American eats record 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes

By Maureen Madden

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An American competitive eater devoured a record 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes on Wednesday to win the July 4 annual Coney Island hotdog eating competition, defeating a six-time champion from Japan in a photo finish.

Defending champion Takeru Kobayashi, a 28-year-old from Japan who weighed in at 170 pounds, went into the competition with a jaw injury but still managed to down 63 hotdogs.

But the winner of the "Mustard Belt" prize for the most hotdogs eaten was 23-year-old Joey Chestnut from San Jose, California, who weighed in at 225 pounds.

Chestnut fulfilled his vow to beat the world record he set in qualifying earlier this year of 59 1/2 dogs, and to bring back the prize to America on Independence Day.

The two were neck and neck in the final minute until Kobayashi appeared to suffer what the commentator on sports TV channel ESPN euphemistically called a "reversal."

Judges reviewed the debris of plates and scraps and declared Chestnut the winner with 66. The third place eater trailed way behind with 49.

"For the past six years Kobayashi has dominated. In year seven he just couldn't cut it," Chestnut told Reuters. "It just feels awesome. For a long time the belt has been going away to Japan but this year it's staying here."

Competitive eating is a popular pastime in America, particularly at holidays.