thedrifter
08-29-08, 08:16 AM
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, Okinawa (August 29, 2008) -- Nicholas G. Hansen needed a total of 12 to win the championship.
Not twelve points.
Not twelve goals.
He needed 12 hotdogs.
Hansen devoured the competition by cramming and swallowing 12 hotdogs in 12 minutes Sunday to win the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest held at the Futenma Flightline Fair.
The victory did not come with a mustard colored belt, but two round trip tickets to the United States.
Hansen's training regiment was a little unorthodox but served him well to beat a field of 13 contestants, some much larger than him.
"No training," said Hansen, a comptroller with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group. "My buddy signed me up one night and didn't even tell me about it."
The crowd was raucous, as sections cheered for their contestants.
Halfway through the event, the first disqualification occurred. No prohibited substances or illegal videotaping were involved; the contestant just couldn't keep her hotdogs down.
"I feel like crap," said Maria Rodriguez, the only female contestant. "It wasn't gross when I was eating, but I ate them too fast. I think I was on my sixth (hotdog) before I got sick."
Rodriguez's job as a food service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, did not give her an advantage over her competitors.
"I tried to hold it in, but I blew chunks everywhere. However, it was a lot of fun and I would definitely do it again," she said.
This wasn't a problem for the champ.
"One time I ate seven hamburgers so I thought I could do it, but it was harder than I thought," said Hansen. "When I was eating (the hotdogs) fast, I thought I was going to throw up."
Not twelve points.
Not twelve goals.
He needed 12 hotdogs.
Hansen devoured the competition by cramming and swallowing 12 hotdogs in 12 minutes Sunday to win the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest held at the Futenma Flightline Fair.
The victory did not come with a mustard colored belt, but two round trip tickets to the United States.
Hansen's training regiment was a little unorthodox but served him well to beat a field of 13 contestants, some much larger than him.
"No training," said Hansen, a comptroller with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group. "My buddy signed me up one night and didn't even tell me about it."
The crowd was raucous, as sections cheered for their contestants.
Halfway through the event, the first disqualification occurred. No prohibited substances or illegal videotaping were involved; the contestant just couldn't keep her hotdogs down.
"I feel like crap," said Maria Rodriguez, the only female contestant. "It wasn't gross when I was eating, but I ate them too fast. I think I was on my sixth (hotdog) before I got sick."
Rodriguez's job as a food service specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, did not give her an advantage over her competitors.
"I tried to hold it in, but I blew chunks everywhere. However, it was a lot of fun and I would definitely do it again," she said.
This wasn't a problem for the champ.
"One time I ate seven hamburgers so I thought I could do it, but it was harder than I thought," said Hansen. "When I was eating (the hotdogs) fast, I thought I was going to throw up."