In the company of Vaughniston...

Aug 6, 2006 9:55 pm US/Central from http://wfrv.com/topstories/local_story_217115703.html

Japanese Man Wins Brat Eating Contest In Sheboygan
(AP) SHEBOYGAN, Wis. Takeru Kobayashi grinded through a record 58 brats at the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship on Saturday, easily winning another tasty title and slicing through the record of 34 1/2 set last year by Sonya Thomas.

"They're good," Kobayashi said through translator Robert Ikeda. "I want to take some home."

Kobayashi earned $8,000 for his effort. There was no extra charge for the 16,820 calories, 1,450 grams of fat and 19 days worth of the recommended amount of sodium he consumed in besting Joey Chestnut and Thomas in front of a crowd of some 3,500 people attending Sheboygan Jaycees Brat Days.

The 160-pound Kobayashi, of Nagano, Japan, is a seasoned veteran at 27 and by far the world's best competitive eater. But he narrowly beat 22-year-old Joey Chestnut of San Jose, Calif., in this year's Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest on the Fourth of July in New York.

At Saturday's Showdown in Sheboygan, competitors had 10 minutes to eat as many brats as possible with no buns. The Fourth of July contest is 12 minutes and competitors must eat the buns.

"Brats are a little bit harder to eat," Kobayashi said. "With hot dogs, it's more volume. You're actually dipping the buns in water."

Chestnut finished a distant second with 45 brats and said his performance couldn't have been wurst. "I wasn't able to prepare for this contest like the Fourth of July," he said. "I know I could have done better, that's what hurts the most."

Patrick Bertoletti finished third with 39, Bob Shoudt had 38 1/2 and Tim Janus finished with 37. Thomas couldn't even match her record of last year, with just 34 brats.

The pace was quick early -- Kobayashi ate 23 in 3 minutes, compared to Chestnut's 21. At the 4:57 mark, Kobayashi passed the previous record. He hit 50 brats with 1:40 to go while Chestnut lagged behind with 41.

Thomas said the pace affected her. "Eaters were five ahead of me (early) and I was like, 'gosh,"' she said. "Maybe that's why I slowed down."

After the end of the contest, Kobayashi flexed his arm and pulled up his shirt to reveal his brat-filled stomach. He said he was going for 50, and plans to come back next year to break another barrier. "I want to do 60," he said.

Bertoletti said he fared surprisingly well by using a secret, shunned weapon -- ketchup. "I'm kind of ashamed because you're not supposed to eat brats with ketchup," he said. "I tried to hide it so no one could see."

But the spectacle celebrating overindulgence was equaled by the colorful crowd.

Fans held up signs in both English and Japanese in honor of Kobayashi. One sign read: "Eat Sausage and Puke? Never."

Jake Virant, 19, of Sheboygan, was at the competition to see Janus and had his face painted like him but was also wearing a colored styrofoam brat as a hat, reminiscent of the Cheeseheads that invade at Lambeau Field for every Green Bay Packers game. "It looks like a lot of fun," Virant said.

Janus, a day trader in New York with ambitions of owning a pizzeria, said he never expected to have fans. He said he got into the gluttonous sport because he wanted to spice up his days off. "I like food, the flavor and I have a high tolerance for pain," he said.

Jordy Maass, of Sheboygan, said he wanted to join the amateur contest but got there too late so he had to settle to "watch how poorly these guys do." Nathan Jackson, of Sheboygan, won that contest with 17 brats in 10 minutes.

Maass' main reason to show up? Kobayashi. "He's amazing," he said.

George Shea, chairman of the International Federation of Competitive Eating, said that he sees the future of competitive eating developing like an extreme sport. "The crowd loves it," he said. "What they see, it's not what they expect."

By COLIN FLY

(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Amy and I love to watch this stuff - I also watched the hot dog eating competition it refers to in this article. I'm in good company - apparently Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn were hosting a party at Vaughn's Beverly Hills pad to watch said competition. They sent a note to "Eater X" (who, sadly, didn't even make it in the top three) to encourage him bc he's their favorite competitive eater. Which famous actor turned the other onto competitive eating? Guesses? I'll bet you're wrong...it was JENNIFER ANISTON who turned Vince onto it. LOVE IT!!!