Arizona Events: Nathan's Famous Hot God Eating Circuit Visits Tempe
Category: Arizona Events
Winner to Represent Arizona at Coney Island on July Fourth
America's top competitive eaters will battle at the Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe on Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 1:00PM. On the line is the title of Arizona Hot Dog-Eating Champion and the chance to compete in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, NY on July 4, 2008. The Tempe qualifier, having witnessed Joey Chestnut’s record-breaking performance last year, is always drama-filled. The line-up this year features last year’s runner-up, Tim “Gravy” Brown of Chicago, the potato wedge eating champion of North America. Challenging him will be 29th-ranked “Double-O” Kevin Ross, a newcomer who has eaten nothing but hot dogs for lunch for the last two months in preparation. Also competing will be the oddly coiffed, “El Toro” Jiminez, the Las Vegas resident whose hair is fashioned into horns. Nipping at their heels will be Russ “The Mad Stork” Witzke and Jesus Cabrales of Peoria, AZ.
The line-up this year features two ambitious up-and-comers with a rivalry so bitter that they only talk at contests. The favorite is 12th-ranked Erik “The Red” Denmark of Seattle, the hard-boiled egg eating champ with 61 in 8 minutes, who will do battle with 13th-ranked Tim “Gravy” Brown of Chicago, the potato wedge eating champion of North America. Also competing will be El Toro Jimenez, a horn-haired gurgitator from Las Vegas, as well as rookies David “Conan” Cohn of Pheonix and Wallace “Bye Bye” Beisel of Mesa. “Our hot dog eating contest has always been the high point of the Coney Island calendar, but never has the excitement been bigger than 2008,” said Wayne Norbitz, President and COO of Nathan’s Famous, Inc. “Fans worldwide consider the Nathan’s July Fourth contest to stand among the greatest sporting events in history, and we are thrilled to sponsor events throughout the country as we approach what will surely be a dramatic Independence Day.” Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating, the group that governs the Nathan’s Famous contest circuit, said: “I believe an unknown eating champion is walking the streets of Hartford, a champion who possesses the pride of Connecticut and the stomach capacity required to set a new world hot dog eating record.” In 2007, 45,000 fans crowded the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island to witness Joey Chestnut’s victory over Takeru Kobayashi. An additional 1.5 million households tuned in to the contest’s live telecast on ESPN. Chestnut ate a world record 66 Nathan’s HDBs in the 12-minute contest. Kobayashi, who struggled with a jaw injury, placed second with 62. Kobayashi has spent the last several months recuperating to prepare for the rematch. It’s become a tradition for Nathan’s Famous to donate 10,000 hot dogs to hunger relief organizations on July Fourth, and the company plans to expand on its tradition of charity at this summer’s event. MLE Gives, an initiative that assists hunger-related charities, has raised over $35,000 since Thanksgiving. The Nathan’s Famous 2008 qualifying circuit will visit more than a dozen cities, including Philadelphia, PA, Las Vegas, NV, Minneapolis, MN, Atlanta, GA and San Francisco, CA. Qualifiers are open to those 18 years of age and older and registration is handled online. Interested parties can visit www.nathansfamous.com. The winner of each qualifier receives the right to compete in the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which, according to archives, has occurred each July 4th in Coney Island, NY since 1916. Event Information:WHAT: Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest Qualifier WHERE: Food Court at Arizona Mills Mall, 5000 Arizona Mills Circle Tempe, AZ 85282WHEN: Saturday, May 31, 2008 TIME: 1:00 p.m
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