- Competitive eating
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Competitive eating, or speed eating, is a sport in which participants compete against each other to consume large quantities of food in a short time period. Contests are typically less than 15 minutes in length, with the person consuming the most food being declared the winner. Competitive eating is most popular in the United States and Japan, where organized professional eating contests often offer $10,000 or more in prize money. Competitive eaters are sometimes known as "gurgitators," a word used by those close to the sport and an assumed opposite of regurgitation.
Contents
History
Pie-eating contest at the Jefferson School in Washington, DC, August 2, 1923.
Traditionally, eating contests (usually involving pies) were events at county fairs. The recent surge in the popularity of competitive eating is due in large part to televised coverage of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, an annual holiday tradition that has been held on July 4 virtually every year since the 1970s at Coney Island. Recently, this contest has been dominated by IFOCE eater Takeru Kobayashi, who won it consistently from 2001 through 2006; he was dethroned in 2007 by Joey Chestnut. In 2008, Chestnut and Kobayashi tied at 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes (the time span had previously been 12 minutes), and Chestnut won in an eatoff in which he was the first of the two competitors to finish eating 5 hot dogs in overtime, earning Chestnut his second consecutive title. In the 1990s, competitive eating was popular in Japan but is now frowned on by many.[1]
Organizations
IFOCE
The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) hosts more than 100 "Major League Eating" events worldwide every year. The IFOCE, which first established eating as a sport in the 1990s, recently launched Major League Eating to serve as an umbrella for competitive eating worldwide while also providing a recognized brand for licensing of T-shirts and other products. It features videos of contests and eaters and offers a complete online community, similar to MySpace, for eating fans. Major League Eating, as overseen by the IFOCE, is the only organization that has established extensive safety regulations for events. Among the top eaters who compete only in Major League Eating events are Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi, Sonya Thomas, Eater X, Patrick Bertoletti and Crazy Legs Conti.
The IFOCE will award nearly $400,000 in prize money in 2009. In addition to a one-hour live broadcast of the Nathan's Famous contest for ESPN, IFOCE has produced a three-hour elimination tournament on ESPN called the Alka-Seltzer U.S. Open of Competitive Eating, plus additional hours of ESPN programming on eating for Johnsonville Brats and Krystal hamburgers. The IFOCE also recently produced a series of 30-minute television shows, "Eats of Strength," for high-definition network InHD. Spike TV is also ran a series of one-hour Major League Eating events, featuring the top eaters of the IFOCE, and the IFOCE produced a one-hour docudrama on the Acme World Oyster Eating Contest in New Orleans.
AICE
A smaller organized league, the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters (AICE), established by competitive eater Arnie "Chowhound" Chapman, also sanctions contests. Chapman was a former IFOCE member who defected to form an independent league after disputes over IFOCE contractual restrictions.[2]
AICE, which adopted the title All Pro Eating Promotions in 2008, differs from the IFOCE with its adherence to "picnic style" competitive eating rules in addition to being the most recognized competitive eating organization that allows independent competitive eaters to participate (independent competitive eaters are not under any contractual obligation). Picnic style rules pay "respect to the food and maintains the integrity and dignity and public reputation of that food item."[3] Under these rules, the league forbids the dunking of any contest foods in water, a practice used by many IFOCE eaters, and one believed to speed the chewing and swallowing process. All Pro Eating Promotions is the only competitive eating organization that provides sanctioned independent competitive eating events that specifically follow picnic style rules.
In 2009, competitive eater Coondog O'Karma joined Chapman as a partner, and took over as Director of Operations for AICE.[4] Arnie "Chowhound" Chapman retired from All Pro Eating Promotions in August, 2011 and Todd "The Hungry Genius" Greenwald took over the full role of Chairman of All Pro Eating Promotions / AICE.
In 2010, AICE was joined by new eaters, former IFOCE members "Jammin" Joe Larue, Chris "The Mad Greek" Abatsas and newcomer "Munchin" Mike Longo.
The year started off with the USquare National Eating Championship in Madison Wisconsin. Ian The Invader Hickman won with 102 ounces of food court food in 8 mins.
On June 5th in Rockville Centre, NY "Munchin" Mike Longo won the National Cheese Steak Eating Championship with 4.05 cheese steaks eating in 7 mins.
"Munchin" Mike Longo also won the Little Jimmy's National Italian Ice Eating Championship again beating AICE eating star Ian The Invader Hickman and legendary eater King George Van Laar, eating 4lbs 1.25 ounces of Italian ice in 7 minutes.
In Middlebury. Connecticut The Caribbean Food Eating Championship took place where Joel The Cannon Podelsky won the National Bun and Cheese National Championship eating 40 ounces in 4 min and 43 sec. King George Van Laar won the National Beef Pattie Eating Championship eating 60oz of beef patties in 7 min 32 sec.
5th Annual American Meatball Eating Championship took place in Midlothian, Illinois. Bob “KILLER” Kuhns of Pittsburgh, PA took 1st with 36.5 meatballs in 7 minutes to win $1,000.
The 1st Annual Bobs Burgers Hamburger Eating Contest was located at the 2010 Comic Con in San Diego, CA and was won by David Coondog O'Karma eating 14.5 hamburgers.
The World Hands Free Pumpkin Pie eating contest was held in Clarence, NY. The world record for pumpkin pie was broken by Chris "The Mad Greek" Abatsas. He ate 5.5 lbs in 8 mins, beating 2nd place "Jammin" Joe Larue who ate 4.6 lbs.
Other challenges
Other eating contests sponsored by restaurants can involve a challenge to eat large or extraordinarily spicy food items, including giant steaks, hamburgers and curries in a set amount of time. Those who finish the item are often rewarded by not having to pay for the item, or with a t-shirt and the addition of their name and/or photo on a wall of challenge victors. Various challenges of this type are featured in the Travel Channel show Man v. Food.
Notable competitive eaters
Further information: List of competitive eatersContest structure
Food
The type of food used in contests varies greatly, with each contest typically only using one type of food (e.g. a hot dog eating contest). Foods used in professional eating contests include hamburgers, hot dogs, pies, pancakes, chicken wings, asparagus, pizza, ribs, whole turkeys, among many other types of food.
Rules and overview of events
Competitive eating contests often adhere to an 8, 10, 12 or 15 minute time limit. Most contests are presided over by a master of ceremonies, whose job is to announce the competitors prior to the contest and keep the audience engaged throughout the contest with enthusiastic play-by-play commentary and amusing anecdotes. A countdown from 10 usually takes place at the end of the contest, with all eating coming to an end with the expiration of time.
Many professional contests also employ a series of judges, whose role is to enforce the contest rules and warn eaters about infractions. Judges will also be called upon to count or weigh each competitor's food and certify the results of the contest prior to the winner being announced.
Chipmunking
Many eaters will attempt to put as much food in their mouths as possible during the final seconds of a contest, a practice known by professionals as "chipmunking."[5] If chipmunking is allowed in a contest, eaters are given a reasonable amount of time (typically less than two minutes) to swallow the food or risk a deduction from their final totals.
Dunking
In many contests, except those adhering to "picnic style rules" mentioned previously, eaters are allowed to dunk foods in water or other liquids in order to soften the food and make it easier to chew and swallow. Dunking typically takes place with foods involving a bun or other doughy parts. Professional contests often enforce a limit on the amount of time competitors are allowed to dunk food.
Debris
Competitors are expected to maintain a relatively clean eating surface throughout the contest. Excess debris after the contest may result in a deduction from the eater's final totals.
Vomiting
If, at any point during or immediately after the contest, a competitor regurgitates any food, he or she will be disqualified. Vomiting, also known as a "reversal", or, as ESPN and the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest call it, a "reversal of fortune", includes obvious signs of vomiting as well as any small amounts of food that may fall from the mouth deemed by judges to have come from the stomach. Small amounts of food already in the mouth prior to swallowing are excluded from this rule.
Training and preparation
Many professional competitive eaters undergo rigorous personal training in order to increase their stomach capacity, speed and efficiency with various foods. Stomach elasticity is usually considered the key to eating success, and competitors commonly train by drinking large amounts of water over a short time to stretch out the stomach. Others combine the consumption of water with large quantities of low calorie foods such as vegetables or salads. Some eaters chew large amounts of gum in order to build jaw strength.[6]
Prior to a marquee event like the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, some eaters, like reigning contest champion Joey Chestnut, will begin training several months before the event with personal time trials using the contest food.[7] Retired competitive eater, Ed "Cookie" Jarvis, trained by consuming entire heads of boiled cabbage followed by drinking up to two gallons of water every day for two weeks before a contest.[8]
Due to the risks involved with training alone or without emergency medical supervision, the IFOCE actively discourages training of any sort.[9]
Televised contests
The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is televised live on ESPN each year on July 4.
The annual Krystal Square Off hamburger eating contest has been televised on ESPN and, in 2008, on the FSN South network.
In 2002, the Fox Network aired a two-hour competitive eating contest called the Glutton Bowl.
Spike TV has broadcast several IFOCE-sanctioned competitive eating competitions as part of its "MLE Chowdown" series, including the St. Patrick's Day Chowdown in 2007 (corned beef and cabbage), the "Turkey Bowl" on Thanksgiving day in 2007 (whole turkeys with an undercard cranberry sauce contest), "Wedges 'n Wings" in 2007 (chicken wings and potato wedges), and "Ham 'n Eggs" during Super Bowl halftime in 2008.
Criticisms and dangers
Criticisms
The chief criticism of competitive eating is the message the gluttonous sport sends in an age of rising obesity levels among Americans[10] and the example it sets for today's youth.[2]
Others, like actor Ryan Reynolds in a scathing editorial on The Huffington Post, contend that competitive eating is yet another example of Western gluttony at a time when so many others around the world are starving.[11] In the same article, retired competitive eater Don "Moses" Lerman foreshadows the dangers of competitive eating when he admits "I'll stretch my stomach until it causes internal bleeding."
Dangers
The argument that competitive eating can cause weight gain,[12] which may lead to obesity and elevated cholesterol and blood pressure is a common one, but the theory that competitive eating can cause damage to the stomach and digestive system was the subject of a 2007 study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The study observed professional eater Tim Janus, who ate 36 hot dogs in 10 minutes before doctors intervened. It was concluded that through training, Janus' stomach failed to have normal muscle contractions called peristalsis, a function which transfers food from the stomach down the digestive tract.[13]
Other medical professionals contend that binge eating can cause stomach perforations in those with ulcers and gulping large quantities of water during training can lead to water intoxication, a condition which dilutes electrolytes in the blood.[14]
Gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis, is also a concern among those who routinely stretch their stomachs beyond capacity. The condition may lead to the stomach's inability to contract and lose its ability to empty itself. Side effects of gastroparesis include chronic indigestion, nausea and vomiting.[15]
In popular culture
Competitive eating is depicted in a fictionalized manner as a nationally recognized sport in Soviet-era Hungary in the Hungarian film Taxidermia.
See also
References
- ^ http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2007/02/72640 Lisa Katayama, Wired Magazine
- ^ a b Vasel, Kathryn. "Competitive Eating Contests Bring in the Dough." FoxBusiness.com. January 31, 2008. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
- ^ AICE Official Website
- ^ AICE Official Website
- ^ Force Fed Creative Loafing blog May 9, 2007. Retrieved on June 30, 2009.
- ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2002527620_eating29m.html Eating champs to chow down at Everett wingding by Brian Alexander
- ^ Dworkin, Andy. "Champion competitive eater shares his training, victory" The Oregonian online. July 15, 2008. Retrieved on June 28, 2009.
- ^ Gullapalli, Diya. "You Have to Be in Good Shape To Eat 4.21 Hot Dogs a Minute" The Wall Street Journal. August 15, 2002. Retrieved on June 28, 2007.
- ^ http://www.ifoce.com/safety.php
- ^ "Some find competitive eating hard to swallow." MSNBC.com. November 21, 2007. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
- ^ Reynolds, Ryan. "Competitive Eating." Huffingtonpost.com. June 6, 2007. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
- ^ Burbach, Cherie. "Health Risks of Speed Eating." Blisstree.com. July 3, 2009. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
- ^ Park, Madison. "Speed eaters gain weight, clog arteries but have few regrets." CNNHealth.com. July 3, 2009. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
- ^ Sine, Richard. "Competitive Eating: How Safe Is It?." WebMD. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
- ^ Sine, Richard. "Competitive Eating: How Safe Is It?." WebMD. Retrieved on July 4, 2009.
Further reading
- Eat This Book (2006)
- Horsemen of the Esophagus (2006)
- A Short History of the American Stomach (2008, Frederick Kaufman)
- Clemens Berger: Die Wettesser. Roman, Skarabäus 2007 (The Competitive Eaters. A Novel)
External links
Categories:- Individual sports
- Competitive eating
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