
Jaws destroying the competition at Nathan's.
Joey Chestnutt, aka Jaws, is shaping up to be something of a dominant force in the world of competitive eating, and yesterday’s Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island in New York City, New York. Joey Chestnutt downed 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes to claim the mustard yellow championship belt and the $25,000 cash prize, besting Pat Bertoletti by 9 dogs in a pretty easy victory which was marked by the absence of two of Chestnutt’s most feared competitors. Missing from this year’s contest were two Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest stalwarts, Takeru Kobayashi and Sonya Thomas.
Sonya Thomas, AKA The Black Widow, has been moved to the women’s division by MLE officials. Thomas promptly downed 40 hot dogs and dominated the ladies to win the first ever Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest women’s division championship, claiming a $25,000 top prize and a pink championship belt.
Meanwhile, Kobayashi continues to feud with MLE over a contract dispute, but at least he wasn’t arrested for rushing the stage during the contest this year. On a rooftop across town at an unofficial contest, Kobi competed by television and ate 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Unfortunately for Kobi, he wasn’t at Coney Island while he did it.
Tags: Takeru Kobayashi, Joey Chestnutt, Joey “Jaws” Chestnutt, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, Coney Island, New York, Independence Day, Sonya Thomas, Black Widow, Kobi, 2011 Hot Dog Eating Contest results, MLE, Major League Eating, unusual events, hot dog eating contest