Current *** WORLD *** Breaking News

[jgbuz]

Kobayashi sets brat-eating record
8/5/2006, 8:25 p.m. ET
By COLIN FLY
The Associated Press

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — Takeru Kobayashi chomped through a record 58 brats at the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship on Saturday, easily winning another tasty title and slicing through the record of 34 1/2 set last year by Sonya Thomas.

"They're good," Kobayashi said through a translator. "I want to take some home."

Kobayashi earned $8,000 for his effort. There was no extra charge for the 16,820 calories, 1,450 grams of fat and 19 days worth of the recommended amount of sodium he consumed in besting Joey Chestnut and Thomas in front of a crowd of about 3,500 people attending Sheboygan Jaycees Brat Days.

The 160-pound Kobayashi, of Nagano, Japan, is a seasoned veteran at 27 and by far the world's best competitive eater. But he narrowly beat 22-year-old Joey Chestnut of San Jose, Calif., in this year's Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest on the Fourth of July in New York.

At Saturday's showdown in Sheboygan, competitors had 10 minutes to eat as many brats as possible with no buns. The Fourth of July contest is 12 minutes and competitors must eat the buns.

"Brats are a little bit harder to eat," Kobayashi said. "With hot dogs, it's more volume. You're actually dipping the buns in water."

Chestnut finished a distant second with 45 brats and said his performance couldn't have been wurst.

"I wasn't able to prepare for this contest like the Fourth of July," he said. "I know I could have done better, that's what hurts the most."

Patrick Bertoletti finished third with 39, Bob Shoudt had 38 1/2 and Tim Janus finished with 37. Thomas couldn't even match her record of last year, with just 34 brats.

After the contest ended, Kobayashi flexed his arm and pulled up his shirt to reveal his brat-filled stomach.

He said he was going for 50, and plans to come back next year to break another barrier.

"I want to do 60," he said.