Newcomer Challenges Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest

Every year, thousands of people go to Coney Island in New York City to watch the weird and wacky sport of competitive hot dog eating at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest. We’re talking upwards of 30,000+ people, all clamoring to be a part of the annual festivities, watching people chew, gulp, and try not to heave to win the eating contest and be crowned… King of the Weiner? Meat Champion? One thing’s for sure: these competitors are going to eat to win.

Out of the many competitors, a teensy woman from New Jersey has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. Dr. Rene Rovtar, a seemingly mild-mannered superintendent of schools, has procured a spot among other heavy-hitting competitive eaters at the Circle K Speed Street qualifier, which was held in May in Charlotte, NC.

Here she is interviewed before the qualifier by Major League Eating, the governing body of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Circuit:

 

Rene finished 10 dogs and 10 buns in the qualifier, not too shabby for someone with such a small frame, but nowhere near the heaviest hitters in the hot dog eating competition.

Last year, the reigning champ, Joey Chestnut, finished 70 dogs and 70 buns in 10 minutes to not only clinch the contest, but set a new July 4th world record! His first win was in 2007, and has won every year except for one since then.

Here is more of his story and rise to meat victory:

 

The fierce competition heats up with 18 women and 18 men, eating hot dogs and buns in whatever way gets them down most efficiently. For Dr. Rene, her tactic involves breaking the dog in half before eating, then saturating the bun in strawberry lemonade to make sure she’s consuming at top speed.

Other popular secrets of competitive eaters:

  • Increase stomach capacity by drinking water. LOTS of water.
  • Strengthen jaw muscles by chewing gum.
  • Controlling breathing while eating helps avoid fatigue and wasted time.
  • Stay in shape (theory: fat takes up space that food could take up)
  • Specialize in categories – Capacity, Technique, Spicy, etc.
  • Use liquids solely for lubricating foods
  • NO CONDIMENTS
  • Try “Chipmunking” – getting every corner of your mouth filled before the contest ends.

The 2017 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest is held at the corner of Surf and Stillwell in Coney Island on July 4th. Watch the following competitors battle it out this year!

2017 REGIONAL WINNERS

SAN ANTONIO, TX

Juan Neave

22.5 DOGS

Juan Neave, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Kassandra Zapata

11 DOGS

Kassandra Zapata, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

FT. MYERS, FL

Pablo Martinez

25.5 DOGS

Pablo Martinez, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Mary Bowers

10 DOGS

Mary Bowers, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

NASHVILLE, TN

Brian Dudzinski

27.5 DOGS

Brian Dudzinski, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Liz McClurg

9.5 DOGS

Liz McClurg, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

MIAMI, FL

Adrian Morgan

33 DOGS

Adrian Morgan, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

LAS VEGAS, NV

Rich LeFevre

30 DOGS

Rich LeFevre, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Michelle Lesco

29 DOGS

Michelle Lesco, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

LOUISVILLE, KY

Matthew Cohen

22 DOGS

Matthew Cohen, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Stevie Palmer

10 DOGS

Stevie Palmer, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

ST. LOUIS, MO

Erik Denmark

28 DOGS

Erik Denmark, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Sophia DeVita

16 DOGS

Sophia DeVita, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

FORT WORTH, TX

Josh Miller

26.5 DOGS

Josh Miller, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Sarah Reinecke

15 DOGS

Sarah Reinecke, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

TAMPA, FL

Pedram Esmaeelzadeh

18 DOGS

Pedram Esmaeelzadeh, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Carlene LeFevre

12 DOGS

Carlene LeFevre, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

VALDOSTA, GA

Jim Reeves

23 DOGS

Jim Reeves, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Meghan Drake

3 DOGS

Meghan Drake, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

CINCINNATI, OH

Derek Jacobs

23 DOGS

Derek Jacobs, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Meredith Boxberger

15 DOGS

Meredith Boxberger, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

CHARLOTTE, NC

Badlands Booker

24 DOGS

Badlands Booker, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Rene Rovtar

7 DOGS

Rene Rovtar, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

SYRACUSE, NY

Steve Hendry

30 DOGS

Steve Hendry, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

LONG POND, PA

Yasir Salem

34.5 DOGS

Yasir Salem, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Larell Marie Mele

13 DOGS

Larell Marie Mele, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

NORFOLK, VA

Darron Breeden

38 DOGS

Darron Breeden, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Deborah Bethea

6.5 DOGS

Deborah Bethea, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

BOSTON, MA

Geoffrey Esper

51 DOGS

Geoffrey Esper, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Danielle Leppert-Simenauer

5 DOGS

Danielle Leppert-Simenauer, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

QUEENS, NY

Carmen Cincotti

53 DOGS

Carmen Cincotti, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Daniella Gioia

14.75 DOGS

Daniella Gioia, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

WASHINGTON, DC

Gideon Oji

37 DOGS

Gideon Oji, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Juliette Lee

28 DOGS

Juliette Lee, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

NAPERVILLE, IL

Juan Rodriguez

30.5 DOGS

Juan Rodriguez, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition

Marlene Wigginton

11 DOGS

Marlene Wigginton, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hot Dog Eating Competition, Hot Dogs, Coney Island, Competitive Eating, 2017 Hot Dog Eating Competition
Sources:

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