Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut has won his 12th Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest by devouring 71 franks in 10 minutes on the Coney Island boardwalk.
In front of a crowd of fans and facing 17 opponents, the California native came close but didn’t manage to beat his own record of 74 dogs, set last year.
However, he far exceeded his nearest competitors.
Afterward, Chestnut said he was disappointed to not break his record, but planned to try again next year.
Prior to the men’s event, Miki Sudo (MIHK’-ee SOO’doh), of Las Vegas, won her sixth consecutive women’s title by eating 31 hot dogs. She downed 37 franks last year.
Thursday’s top five winners of each gender split $40,000, while he two first-place winners will each earn $10,000.
Thousands gather to watch the spectacle every year, with millions more tuning in on ESPN.
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Joe Chestnut celebrates his 12th title alongside Master of Ceremonies George Shea
Joey Chestnut attempts to defend his Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest title
Miki Sudo reacts after receiving her trophy and belt for winning the women’s competition of Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest
Fans of hot dogs and competitive eating gather along the Coney Island boardwalk in Brooklyn
Master of ceremony George Shea attends the hot dog eating contest on July 4, 2019 in New York City. Nathan’s held its first hot dog eating contest in Coney Island on July 4, 1916
Juliet Lee, left, and Miki Sudo, right, compete in the women’s competition of Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest. Sudo won her sixth consecutive title Thursday
General view of the stage before the women’s hot dog eating contest on July 4, 2019
In front of a crowd of fans and facing 17 opponents, Joe Chestnut, a California native, came close but didn’t manage to beat his own record of 74 dogs, set last year
Fans wear themed foam hats as they attend the 2019 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest
Chestnut told ESPN that he drank some water, coffee, and lemon juice to prepare for the contest.
The 35-year-old Chestnut said Wednesday that he’ll ‘find a rhythm and do what it takes’ to win the event again, and that turned out to be true.
The 33-year-old Sudo fell short of her total last year of 37 frankfurters but earned her sixth consecutive title by easily beating runner-up Michelle Lesco, who wolfed down 26 hot dogs.
Sonya ‘The Black Widow’ Thomas holds the all-time women’s record of 45 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Spectators with foam hot dog hats, plastic noisemakers and homemade signs descended on Coney Island’s famed boardwalk for the contest.
‘I’m super grateful for everybody who came out here to support,’ Sudo said.
Chestnut joined other competitors at the Empire State Building for the weigh-in for Thursday’s contest.
Chestnut weighed in at 216.5 pounds (98 kilograms), while defending women’s champion Miki Sudo weighed 114 pounds (52 kilograms).
Miko Sudo competes during the women’s division of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hog Dog Eating contest. She won her sixth title by eating 31 franks
Competitive eater Michelle Lesco competes during the women’s division contest
People gather on the Coney Island beach for the Independence Day holiday in Brooklyn
A New York City police officer stand guard before the hot dog eating contest on July 4, 201
ESPN released a documentary Tuesday featuring the rivalry between Chestnut and his longtime foe, Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi, who no longer takes part in the contest.
‘The Good, The Bad, The Hungry’ director Nicole Lucas explained the origins of the documentary with The Washington Post.
‘I’m a person who’s really fascinated with niche activities and obsessive persons, having some of those in my own life,’ Haimes said. ‘I was really interested in what’s making these competitors tick.’
The documentary focuses on three people: Kobayashi, Chestnut, and George Shea, the man who, along with his brother, Rich, turned the Nathan’s Famous contest into a major ESPN event.
In particular, the film shows how the sport evolved as Kobayashi gave way to Chestnut, who had the support of the American audience.
‘Kobayashi was the man,’ Chestnut said in the documentary. ‘The other competitive eaters, they thought of him as unbeatable . . . He wasn’t an eater. He was a god.’
At one point in the documentary, Chestnut is seen beating Kobayashi in 2007 as onlookers scream ‘Go home, Shanghai boy!’ and ‘Go home, kamikaze!’
‘We have our confidence back!’ Shea yelled after Chestnut’s win. ‘The dark days of the last six years are behind us!’
A stunned Kobayashi is then seen in a post-match interview with tears in his eyes.
‘I was shocked,’ he said. ‘They used to cheer for me, and I started to feel I wasn’t welcome in America anymore.’