Joey Chestnut sets new hot dog binge standard

NEW YORK — With Independence Day celebrations canceled around the country, one distinctly American tradition continued Saturday despite the pandemic: the annual pilgrimage of competitive eaters to Coney Island for the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

But with cheering crowds turned away to promote social distancing, contestants instead chowed down amid a chorus of gulping and chewing from their competitors.

Held without fail every Fourth of July since 1942, the event ordinarily draws thousands to the original Nathan’s location in Brooklyn. Spectators sweat beneath foam hot dog hats, cheering as they watch a panel of competitors dunk the sausages into water — to soften the buns — all in the name of

America.

“The Nathan’s Famous contest is synonymous with July Fourth, America and the celebration of freedom,” said the event’s host, George Shea, who is known for his extravagantly patriotic commentary. He introduced the winner of the 2019 men’s competition as “the very vessel of our freedom” and “the champion of the Fourth of July.”

But there was no crowd this year to cheer raucously, and the competitive eaters, who usually hover over their piles of hot dogs shoulder to shoulder, were spaced apart from each other, separated by Plexiglas. The contest was limited to five women and six men to allow for adequate social distancing.

Joey Chestnut of San Jose, who won his 13th title Saturday after eating a record 75 hot dogs in 10 minutes, said Friday that it would be challenging not to be surrounded by the deafening cheers from the crowd this year — and for the first time to be able to hear his competitors while they chow down.

“They’re going to be burping and groaning, and I’m just going to have to focus on my hot dogs,” Chestnut said.

For Chestnut, 36, the confirmation that the contest would still go on “made it a lot easier to practice.” Eating 40 or 50 hot dogs at a time without the certainty that the competition would happen this year was a bit “depressing,” he said.

The reigning women’s champion, Miki Sudo of Torrington, Conn., defended her title this year, winning for the seventh time by scarfing down a record 48½ hot dogs.

The location of this year’s hot dog slog, which has been held every summer since 1916 except 1941, when it was canceled as a protest to the war in Europe, was not disclosed publicly ahead of the event to discourage loyal fans from flocking to it. “Thank you so much for supporting us from your living rooms,” Sudo said after winning the competition.

Sudo, who said she was ecstatic when she found out the competition would still happen this year, had three practice events with her boyfriend, Nick Wehry, who also competed Saturday.