Kobayashi downs 68-1/2 hot dogs at competition to top Joey Chestnut

Takeru Kobayashi won another Fourth of July hot dog eating competition by downing 68-1/2 of the wieners and buns— even if he was three subway transfer stops from the Nathan's Hot Dog Contest being held on the Coney Island boardwalk.

Kobayashi won the inaugural Crif Dog Classic after downing 68-1/2 hot dogs in ten minutes under  sweltering temperatures.  He ate 68 off the plate but judges awarded the extra half after they saw that he finished a whole hot dog and left only part of a bun giving him the additional half.  Check the rule book folks.

Last Fourth of July, Kobayashi broke the world record by eating 69 hot dogs while competing against a simulcast of the Nathan's contest while on a rooftop bar in mid-town Manhattan.  This year Kobayashi kicked off the new event in Roberta's pizza restaurant garden in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn that attracted about 500 fans.

After word came in that Kobayashi's main rival Joey Chestnut had just won the Nathan's competition two hours earlier— tying Kobayashi's record with six Nathan's titles apiece—by eating 68 hot dogs in ten minutes, the Japanese star set out to top him against what could be considered a lesser bunch of competitors.  Even so, it looked like Kobayashi competed against himself and stole the thunder from Chestnut from an alternate location once again.

Under difficult circumstances— hot temps, a crowded stage and a hotter card flipper who didn't know how to flip (check the full video)— the popular Kobayashi didn't let his fans down.  The 34-year old Kobi may not have broken his own record but he said he was satisfied eating the most hot dogs in ten minutes once again— either here or at Coney Island.

The Crif Dog Classic was created just to give Kobayashi a place to compete after he was banned from the Nathan's contest due to his refusal to sign an exclusive contract to participate.  Kobayashi waddled away with $15,000 at the Crif while Chestnut took home $10,000 at the Nathan's  contest.

Nathan's will not comment on Kobayashi or honor his hot dog eating achievements and records.

The new competition wouldn't have any relevance if it weren't for the presence of Kobayashi and Nathan's loses a lot of credibility without him.

After his overwhelming victory— second place went to a woman who ate 31 Bushwick Barkers— Kobayashi said he had trained for the event by expanding his stomach. "I drank three gallons of water in 10 minutes to stretch it out," he said while lifting his shirt to show off the 18 extra pounds he had just gained.

"I was only expecting to eat 55 hot dogs today, so I'm not disappointed," said Kobi as he pushed out his bloated stomach.

Maybe one of these quirky contests can get both Kobayashi and Chestnut at the same table one day.  Until then, there will always be an * next to their numbers.

SEE FULL 10 MINUTE VIDEO

Mayor Bloomberg's speech gets salty at Nathan's weigh-in

New York City Mayor Bloomberg— who thinks restaurants and stores are already putting too much sugar, sodium and trans-fats into our beverages and food— yesterday, thought his junior speechwriters put too much corn syrup into a speech.  His constituents probably thought his language was what was a little too salty.

As Bloomberg presided over Tuesday's weigh-in for the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, the mayor himself had his fill of the corny puns and tired quips during his pre-written introduction.

After grimacing through a dozen groan-inducing puns— like he wanted to be "perfectly frank," "it'll be a dog-fight" and after it's over we'll "pronounce a wiener"—  in a short while, Bloomberg finally looked at the hot dog mascot next to him and asked, "Who wrote this s--t?"

Lucky for the mayor, the Coney Island atmosphere and happy, friendly audience just rolled with the public gaffe.  The audience just roared with delight at the public obscenity.  It actually got the biggest laugh of the day.

Bloomberg did introduce last year's wieners, five-time men's champion Joey (Jaws) Chestnut, who weighed in at 210 pounds and the women's champ, Sonya (The Black Widow) Thomas,  who tipped the scales at 100.

It's probably only a matter of time before the mayor starts ordering his hot dog speeches without the puns.

Kobayashi headed to new Fourth of July hot dog eating competition

Takeru Kobayashi may not be competing in the world-famous Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island, but that doesn't mean he still won't be in Brooklyn trying to top his world record at another tube steak eating competition this Fourth of July.

Kobayashi has formed his own competition this year after contract disputes and restrictions kept him out of the last two Nathan's competitions.  Throw in an arrest for crashing the 2010 event and you have all the makings of a mustard covered rivalry.

On Wednesday, the 34-year old Kobayashi and ten other world-class competitive eaters will challenge the world record at the inaugural 2012 Crif Dog Classic in that newest hipster-enclave Bushwick, Brooklyn— about six subway transfers from the boardwalk.

Last July Fourth, Kobayashi competed independently against only the clock and a simulcast of the Nathan's contest at a rooftop bar in Mid-town Manhattan.  He set a new world record by downing 69 hot dogs in front of two judges and hopes to top that by downing even more Bushwick Barkers this year.

The diminutive Kobayashi held the hot dog eating world record for almost six years before Joey Chestnut became the new champ in 2007.  Chestnut— the five-time champion of the Nathan's competition— still doesn't give credit to Kobayashi for breaking his record of 68 last year and sounded bitter after Kobi claimed the record as his own.

"I think even Kobayashi  would agree that the record still stands at 68," said Chestnut.  "And if he wants to compete with me on the Fourth of July, he knows what he has to do: sign a simple agreement and man up."

It starting to sound like the old AFL upstarts showing up the NFL.

Did I hear the words Super Bowl of Hot Dog Eating.

Kobayashi Downs Record 69 Hot Dogs To Win Simulcast Eating Competition

Article and photos by Tony Mangia

On a rooftop bar in mid-town Manhattan, six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi downed a record 69 hot dogs to become the unofficial winner of this year's annual Nathan's hot dog eating competition—only problem was, he was seven miles west of the actual boardwalk event on Coney Island.

With the Empire State Building as a backdrop and a ten-foot high TV screen showing the actual sanctioned Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Competition in real-time on ESPN, Kobayashi went up against the broadcasted competitors on the big screen and demolished the field via the air waves.

You know the new saying: If you're not allowed to join 'em face-to-face, beat 'em via television simulcast. 

Four-time defending champ, Joey Chestnut, ate 62 hot dogs today and won the authentic competition from the Nathan's at Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Brooklyn, but it was Kobayashi who broke Chestnut's two-year old record of 68 and technically ate more hot dogs on this Fourth of July during the same time span.

On this steamy hot morning, about 500 Kobayashi supporters crowded the 230 Fifth Avenue rooftop bar and braved overcast skies and dehydration as they cheered for their exiled competitive eating champion.

Kobayashi says he is banned from the Nathan's event due to a two year old contract dispute with Major League Eating which oversees the Nathan's annual event.  A clause in the contract stipulates Kobayashi cannot appear in certain eating competitions and the league would control his endorsements.

Last year in protest, Kobayashi was arrested at the Nathan's event after he climbed over a barrier and stormed the stage of the Nathan's contest. He spent time in a New York City jail.

230 Fifth's owner, Steven Greenberg, said he approached Kobayashi with the simulcast idea after seeing Kobayashi's arrest last year.

"He [Kobayashi] is a cross between an athlete and a performer," said Greenberg.  "It's entertainment."

Greenberg said Kobayashi was paid for his hot dog eating appearance, but said it wasn't an endorsement or promotional fee and wouldn't disclose the amount.

Today, Kobayashi stood alone on a stage with a table, which was measured to the exact competition height, and two members of the New York State Athletic Commission—former-boxers Tyrone "The Harlem Butcher" Jackson and Brian Adams—who acted as judges.

A timer rested on the table along with five large cups of water and a person to count the hot dogs devoured and flip a tally card. The huge TV screen to Kobayashi's right dwarfed the smallish eater with a huge appetite.  He never looked at the screen even once.

The pro-Kobayashi crowd cheered loudly as he jumped to any early lead over Chestnut.  It was 36-27 at about the half-way mark and the Japanese eater never slowed down before crushing Chestnut.  Sixty-nine barkers later, Kobayshi held the unofficial title once again.

There was some concern at the end of the contest when some credentialed "spies" for Nathan's said there was confusion and a miscount.  The discretion was cleared up when the flipper/counter explained that they didn't only count hot dogs individually eaten, but also by the tray.  Each tray held five hot dogs and there was four left.  It was a two-step counting system.

After sixty-nine hot dogs and 18 pounds of additional weight, Kobayashi, sporting a blond-streaked mane, leaped to the table after the record was announced.  He shook his fist in triumph and pulled up his tee-shirt, which read "Kobi Unleashed" and puffed out his belly.

"I'm so happy to break the record in front of everyone," he beamed.

Asked if it was harder to compete with no one standing next to him Kobayashi said through a translator, "I compete for myself, I was battling myself today."

In the past, MLE president Richard Shea said the league wouldn't recognize Kobayashi's achievement if he wins.  "It's a farce," said Shea.  "He's not banned, he's just mad he lost three years in a row."

Kobayashi claims he has no hard feelings for the MLE.  He just doesn't want to sign a contract that restricts him.

Kobayashi may not lay claim to Nathan's "Mustard Yellow Belt" like  Chestnut, but he did break his record in public.

I don't know if simulcasting competitions from different venues to the same event is feasible in most sports or a wave of the future, but it's too bad it couldn't set up the one-on-one match-up everyone wants — Pacquaio vs. Mayweather.

For now though, we'll settle for Kobayashi vs. Chestnut.

Kobayashi Will Compete in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Via Satellite

Takeru Kobayashi won't be on the Coney Island boardwalk for this year's Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest but will compete from a distance via satellite TV.

Kobayashi, who can't compete because he refuses to sign an exclusive contract with organizer Major League Eating, says he will unofficially compete from a remote location to protest his ban from the Super Bowl of competitive eating.

Kobayashi still refuses to sign any exclusive contract with MLE and insists he will down hot dogs on July Fourth, simultaneously with the other competitors, in a mid-town Manhattan restaurant--a D train ride away from Nathan's.

Six-time champ Kobayashi was once the face of the sport and pretty much brought the Nathan's event to ESPN on his own.  The one-time Babe Ruth of the sport has now become an outcast and even had his image removed from the Nathan's Wall of Fame last April.  Even Al Capone's visit to Nathan's lives in infamy on it's website.

Last summer, Kobayashi, was unable to compete in the Nathan's FFJHDEC because Major League Eating's contract stipulates that he can only participate in it's tournaments and the league has to have total control over Kobayashi's endorsement deals.  He refused to sign.

"I hope to create awareness about the nature of this kind of business," said Kobayashi.  "At least they cannot erase history," he said of his removal from the Wall of Fame.

While Kobayashi becomes a sort of pariah in the sport he once dominated, the current champ, Joey Chestnut has been getting all the glory.

Chestnut, 27, realizes the event isn't the same without Kobayashi.

"He's an awesome eater," said Chestnut.  "He pushes me to work harder."

Some people are wondering if Kobayashi is making a big deal over nothing after setting a world record and personal-best of 64 1/2 downed barkers in 2009.

Some think Kobayashi is just losing his mind.

In 2010, while banned for the first time and watching the Nathan's competition from the crowd, Kobayashi leaped onto the stage in protest after Chestnut won and was arrested.  He spent the night in a New York City holding cell.  Charges were later dismissed.

This year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest will have a women only competition for the first time.

It's a shame Kobayashi and Chestnut won't meet again this year.  It's sort of a Pacquiao/Mayweather predicament in the world of competitive eating. There may be competitions against others, but if the two best don't meet, it doesn't really matter.

Nathan's Hot-Dog Eating Contest Starting Women's-Only Division

The annual Nathan's Hot-Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island is adding a women's-only division to help even out the competition.  Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating, claims the 4th of July competition has been dominated by men for too long and it's time to open up the playing field.

According to the New York Post, the sausage-fest on the boardwalk's landmark decision will open up the sport to more female competitors.

It might become more popular than the men's division because the only thing more sensual than a woman caressing a hot dog, to the Nathan's frat boy audience, is when two dozen females are gulping them down by the cart load.

According to Shea, women account for only a couple of the world's top competitive eaters and only men have taken home the the "Mustard-Yellow Belt" at Nathan's.

"Serena Williams didn't have to beat Roger Federer to win the Wimbleton title, and we don't think Sonya Thomas should have to beat Joey Chestnut."  Chestnut is the four-time reigning Nathan's champion.

Thomas has her share of eating titles and is called "The Black Widow" because she has devoured as much food as she has men's egos.  The 44 year-old holds 38 world records and set the American record for hot-dog eating with 37 in 2007.  She lost to the Babe Ruth of competition eating Takero Kobayashi of Japan.

Thomas and Juliet Lee are the most visible and dominant women eaters on the circuit.  Both women weigh in at 105 pounds and have made the finals of the Nathan's hot-dog finals.

"On any given weekend, Sonya and Juliet can beat the guys," said Shea.  "But hot dogs seem to be different."

Shea claims the women hold records in cheesecake and cranberry sauce eating contests among others, but hot-dog eating is still dominated by the men.

The petite Thomas is known as a ringer in the sea-food eating competitions and trains by eating one big meal a day.

Lee, says being bigger has little to do with being a competitive food-eating champion.  It's more about the elasticity of your stomach.

"Your body size doesn't have anything to do with how much food you eat," the 45 year-old said.  "The larger people tend to have more fat on them and can't stretch as well."

Last year's competition at Nathan's was a let down after Kobayashi was arrested for trying to crash the event--contractual dispute--and satisfied his hunger with bologna sandwiches and Kool-Aid while chilling his taste buds in a central booking jail cell.

Chestnut won the belt by cramming an uninspired 54 tube steaks down his throat--14 short of his world record.

Now we'll have ladies vying for a separate belt.  Women's rights has come a foot-long way.