Gurgitators' race: Eating contest this week

'Gurgitators' race

Some call it gross.

Some call it down-right ridiculous.

Some call it fun.

Others call it entertaining.

Opinions differ about eating contests.

I have covered them, and they can get pretty disgusting.

However, I cannot deny they are also quite entertaining.

I am always amazed how fast folks can eat, especially when I see petite women, such as Juliet Lee (last year), eat four Johnny Rockets hot dogs in one minute and 18 seconds. Lee weighed a mere 105 pounds and stood only 5 feet, 4 inches.

At noon Saturday at Hard Rock Park, there will be a Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest Qualifier.

The winner will get the title of S.C. Hot Dog Eating Champion and compete in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, N.Y., on July 4, according to Ryan Nerz, the master of ceremonies for Saturday's event.

Nerz, the author of "Eat This Book: A Year of Gorging and Glory on the Competitive Eating Circuit," told last year's crowd at Broadway at the Beach they were watching "athleticism and physical poetry in motion."

Funny, huh.

This week's competitors will include Allen "Shredder" Goldstein (ranked No. 15) from Plainview, N.Y., and Richard Foley (ranked No. 49), a Bluffton native.

They are among the folks known as "gurgitators" within the International Federation of Competitive Eaters.

The Nathan's Famous 2008 qualifying contest will be in more than 12 cities.

To find out more, go to www.nathansfamous.com.

WINE

Silver Coast wins Do you like wine?

If so, you may want to check out wines from Silver Coast Winery in Brunswick County, N.C.

Recently, the winery won three medals in the 32nd International Eastern Wine Competition.

There were more than 2,200 entries, and the winery received accolades for its new wines, Calabash White and Calabash Red, which each received a bronze medal.

The winery also earned another bronze medal for its 2005 N.C. Chardonnay.

All three are among the wines featured during a tasting.

Silver Coast Winery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Call 910-287-2800 or go to www.silvercoastwinery.com.

By Johanna D. Wilson, The Sun News