The 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is set to chomp off in Coney Island, New York. This year, Joey Chestnut won't be part of the contest due to a contractual dispute with Major League Eating, leaving him on the sidelines and away from an opportunity at a 17th Mustard Belt. That opens the door (and the esophagus) for Geoff Esper, who was the runner-up in 2023.
Major contestants:
Geoffrey Esper, 49, Oxford, Massachusetts - The #2 eater in the world by Major League Eating. It's his ninth appearance at the competition. Nathan's says his personal best is 51 hot dogs and buns, and he holds 19 world records for competitive eating, including eating 23.75 pounds of strawberry shortcake on June 15.
Nicholas Wehry, 35, Tampa, Florida - #4 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating. It'll be his seventh appearance in the competition. His personal best is 48 hot dogs and buns. He's the Cuban sandwich eating champion, having eaten 22 of them in 8 minutes. He's married to the top female competitive eater in the world, Miki Sudo.
James Webb, 35, Sydney, Australia - #5 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, and #1 competitive eater in Australia. Nathan's hails him as the "undisputed champion of the southern hemisphere." His personal best is 47 hot dogs and buns, and hold six world records, including world donut eating champion, with 70 glazed donuts. He set that record on June 7.
Gideon Oji, 32, Morrow, Georgia - #6 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating. Personal best of 48 hot dogs and buns. At 6'9", he's the tallest-ever Major League Eater.
Derek "Heavy D" Hendrickson, 36, Las Vegas, Nevada- #8 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, with a personal best of 32.5 hot dogs and buns. It's his fifth appearance in the competition. A tamale champion, he once ate 10 pounds of macaroni and cheese in 20 minutes.
Patrick Bertoletti, 39, Chicago, Illinois - #9 ranked eater in the world, with a personal best of 55 hot dogs and buns.
George Chiger, 45, Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania - #21 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, with a personal best of 32.5 hot dogs and buns. It's his sixth appearance in the contest. He holds the world record for spray cheese in a can by eating two 8oz cans in 59 seconds.
Sean Yeager, 32, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - It's his first appearance in the competition. His personal best is 36.75 hot dogs and buns. He's eaten 50 donuts and 16 pounds of strawberry shortcake in separate eight minute competitions.
Max Stanford, 36, Brixton, England - He's #1 ranked in the British Eating League, with a personal best of 34 hot dogs and buns. He holds world records for jaffa cakes, minute pies, and for eating a 50-oz steak in five minutes.
Ricardo Corbucci, 37, Brasilia, Brazil - #35 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, and #1 ranked in South America. It's his first appearance at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.
King Yamamoto, 40, Osaka, Japan - First appearance at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. He ate 17 pounds of ramen in 45 minutes, and 15 pounds of steak in 50 minutes. He previous won the 2013 "Battle of BIg Eaters in Singapore."
Major contestants:
Geoffrey Esper, 49, Oxford, Massachusetts - The #2 eater in the world by Major League Eating. It's his ninth appearance at the competition. Nathan's says his personal best is 51 hot dogs and buns, and he holds 19 world records for competitive eating, including eating 23.75 pounds of strawberry shortcake on June 15.
Nicholas Wehry, 35, Tampa, Florida - #4 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating. It'll be his seventh appearance in the competition. His personal best is 48 hot dogs and buns. He's the Cuban sandwich eating champion, having eaten 22 of them in 8 minutes. He's married to the top female competitive eater in the world, Miki Sudo.
James Webb, 35, Sydney, Australia - #5 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, and #1 competitive eater in Australia. Nathan's hails him as the "undisputed champion of the southern hemisphere." His personal best is 47 hot dogs and buns, and hold six world records, including world donut eating champion, with 70 glazed donuts. He set that record on June 7.
Gideon Oji, 32, Morrow, Georgia - #6 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating. Personal best of 48 hot dogs and buns. At 6'9", he's the tallest-ever Major League Eater.
Derek "Heavy D" Hendrickson, 36, Las Vegas, Nevada- #8 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, with a personal best of 32.5 hot dogs and buns. It's his fifth appearance in the competition. A tamale champion, he once ate 10 pounds of macaroni and cheese in 20 minutes.
Patrick Bertoletti, 39, Chicago, Illinois - #9 ranked eater in the world, with a personal best of 55 hot dogs and buns.
George Chiger, 45, Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania - #21 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, with a personal best of 32.5 hot dogs and buns. It's his sixth appearance in the contest. He holds the world record for spray cheese in a can by eating two 8oz cans in 59 seconds.
Sean Yeager, 32, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - It's his first appearance in the competition. His personal best is 36.75 hot dogs and buns. He's eaten 50 donuts and 16 pounds of strawberry shortcake in separate eight minute competitions.
Max Stanford, 36, Brixton, England - He's #1 ranked in the British Eating League, with a personal best of 34 hot dogs and buns. He holds world records for jaffa cakes, minute pies, and for eating a 50-oz steak in five minutes.
Ricardo Corbucci, 37, Brasilia, Brazil - #35 ranked eater in the world by Major League Eating, and #1 ranked in South America. It's his first appearance at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.
King Yamamoto, 40, Osaka, Japan - First appearance at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. He ate 17 pounds of ramen in 45 minutes, and 15 pounds of steak in 50 minutes. He previous won the 2013 "Battle of BIg Eaters in Singapore."
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