Kobayashi Is Krystal King Again; New "No Dunking Rule" Gives Kobayashi Edge Over Arch-rival Joey Chestnut, Claims 4th Krystal Square Off Title
Japanese speed-eating legend Takeru Kobayashi defeated his arch-rival and reigning champ Joey Chestnutto reclaim the world hamburger eating title today at the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. The 31-year-old from Japan earned a score of 93 Krystal hamburgers in eight minutes, setting a world record under a new no-dunking rule established by The Krystal Company. Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif., finished second with 81.
Kobayashi’s victory over Chestnut today before a live televised audience and a crowd of more than 10,000 puts him back on top of the sport he brought into the American mainstream more than eight years ago, only to see his star fall the past three years following several high-profile losses, including a loss to Chestnut at last year’s championship in Chattanooga.
“We knew today’s Krystal Square Off championship was going to be a battle for the ages with Kobayashi hoping to reclaim his glory and Chestnut defending his two-year reign as champ, and both eaters did not disappoint,” said Brad Wahl, vice president of marketing, The Krystal Company. “Kobayashi’s commanding win over Chestnut proved once again why he is the sport’s biggest star.”
“Kobayashi came into Chattanooga needing a win. He got it and then some,” said Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating, the governing body of all stomach-centric sports. “The 12 Krystal margin revives his rivalry with Joey Chestnut and caps what was a great Krystal Square Off season. At the end, Kobayashi seemed to hit his head on the ceiling of his own self worth; lucky for him the faux hawk provided cushion.”
Presented by The Krystal Company, the Krystal Square Off is the only world hamburger eating championship sanctioned by Major League Eating.
Kobayashi has now won the Krystal Square Off four of its six years. He pockets $20,000 for the victory, along with the coveted Krystal Square Off Champion’s Belt and Trophy made out of crystal. Chestnut earns $10,00 for his second place finish. Patrick Bertoletti, who finished third with 76, takes away $5,000. The remaining finalists receive payouts ranging from $3,000 to $500. The $50,000 total cash purse is the largest in competitive eating.
The Krystal Square Off introduced new rules this year that forced competitors to change their strategies. First, eaters were no longer allowed to dunk their hamburgers in liquid in an effort to eliminate “detritus” during the competition. Also new this year, every eater was given five Big Angus Burgers at the start of the competition in addition to their tray of Krystal hamburgers. Each Big Angus Burger consumed added five hamburgers to an eater’s total count.
The official results are as follows:
Takeru Kobayashi, Tokyo, Japan – 93 (68 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers*)
Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, San Jose, Calif. – 81 (56 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, Chicago, Ill. – 76 (51 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
“Humble” Bob Shoudt, Philadelphia, Pa. – 71 (46 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, Alexandria, Va. – 65 (40 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Hall “Hoover” Hunt, Jacksonville, Fla. – 60 (35 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Tim “Eater X” Janus, New York, N.Y. – 59 (34 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Erik “The Red” Denmark, Seattle, Wash. – 58 (33 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Tim “Gravy” Brown, Chicago, Ill. – 52 (27 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Jim “Buffalo” Reeves – 50 (25 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Eric “Badlands” Booker, Long Island, N.Y. – 47 (22 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Tyler Allen, Chattanooga, TN – 8 (8 Krystals, 0 Big Angus Burgers)
* Each Big Angus Burger equals five Krystal hamburgers
Krystal has been hosting eating contests ever since it first opened its doors in 1932. Indeed, Krystal’s second customer, Roy Ward, claimed he could eat twice as many Krystals as French Jenkins, the chain’s first customer. He did just that by eating 12 Krystals, and according to legend invented the famous Krystal Sackful in the process. The years have passed, but Krystal Lovers have never stopped challenging each other to Krystal Eating Contests. This longstanding tradition became official in 2004 with the first Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship.
UPDATE: More photos of Takeru Kobayashi before and after his victory.
The top three ranked eaters in the world, Chestnut, Bertoletti and Kobayshi will reunite for this year's KSO VI Press Conference set to take place on Friday, Sept. 25 at Ross' Landing.
Before the biggest names in Major League Eating go bite-for-bite Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship, they‘ll meet face-to-face on Friday, Sept. 25 at the official Krystal Square Off VI Press Conference. Set to take place at 2:30 p.m. at Ross’ Landing in downtown Chattanooga, the conference will feature gurgitating giants Joey Chestnut, Takuru Kobayashi, Patrick Bertoletti and Humble Bob Shoudt as they dish about training and eating strategies before their reunion at Sunday’s table.
Having both received automatic seats at this year’s final table, neither defending champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut nor three-time Krystal Square Off winner Takeru Kobayashi have had the chance to eat the new Big Angus Burger or compete in a timed Krystal Square Off Qualifier with the No-Dunking rule. As you can imagine, it will be interesting to hear what the eaters have to say about contending with the new rules for the first time.
On the contrary, current Qualifying-circuit leader Patrick Bertoletti and Atlanta Qualifying winner Humble Bob Shoudt both have first hand experience of Krystal’s rule changes and will be able to shed some light on how the Big Angus Burger Points and No-Dunking policy have in fact drastically altered the face of the competition.
George Shea of Major League Eating will host the press conference, providing an expert’s perspective on what is being hailed the biggest event in the history of Major League Eating, which – as you might expect – also awards the largest cash purse in competitive eating, a whopping $50,000.
Be sure to catch all the competitive-eating drama and more this weekend on Friday, Sept. 25 and Sunday, Sept. 27 at Ross’ Landing along the banks of the Tennessee River.
Among the "KrystalFest" activities includes the Boat Parade of Competitive Eaters. Seen here at the KSO V, Chestnut, Eater X, Humble Bob and more showed their excitement as they pulled into shore.
With only three days left until the main event, the countdown is officially on to see who will take home the honor, the eminence and all the glory of what it is to be the Krystal Square Off VI Champion. And while the showdown between Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi, Patrick Bertoletti and all the best eaters is what you’ve all been waiting for, there is much more to come leading up to the main event to help satiate your appetite until Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m.
The Krystal Square Off VI list of weekend events will also include the World Hamburger Eating Championship Official Press Conference, the “KrystalFest” Tailgating Party, an amateur eating contest and much more. All events will take place at Chattanooga’s 21st Century Waterfront (Ross’s Landing) and are free and open to the public.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
2:30 p.m. – Press Conference at Ross’s Landing: For those that need a refresher course from the pros on the biggest competitive eating competition this side of the Mason-Dixon line, head on down to the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship Official Press Conference. There, the top three ranked eaters in the world, Joey Chestnut, Patrick Bertoletti and Takeru Kobayashi, will meet face-to-face for the official pre-contest press conference and photo opportunity. These top gurgitators will make predictions, talk about the new rules and discuss their strategies for winning competitive eating’s most coveted title, its $20,000 cash prize and bragging rights for establishing a new world-record in front of a live audience of 10,000 people.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27
9:00 a.m. - Krystal Square Off VI Bicycle Poker Run begins.
Noon – 2 p.m. – “KrystalFest” Tailgating Party: Come get your grub, game, and groove on with Krystal as they close in on one of the biggest sports competitions in the world. Activities include:
- Free Krystal Burgers and Krystal Blitz Energy Drink to first 1,000 people
- Carnival games for kids, balloons, Krystal prize giveaways and more
- Live music from 38 Special’s Jeff Carlisi and The Hold On Bruce Lees
- Boat Parade of Competitive Eaters and a stop by Autograph Alley to sign autographs for spectators.
- Registration and Drawing for 12th Man Contest. Must be 18+ and have valid photo ID.
- Registration and Drawing for Sackful Challenge Teams. Must be 18+ and have valid photo ID.
2 – 3:00 p.m. – Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship
- SportSouth Live broadcast begins
- 2-minute Sackful Challenge with four teams of two eaters competing to win $100 each.
- Introduction of eaters by George Shea, Chairman of the IFOCE
- 8-minute Krystal Square Off VI World Championship Final
- Award Presentations
Watch the Krystal Square Off VI live Online and on SportSouth at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27.
The biggest names in the sport of competitive eating will go head-to-head and bite-for-bite live on SportSouth starting at 2 p.m. this Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. And, for the first time ever, Krystal Lovers will also be able to watch this same great coverage LIVE ONLINE atKrystalSquareOff.com.
The special live, streaming event will broadcast online exclusively at krystalsquareoff.com/blog/kso-live-stream (bookmark now!) and allow Krystal lovers and competitive eating fans to interact directly on the page via Facebook.
Among the eaters set to battle for the $50,000 cash prize purse include defending Krystal Square Off champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, three-time Krystal Square Off winner Takeru Kobayashi, the second-ranked eater in the world Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti and nine other masters of mastication.
The live-televised and live online streaming 60-minute special event coverage will include behind-the-scenes footage with the eaters, exclusive interviews and the main event featuring top gustatory athletes tackling the famous Krystal Burger, and for the first time ever, the Krystal Big Angus Burger, a two-handed, all-Angus beef burger. Also new this year is a “No Dunking” rule, making this year’s event the most thrilling event in Major League Eating.
And just in case you miss it the first go ’round, the contest will also re-air on television immediately after the Atlanta Braves game on Sunday, Sept. 27 on FOX Sports South.
For more Krystal Square Off VI live coverage, follow @KSquareOff on Twitter.
Watch the Krystal Square Off VI this Sunday to see Chestnut and Kobayashi - one of competitive eating's biggest rivalries - contend with the new Big Angus Burger Points and No-Dunking rule for the very first time.
The culmination of months of training, seven qualifying rounds and countless Krystal burgers finally comes to its pinnacle on Sunday, Sept. 27 when 11 competitors take to the final table for the sixth annual Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship.
The eight-minute, live-televised eating contest will feature the number one-ranked gurgitator Joey Chestnut, Japan’s legendary Takeru Kobayashi and the second-ranked eater in the world Patrick Bertoletti in addition to eight more masters of mastication. The 12th eater will be selected from the crowd to compete against the pros as they battle for the top hamburger title and a share of a record $50,000 cash purse.
This year’s Krystal Square Off VI winner will not only receive $20,000 and the coveted World Hamburger Championship Belt and Trophy made out of crystal but will also have bragging rights for establishing a new world-record in front of a live audience of 10,000 people. The runner-up and third place finalists will each take home $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, and the remaining nine will receive payouts ranging from $3,000 to $500.
And as any true competitive eating fan knows, the contest isn’t just about the money or the great-tasting Krystal Burgers – it’s about the battle. While defending Champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut and Japanese eating sensation Takeru Kobayashi automatically receive seats into this year’s final, the remaining nine had to fight to bite. During a two-month qualifying circuit, dozens showed up, but only a select seven won a spot at the finals while the rest fought for two wild card seats.
Will the new Big Angus Burger Points and “No-Dunking” policy be too much for Chestnut and Kobayashi to handle for the first time? Will last year’s runner-up and current Qualifying-circuit leader Patrick Bertoletti steal the spotlight from the two most famous eaters in the world with a victory himself? Only time will tell.
The 11 finalists for Krystal Square Off VI are:
* Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, San Jose, Calif. (Automatic seat as defending champ)
* Takeru Kobayashi, Tokyo, Japan (Automatic seat as three-time KSO Champion)
* Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, Chicago, Ill. (67 Krystal Burger Points in Chattanooga)
* “Humble” Bob Shoudt, Philadelphia, Pa. (66 Krystal Burger Points in Atlanta)
* Hall “Hoover” Hunt, Jacksonville, Fla. (65 Krystal Burger Points in Jacksonville)
* Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, Alexandria, Va. (64 Krystal Burger Points in San Antonio)
* Tim “Eater X” Janus, New York, N.Y. (55 Krystals in Knoxville)
* Tim “Gravy” Brown, Chicago, Ill. (54 Krystals in Nashville)
* Eric “Badlands” Booker, Long Island, N.Y. (51 Krystal Burger Points in Birmingham)
* Erik “The Red” Denmark, Seattle, Wash. (55 Krystal Burger Points in San Antonio – Wild Card)
* Jim “Buffalo” Reeves, (50 Krystal Burger Points in Nashville – Wild Card)
You can catch each second of sixth annual Krystal Square Off World Championship in person this Sunday, Sept. 27 at Chattanooga’s 21st Century Waterfront (Ross’s Landing) beginning at 2 p.m. or by watching live on SportSouth. Live updates will also be available on Twitter @ksquareoff.
Seen here at the Krystal Square Off V, Kyle Brogdon from Hixson, Tenn was selected as the 12th eater and finished the competition with 10 Krystals.
In addition to the Sackful Challenge, as a part of the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship event, one lucky amateur will get to pull up to the final table to compete alongside such competitive eating giants as Joey “Jaws” Chestnut and Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti as the championship‘s 12th competitor. A total combined cash purse of $50,000 will be awarded to the finalists on Sunday, including $500 for 12th place winner.
Sign-ups for “The 12th Eater” will be held from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27. Those registering must be 18 and over and willing to sign a waiver to appear on live television. The lucky individual selected will be randomly chosen from the audience before the eight-minute eating contest begins at 2 p.m.
While the Krystal Square Off is world famous for its hamburger eating competitions featuring Major League Eatings’ best of the best, Krystal also knows a thing or two about giving amateurs a few moments of gustatory glory as well. It started with the first Krystal Square Off in 2004 where amateurs Matt Ward and Sam “Big Country” Vise came with their appetites and left with the top amateur prize at the finals in Chattanooga. It continued in 2005 with amateur Claudine Ko, a journalist, who was invited to compete in the finals, which she chronicled in Jane Magazine. And this year was no different, as five amateur hopefuls competed in each city of Krystal’s qualifying rounds, hoping to unseat the champs and take home the cash.
The history of Krystal eating competitions dates back to the company’s opening in 1932. According to Krystal legend, the Sackful was invented after the company’s second customer, Roy Ward, claimed he could he twice as many Krystal hamburgers as French Jenkins, the chain’s first customer. Ward did just that by eating 12 Krystal hamburgers and thus the Sackful was born.
The 14th-ranked eater in the world "Crazy Legs" Conti hopes to put up a big enough number at the Nashville Qualifier to stroll into the Krystal Square Off VI Finals with confidence.
The seven-city Krystal Square Off VI Qualifying Circuit will make its way to Nashville this Saturday, Sept. 19 for the last weekend of qualifying events before the main event in downtown Chattanooga on Sept. 27. The Nashville Qualifier will be one of the most thrilling competitions yet, as five “Top 30 Competitive Eaters” compete for first place and a possible coveted Wild Card spot for a seat at the final table and a chance at the $50,000 cash purse. It will be a battle down to the very last second (and Krystal Burger) that you won’t want to miss. In the meantime, below are a few quick bites to help you gear up for the competition.
Contest Bites:
The Nashville Qualifier is free to attend and takes place on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Tennessee State Fair.
Registration is now closed for the Nashville, however five amateur hopefuls will be selected on the spot to compete. Those wishing to be selected can register on site starting at 1:00 p.m.
The eight-minute contest will start at 2:00 p.m.
Top IFOCE Competitive Eater “Crazy Legs” Conti started as one of the sport’s biggest fans and is now ranked 14th in the world. Known for his unique look, fun personality and knowledge of the sport, Conti has established himself as perhaps the most entertaining eater in Major League Eating.
The following five eaters are confirmed for Saturday, all of which rank in the list of top 30 competitive eaters in the world.
Rumored to also make an appearance at the Nashville Qualifier are:
Pete Davekos, Boston, MA
Nathan Biller, Briarwood, NY
Juris “Dr. Bigtime” Shibayama, Murfreesboro, TN
Historical Bites:
Nashville has been home to a Krystal Square Off Qualifier for all six years of its World Hambuger Eating Competitions since 2004.
Juliet “The Lovely” Lee won last year’s Nashville Qualifier with 51 Krystals, after beating out Eric “Badlands” Booker and Juris “Dr. Bigtime” Shibayama in an eat-off for the first time in Krystal Square Off history.
The controversy surrounding the infamous “Nashville Eat-Off” led to the creation of a new rule by Major League Eating – The “Mustard Yellow Card” rule – which allows judges to disqualify competitors for “messy eating” during a contest. For more info on the rule, click here.
One of the Nashville Qualifier headline eaters for KSO VI, Crazy Legs Conti competed in two Qualifiers last year in Memphis and Knoxville to earn a seat at the KSO V Finals in Chattanooga. There, he finished in 8th place with 49 Krystals.
An excited Humble Bob Shoudt gracially accepts his trophy as the KSO VI Atlanta Qualifier first place winner after chomping down 41 Krystals and 5 Big Angus Burgers for the title.
Hundreds gathered at Lenox Square Mall on Sunday, Sept. 13 to see one of the top gustatory greats, “Humble Bob” Shoudt eat his heart out as he consumed an awe-inspiring 41 Krystals and 5 Big Angus Burgers for a total of 66 Krystal Burger Points – beating the next closest contender by 24 points.
However, second place winner Eric “Steakbellie” Livingston still put up a count of 42, which seems to be the lucky number at the moment because it was enough to tie the Birmingham-local amateur Erik Unger for a KSO VI Wild Card spot.
Shoudt’s performance qualifies him for a seat at the the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship on Sept. 27 in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he will face defending KSO winner Joey “Jaws” Chestnut and three-time KSO Champion Takeru Kobayashi for a shot at the title. With $50,000 in cash prizes on the line, we’re guessing Shoudt is prepared to step up his game. After all, his Qualifying score is only one point away from 2nd-ranked eater in the world Patrick Bertoletti’s total from the Chattanooga Qualifier.
To check out Shoudt’s eating strategy and see him in action, watch the video below.
Krystal Square Off VI Atlanta Qualifier Photo Gallery:
Seen here being as "Humble" as ever by sporting his own personalized hat, Shoudt had much to celebrate with his win at the KSO VI Atlanta Qualifier at Lenox Square this past Sunday.
The cool and comfortable temperatures inside Lenox Square Mall proved to be very advantageous for competitive eater “Humble” Bob Shoudt on Sunday as he put away 41 Krystals and 5 Big Angus Burgers for a total of 66 Krystal Burger Points to take first place.
Shoudt is the first headline eater in the Krystal Square Off VI qualifying tour thus far to start with the Famous Krystal Burger and end with the Big Angus Burger. A risky strategy, but one that clearly paid off as he came in at only one point less than 2nd-ranked eater in the world Patrick Bertoletti’s 67 Krystal Burger count done at the Chattanooga Qualifier. It’s no doubt that Shoudt is in it to win this year’s Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship.
The win in Atlanta guarantees Shoudt a seat at the final table in downtown Chattanooga on Sept. 27 next to fellow competitive eaters Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi and the KSO VI Qualifying winners to date: Patrick Bertoletti, Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, Hall “Hoover” Hunt and Eric “Badlands” Booker.
Finishing in second place with 42 Krystal Burger Points was Eric “Steakbellie” Livingston and not far behind was up-and-comer Jon Bello who actually beat out his previous score at the KSO VI Jacksonville Qualifier with 39 Krystal Burger Points.
Full results below:
“Humble” Bob Shoudt – 41 Krystals, 5 Big Angus = 66 Krystal Burger Points
Eric “Steakbellie” Livingston – 17 Krystals, 5 Big Angus = 42 Krystal Burger Points
Jon Bello – 14 Krystals, 5 Big Angus = 39 Krystal Burger Points
Mike Landrich – 10 Krystals, 5 Big Angus = 35 Krystal Burger Points
Richard Foley – 9 Krystals, 5 Big Angus = 34 Krystal Burger Points
Steve Martin – 7 Krystals, 5 Big Angus = 32 Krystal Burger Points
Steve Ramirez - 5 Krystals, 5 Big Angus = 30 Krystal Burger Points
The next Krystal Square Off VI Qualifier takes place in Nashville, Tenn. on September 19 at the Tennessee State Fair. For more details, follow the Krystal Square Off on Twitter @ksquareoff.
Hall "Hoover" Hunt will be listening for your cheers at the Jacksonville Qualifier this Labor Day, as he competes to win for the second year in a row.
With Patrick Bertoletti’s domination at the first Krystal Square Off VI Qualifier and an impressive performance by Sonya Thomas in San Antonio this past weekend, the season is really starting to heat up as the seven-city qualifying circuit makes its way to Jacksonville this Labor Day. The Jacksonville Qualifier will determine who is to represent Florida and compete for a piece of the $50,000 cash purse at this year’s final table in Chattanooga on Sept. 27. In the meantime, below are a few quick bites to help you gear up for the competition.
Contest Bites:
The Jacksonville Qualifier takes place on Monday, Sept. 7, along the St. John’s River at the Jacksonville Landing. For directions to the Landing, go here.
The St. John’s River is the longest river in Florida and one of the few rivers in the United States to flow north instead of south.
Registration is now closed for Jacksonville, however five amateur hopefuls will be selected on the spot to compete. Those wishing to be selected can register on site starting at 1:00 p.m.
The eight-minute contest will start at 2:00 p.m.
Hometown hero and defending Jacksonville Qualifier champ, Hall “Hoover” Hunt is the favorite and expected to win again this year.
Hunt is one of two competitive eaters inducted into the Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame. Hunt was inducted this year while Sam Vise of Union City, Tenn. was inducted in 2005.
The winner of Monday’s contest will not only hold the local Jacksonville KSO VI title, but also have bragging rights of competing in the largest city in the contiguous United States.
You can watch Hunt and learn more about the KSO VI Jacksonville Qualifier on the following TV shows leading up to the competition:
Thursday, Sept. 3 – “Check This Out Jacksonville” on WJXT News 4 Jax
Friday, Sept. 4 – “Good Morning Jacksonville” on WTLV/ WJXX
Hall Hunt upset the favored Sonya “Black Widow” Thomas by winning the KSO V Jacksonville Qualifier last year with 60 Krystal Burgers.
Hunt’s 60 Krystal Burgers in 2008 also shattered number-one ranked eater in the world Joey Chestnut’s previous Jacksonville Krystal Square Off Record of 52 Krystals, which was set back in 2006.
Hall Hunt won the 2007 Jacksonville Qualifier with 49 Krystals, where Elizabeth Canady and Tim Brown tied for second with 38 Krystals apiece. Juliet Lee finished 4th with 35. Both Brown and Lee went on to the finals by claiming wild card spots at subsequent qualifiers.
Crazy Legs Conti won the 2005 Jacksonville Qualifier with 31 Krystals. Hall “Hoover” Hunt runner-up’d with 30 Krystals.
Takeru Kobayashi’s first appearance at a Krystal Square Off Qualifier was in Jacksonville in 2004 when he ate 50 Krystals in eight minutes. His only other Krystal Square Off Qualifier appearance was last year in Birmingham.
The Jacksonville Qualifier has been held on Labor Day every year except for the first year when it was held on Nov. 7.
