Wingstop World Wing-Eating Championship Back On!

Now that the ice has melted, and the roads have cleared, the Wingstop World Wing-Eating Championship is back on! On Wednesday, April 13 the world’s top competitive eaters, including the number-one-ranked eater in the world Joey Chestnut, will descend on Dallas to compete in the Wingstop World Wing-Eating Championship. The winner of the 12-minute all-you-can-eat event will take home the lion’s share of a $10,000 cash purse.

Event Info:

WHAT:  Wingstop World Wing Eating Championship – a 12-minute eating contest with
            the world’s top competitive eaters. FREE public event with samples, giveaways.

WHERE: AT&T Plaza at American Airlines Center
            2500 Victory Ave.
            Dallas, TX
                                                           
WHEN:  Wednesday, April 13, 2011

TIME:    6 p.m.

Event will take place prior to the last game of the Dallas Mavericks regular season – Dallas Mavericks vs. New Orleans Hornets. 

The contest will feature 12 – 15 competitors, including:

• Joey Chestnut: Number-one ranked Chestnut has consumed 182 wings in 30 minutes in competition, and won his fourth consecutive Hot Dog eating title last July 4th in Coney Island, New York. He now looks to add another Major League Eating title to his legendary body of work.
• Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas: Looking to beat Chestnut will be number-four-ranked Thomas - a 100-pound wing-eating specialist from Alexandria, Va. Thomas will have confidence on her side in Dallas, having won four consecutive titles at the National Buffalo Wing Festival (2007-10). Last year she topped Chestnut and a field of 12 other men in Buffalo, N.Y.
• Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti: The number-two ranked eater in the world, Bertoletti, a mohawked chef from Chicago, holds world records in 29 foods including grits, ice cream and jalapenos.
• Bob Shoudt: Ranked number-three-in the world, Shoudt, who hails from the suburbs of Philadelphia, was formerly known as “Humble Bob” before embarking on an eight-contest winning streak that resulted in a moniker change to “The Notorious B.O.B.”

“Wings have surged to the top of every sports fan’s list of favorite foods and competitive eaters are no different,” said George Shea, chairman of Major League Eating. “Few other foods on the circuit test a competitor’s hand speed, technique and capacity more than wings. These skills will be on display in Dallas when the world’s best eaters pay homage to the mighty wing.”

Previously scheduled to take place in advance of the Super Bowl, the contest was postponed due to a snowstorm that hit Dallas in early February. Wingstop, which sold more than five million wings on Super Bowl Sunday, will prepare more than 1,000 wings for competitors on Wednesday evening.

The 12-minute contest will take place from AT&T Plaza at American Airlines Center prior to the final home game of the Dallas Mavericks regular season. The winner will take home the first-place prize of $5,000. The remaining second through six place payouts are as follows: $2,000, $1,500, $750, $500, $250.

Additionally, Wingstop will sample wings for attendees from the contest area, and giveaways and other prizes will be on-hand for the crowd.

About Wingstop:
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Richardson, Texas, Wingstop has more than 475 restaurants open across the United States and Mexico. With a sole focus on chicken wings, the Wingstop menu features nine wing flavors including Original Hot, Cajun, Atomic, Mild, Teriyaki, Lemon Pepper, Hawaiian, Garlic Parmesan, and Hickory Smoked BBQ. Wings are made fresh, cooked-to-order and customers can also choose from homemade side dishes including Wingstop's award winning fresh-cut seasoned fries. Wingstop has experienced more than seven consecutive years of positive sales increases, received multiple American Business Awards, was crowned Wing King at the National Buffalo Wing Festival and has been voted 'best wings' by outlets across the country. Troy Aikman, three-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame quarterback, has served as the chain's national spokesman since 2003.

About Major League Eating:
Major League Eating (MLE), the governing body of all stomach-centric sports, conducts more than 80 events annually, including the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, NY. The competitive eating community, which numbers more than 8,000 veteran and rookie athletes, travels the nation in search of top titles and the glory that they provide.