Joey Chesnut set new world record for Hot Wing Eating

[May 22] NEW YORK / Setting a new world record, 23-year-old Joey "Jaws" Chestnut of San Jose, Calif., today was crowned "TripRewards Ultimate Hot Wing Eating Champion" for consuming 7.05 pounds of hot wings in 12 minutes, his 31st championship.

Photo:
Three the Hot Way: Tim "Eater X" Janus and Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas face off with Joey "Jaws" Chestnut as he sets a new world record of 7.05 pounds of hot wings eaten at the TripRewards Ultimate Hot Wing Championship. (PRNewsFoto/Wyndham Hotel Group)

     Chestnut, weighing 230 pounds, was among seven ravenous contenders, including runner-up Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, from Alexandria, Va., who scarfed 6.013 pounds of hot wings, and Tim "Eater X" Janus, from New York, N.Y., who placed third with 5.38 pounds.

     The contest, sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating, was held in Grand Central Terminal before a crowd of spectators and commuters, many of whom stopped by to see Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson host the event.
   
     For every pound of hot wings consumed, Wyndham Hotel Group donated $250 to Food Bank For New York City, a charity committed to ending hunger by organizing food, information and support for community survival and dignity. The eaters managed to consume a total of 30 pounds of hot wings, raising $7,500 for the organization and providing more than 37,500 free meals for New Yorkers who otherwise would go hungry.

    The event kicked-off TripRewards Mystery Hot Spot, the summer loyalty program from the Wyndham Hotel Group.

     "We're so proud to have been able to host this fiery event," said Jill Noblett, senior vice president of loyalty and direct marketing for Wyndham Hotel Group. "Joey set a new record in competitive eating, and we hope he can use his TripRewards points to earn even more recognition."

    Chestnut rose to lofty heights in record time, winning Rookie of the Year for 2005 and nearly defeating the great Kobayashi in hamburgers and hot dogs. He went undefeated by any American eater for 10 months in 2006.
    Chestnut's championship prize includes one million TripRewards points, which can be redeemed for exciting rewards including: a Hawaiian vacation package for two that includes two plane tickets, seven nights at participating hotels and more than two dozen $50 restaurant gift cards.
    Or he could use the million TripRewards points to:
# rent a car for 166 days (to catch each and every IFOCE competition);
# stay 100 nights at select hotels (to recover);
# or purchase two 42-inch, flat-screen televisions (to relive his big wins.)
    Replays of the event can be viewed on the Web at    http://www.triprewardshotwingchampionship.com/
    
   
   Source:PRNewswire