the upcoming July 4th competition. However, he admitted that he is arriving at the competition “with a tired stomach and jaw from recent challenges.”
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
