Contact: Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter 212/788 2958
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today welcomed competitors in this year's Nathan's Famous 4th of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest to City Hall, where he officiated over the official weigh-in ceremonies.
This Sunday, July 4th, competitors from around the world will gather outside Nathan's Famous, on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, at high noon for the 84th Annual Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest to compete for the coveted Mustard Yellow International Belt. The belt is currently in the possession of the world record holder and current international champion Hirofumi Nakajima of Japan. Mr. Nakajima shocked the world two years ago when he set a new world record by eating 24 ½ hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.
"It's an honor to welcome some of the worlds greatest 'athletes' to City Hall today for their official weigh-in before they compete in the 84th Annual Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island this Sunday," said Mayor Giuliani. "For 84 years Coney Island has been home to this annual event that has grown to international proportions with competitors coming from as far as Japan and Germany. This year's competition will be an event not to be missed, with reigning American champion and Brooklyn native 'Hungry' Charles Hardy set to go head-to-head with Hirofumi Nakajima of Japan for the coveted Mustard Yellow International Belt. As Mayor of the Hot Dog Capital of the World, I want to wish all the competitors the best of luck in this year's competition and look forward to the Mustard Yellow lnternational Belt returning to American soil."
A total of 22 athletes will compete in this year's competition, among them: World record holder and current international champion Hirofumi Nakajima of Japan; reigning American champion "Hungry" Charles Hardy of Brooklyn; United Kingdom haggis eating champion Barry Noble of England; bratwurst eating champion Frederic Roller of Stuttgart, Germany; Kevin Lamb and David Tasie of Vancouver, British Columbia; Andrew "The Real Meal" Becker of Lighthouse Point, Florida; "Kid" Cary DeGrosa of Las Vegas, Nevada; and George Glum of Portland, Maine.