New IFOCE World Ranking

#12

The IFOCE updated their rankings yesterday and I moved up from #26 to #12. I was very satisfied in the beginning of the year when I was first ranked highly at #26. I believe I defended my ranking well; since being ranked, I only lost to one person ranked below me - Bryan Miller (was ranked #45) at the Nathan's Sunrise Qualifier in April. I did defeat numerous people ranked above me (I am not going to list them, that would be a dick move). But now the challenge becomes even greater to rise to the very top, to gain world titles, world records, and defeat the best in the world - those that I respect greatly. I look forward to the upcoming challenges in Sheboygan, Acoma, and Reno.

Chinnok Winds Rib Competition Video

Here is video of the first 8 minutes of the contest (thanks Dad):



Read my writeup and results of the contest below...

Chinook Winds BBQ Ribs Results, July 16 2006

Contest Results (current IFOCE ranking in paranthesis):

1st - Joey Jaws Chestnut(3), 8.4 lbs. $1500
2nd - Rich the Locust LeFevre(5), 5.05 lbs. $750
3rd - Erik the Red Denmark(26), 4.1 lbs. $500
4th - Jason Erbivore Erb(NR), 3.05 lbs.

I am not sure what Scott the Pork Slayer Sayer's(50) final total was but i am pretty sure he took 5th.

Well, sorry it has taken me so long to update (who am I apologizing to? I don't know). Let me tell you a bit about the contest - it was hot. I mean the contest was fun, I mean it. Not that all the contests I have been in were not fun (they were), but some are more painful or grueling or the crowds are not as enthusiastic. Obviously, after coming back from New York and re-living the Nathan's experience over and over again in my head; I feel envigorated with excitement and confidence in my skills. I know I have a little way to go before I can reach the upper echelon of competitive eaters in the world but I believe I am knocking on the door and soon I will be in.

This was my first rib contest and I wasn't quite sure what would be the most effective way to get the meat off of the bone. I knew I would need to use my hands and my teeth in conjunction to continuosly keep my mouth full of meat. The crowd that was gathered outside of the Chinnook Winds Casino were excited, it helped that the stage was set right in front of the beer garden, but they were very responsive to MC Mike Castellano, who rocked.

Anyway, I felt relaxed, confident and ready when the contest began - I was very relieved actually to be eating anything but hot dogs in contest after competing in 5 hot dog competions on the circuit. I picked up the first rib and took a bite of what I thought would be meat but to my surprise there was actually two bones on each rib cut - this threw me off right away and I abandoned any strategy I had in my mind and just started ripping the meat from the bone as fast as I could.

Despite being surprised by my first bite, I came out fast and was in a good rhythm. I finished my first plate (comprised of 2.5 lbs. of meat and bone) in equal time as Joey who was standing to my right. The second plate went down almost just as fast and I was just behind Joey when I started my third plate. I took my first bite of the third plate and I knew it would be a struggle; there was almost no sauce on the ribs, in contrast to the first two plates, and the meat was very dry. My jaws started to get tired and I had to consume way too much water to get the third plate down. Joey kept in his methodical fast and steady pace to finish three more plates (for a total of 5) and Rich probably passed me in the last two minutes of the contest. Third place and 4.1 pounds is not a dissapointment for me and I think I am capable of pulling a big upset in the near future.

I do have a video of the first 8 minutes of the contest, which I do intend to post but I need to compress it because it is over 100 MB's. Anyway, I will post this week.

Below are some pics, all from the last 4 minutes of the contest (taken by my Dad):

I am trying to rip through the meat to get it to my mouth
(it was very messy) as Joey is taking a sip to clear his mouth


Joey is filling his mouth full while I have turned to my teeth for help


This is about 8 minutes in to the contest,
Rich is just finding his stride as Joey is working on his third plate


Mike Castellano gets closer as the contest is winding down


With about 1:30 to 2 minutes left in the contest,
Scott Sayer (glasses) straightens up as
Rich is starting his fourth plate, Joey is working on his fifth,
and the bones are piling up from the end of my third plate

Erik the Red on 950 KJR with the Groz, 7-7

Click here to listen with my latest interview on 950 KJR with "The Groz", Fri. 7-7-06

Nathan's Famous Contest Results, July 4, 2006

Here are the Contest Results from July 4th (IFOCE rank in paranthesis):

1st - Takeru the Tsunami Kobayashi(1) - 53.75
2nd - Joey Jaws Chestnut(3) - 52
3rd - Sonya the Black Widow Thomas(2) - 37
4th - Pat Deep Dish Bertoletti(4) - 34.25
5th - Tim Eater x Janus(6) - 34
6th - Chip the Phenom Simpson(11) - 33
7th - Humble Bob Shoudt(7) - 30
8th - Rich the Locust LeFevre(5) - 28.5
9th - Eric Badlands Booker(9) - 24.5
10th - Pat from Moonachie Philbin(20) - 23
11th - Erik the Red Denmark(26) - 22
11th - Big Brian Subich(29) - 22
11th - Robert Anderson(NR) - 22
14th - Crazy Legs Conti(12) - 21.33
15th - Seaver the Achiever Miller (NR) - 20.5
15th - Allen the Shredder Goldstein(23) - 20.5
17th - Kamil the Hague Hamersky(NR) - 20
18th - Pretty Boy Hall Hunt(17) - 19
19th - Kenji Oguni - 16
20th - Jed the Jalapeno King Donahue(13) - 1

The Road to Nathan's is complete for 2006.

Watch the entire contest here

Nathan's Thailand Qualifier (on Coney Island) Results, July 3, 2006

Here are the Contest Results (IFOCE rank in paranthesis):

1st - Erik the Red Denmark(26) - 22 HDB's
2nd - Arturo Rios(NR) - 18 HDB's
3rd - Wild Bill Myers(NR) - 16 HDB's
4th - Russ Keeler (NR) - 15.5 HDB's
5th - Don "Moses" Lerman(24) - 14.75 HDB's
6th - Jammin' Joe LaRue(21) - 14.5 HDB's
7th - Krazy Kevin Lipsitz(32) - 13.5 HDB's



I never imagined I would have such a strong bond with the country of Thailand. But, I do. Thailand is my new favorite country and I want to thank them for their genoristy in accepting me as their hot dog champion.

Although this was the "Thailand Qualifier", I do not believe there were any Thai citizens involved in the contest that was held on the grass behind homeplate before a minor league baseball game (America's pastime) between the Broklyn Cyclones (NY Mets affiliate)and the Hudson Valley Renegades (TB Devil Rays affiliate). The venue for this contest was awesome, I am not just saying this because I won the contest but we were perfoming on the field before the class A baseball game with a relatively good size crowd of 3 - 4,000 people.

I felt great during this contest, many of the eaters who were already qualified came out to cheer us on which was inspiring. Earlier in the day I had attended the weigh-in for the contest on the 4th, and I just knew I had to win this contest to be an official part of it all.

I got in to a great rhythm early in the contest, it was pretty tight between myself and Joe LaRue through the first two plates but LaRue who was out of practice, began to slow down considerably. I kept a steady pace and had finished 18 hot dogs with about 4 minutes remaining in the contest. I shoved in the remains of hot dog #22 with about 10 seconds left and I knew the contest was mine. I felt a rush of emotion and excitement as the contest ended, that feeling of victory had alluded me so narrowly just one week earlier. I had finally made it!

After the contest results were announced, a Cyclones representative handed me a ball and said wait here you are going to throw out the first pitch. What, are you serious? I said to myself. I hadn't thrown a pitch from an elevated mound since little league but I decided I would throw a fast ball from the windup. I was so excited and filled with adrenaline when I got to the mound that when I released the ball it sailed way right and over the catchers head and in to the backstop. Ha! Great! Who cares, I had just won a hot dog eating contest and I was going to compete in the Superbowl, the World series, the World Cup of competitive eating the next day. Oh shit, that's right I had to do it all again the next day.

Liz from UrbanHonking.com has a Flikr album of the contest here

Erik the Red on the Radio with the Groz

Click here to listen to my latest interview on 950 KJR with "The Groz" from Friday, June 30.

Nathan's San Francisco Qualifier, June 24

Here are the bloody results from the contest:

1st - Jed the Jalapeno King Donahue(13) - 19.5 HDB's
2nd - Erik the Red Denmark(26) - 19 HDB's
3rd - Ron Koch(10) - 15 HDB's

Shit. I could leave the post at that honestly, that is how I feel about the contest. Not that I feel I did poorly in the contest, I didn't. Not that I think I fell way below my potetnial at that particular moment, I didn't. Could I have won that contest? Hell ya. San Fransisco was a mess on Saturday morning; there was a stubborn cloud cover that kept the temperature cool, I mean cold. The public crowd was rather small, IFOCE newbie Eddie was the MC for the event - he didn't suck, he did fine, but the flow of the contest was a little broken because it was Eddie's first contest and he clearly does not know that much about competitive eating. He claimed that Ron Koch has eaten 81 pounds of pasta, that I am from Denmark, and he almost started the contest before introducing Jed Donahue. He miss-pronounced the LeFevre's names (who were in attendance) as the LeFleur's.

Anyway, that wasn't a big deal, a more important blunder for the contest was that they used the wrong hot dogs for the event - yes, the wrong hot dogs! The hot dogs they provided were Nathan's skinless hot dogs, which are fatter and shorter than the Nathan's they should have used with the natural casings. Some would say that this could provide an advantage and that the skinless hot dogs are easier to eat but I completely disagree - I consistently could eat more of the Nathan's dogs with casings than the ones without in practices. Besides, I was mentally and physically prepared for the hot dogs with casings, the ones that I trained with the last two weeks that I purchased from Nathan's online store and spent over $150 on in the last two months.

All that being said, Jed and I ate the same hot dogs and he did beat me by a half of a bun. As the contest was winding down, Jed and I were very close - we were neck and neck throughout the contest in fact. I finished my third plate just ahead of Jed with about three minutes left in the contest. I stuggled a bit on hot dog's 16 and 17 and Jed took the lead. With less than 30 seconds left, I was still on 18 and Jed was finishing 19, I prepared myself for a big stuff at the end. I cleared my mouth with one last sip of water with 6 seconds left in the contest and frantically picked everything I could off of my plate and shoved it in my mouth as time expired. With mouth full, I looked down and saw that I had one whole bun left and 1/4 of a hot dog; Jed's plate showed one half hot dog and one half bun - I knew I had lost by a half of a bun. The agony of losing by so little was so painful. I held my head in my hands under the table and stopped chewing what was a losing mouthful, I didn't want to look at the hot dogs or the crowd anymore.

I eventually swallowed what was in my mouth and showed my face again but the pain of the loss is still with me. I want to sincerely thank Rich and Carlene for coming to the contest and cheering for me and everyone else so graciously, they didn't have to come and cheer but not only are they legends at the table they are true fans and loyal friends. Joey Chestnut also helped me through the contest and although I know he could have beaten my total in two and a half minutes, I was inspired by his presence. Congrats on the win Jed. Alright enough shout outs, back to my despair.

Here are some photos that I basterdized from contestant and fan, Mike Wooldridge's Flikr album (Thanks Mike):

Carlene and Rich LeFevre: The Perfect Couple

Chestnut and I before the contest, I hadn't lost yet...



The beginning moments of the contest I am trying to find a rhythm and not bend over too much



A view of all the competitors, Jed is to my right, Ron to my left, and the crowd on the balcony, which I never noticed were there



Towards the end of the contest things are heating up; Jed is looking over at my plate as Carlene, Joey, and Rich cheer from the crowd



This is what it looks like to lose by a half a bun and to see a dream fade away - dejected, ashamed, lonely, and a mouth full of shit

Las Vegas Grilled Cheese Results

GoldenPalace. Net Grilled Cheese Results 6-10-06:
(IfOCE rankings in paranthesis)

1st - 47 Sandwiches, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut(3)
2nd (tie) - 37, Pat Bertoletti(4)
2nd (tie) - 37, Sonya "the Black Widow" Thomas(2)
4th - 35, Rich "the Locust" LeFevre(5)
5th - 33, Chip "the Phenom" Simpson(11)
6th - 20.5, Ron Koch(10)
7th - 17.5, Erik the Red Denmark(26)

Click Here for video of the contest

Following the PRO contest, Tim "Eater X" Janus(6) took on AFL star Gear Gudmundson at halftime of the AFL Championship XX Skills Challenge at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Here is video from Eater X's dominating performance, winning the 5 minute contest 18 to 6:

On-Air Interviews with the Groz on 950 KJR

Click Here to listen to my Friday, 6-2 interview with the Groz
Click Here to listen to my Monday, 6-5 interview with the Groz