Joey Chestnut has once again been crowned the winner of Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest after stomaching 66 franks in intense 100-degree heat.
Pat Bertoletti finished second by eating 51 hot dogs and Australian James Webb placed third with 47.5.
In the women’s competition, Miki Sudo captured her 12th championship by scarfing down 38.75 hot dogs, up from 33 last year. Michelle Lesco placed second with 22 and Domenica Dee third with 21.5 dogs eaten.
By the time Chestnut, now an 18-time champion, took the stage, the midday heat in Coney Island neared 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) with high humidity, affecting bun texture and eaters’ fitness levels.
He earned a $10,000 prize for his win but didn’t surpass his previous record, which fans had hoped for to mark America’s 250th birthday.
“I knew early that I was going to win, but I also knew early I wasn’t going to break the record,” he told ESPN after his victory. “I’m not going to get into it looking for an excuse, but yeah, it slowed me down.”
Chestnut boasts the men's record of 76 franks while Sudo holds the women's record with 51 dogs.
The champions successfully defended their titles Saturday morning in Coney Island following a tumultuous year for the annual event and its star competitor.
The iconic contest, now under new ownership after Nathan's Famous was sold to packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods in January, saw Chestnut compete despite a recent legal entanglement.
Chestnut pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor battery charge after being accused of slapping a man in an Indiana bar.
He was able to proceed in the frankfurter fest, with Chestnut and Sudo both defending their titles in the men's and women's divisions, respectively.
Competitors in the renowned event have 10 minutes to consume as many hot dogs and buns as possible, often dunking the wieners in water to facilitate swallowing.
Despite being on probation for the battery case, Chestnut was granted permission to travel outside Indiana.
His lawyer stated the incident was a misunderstanding and that Chestnut accepted responsibility for his actions. Major League Eating, the organizer overseeing the Nathan’s Famous contest, confirmed that the criminal case did not impact Chestnut’s eligibility.
The long-standing competition, which began in 1972, takes place annually in front of the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant in New York’s Coney Island.
Sudo and the women competed at 10:45 a.m. ET while Chestnut and the men took the stage around 12:30 p.m. ET.
