Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Tomorrow in Coney Island Despite Sandy Destruction
Competitive eaters will battle against each other tomorrow in Coney Island, while locals are just happy to have the evetn back after Hurricane Sandy threatened its future at the Brooklyn location.
The Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is back on Coney Island on July 4 for its 97th anniversary. Thousands will gather on the coast, less than a year after Superstorm Sandy pounded its shores and caused major damage.
"The contest is absolutely a major milestone for the community," said George Shea, the chairman of the competitve eating governing body, Major League Eating. "There's no doubt the community feels like we are 100 percent back. There are of course some who are still suffering, but there is a great feeling that Coney Island has come back better than ever and that is very much going to be on display on July Fourth," Shea told USA Today.
The contest will air Thursday on ESPN at 1 p.m. EST. Veteran competitor, Joey Chestnut has his eye, and mouth, on the prize. If victorious he will take home his seventh consecutive win.
His expected victory on July 4 would give Chestnut one more consecutive Coney Island victory than the great Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi. In 2007 Chestnut ended Kobayashi's domination in the tournamet when he ate a phenomenal 66 hot dogs to win his first competitive eating event.
Nathan's event is expected to bring in a record number of attendees. A near 40,000 people will crowd around the giant screens at the Coney Island venue to see who will be able to eat the most hot dogs in ten minutes.
The corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island are usually crowded by 9.30 a.m., as fans gather at the tiny outdoor stage, and competitive eating isn't the only attraction taking place at the Brooklyn location. The preshow, which includes trampoline acts, a performance from the Brooklyn Community Choir, a drum battle, magic acts and a rap show, starts at 10.30 a.m. The women's competition starts at 11.30 a.m., and the men chow down at 12.30 p.m..
