Australia’s No.1 competitive eater on his prospects in the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
Australia’s No.1 competitive eater James Webb is in pursuit of his first mustard-yellow belt at the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. He weighs in on the Joey Chestnut controversy, what it means for his chances and what he really thinks of hot dogs.
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Champion Aussie chomper James Webb has likened it to the competitive eating world’s version of the Super Bowl.
Gearing up for his gastronomic grand final, Australia’s top competitive eater is deep in his preparations for the biggest competition of the year - the famous annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York - only this year “there is a lot more at stake now” for Webb.
Weighing in on the “crazy” controversy to hit the competitive eating scene, the Sydney eating machine’s prospects of winning a coveted mustard yellow belt in the July 4 event have been up-sized after the world’s No.1 eater Joey Chestnut was sensationally banned.
A 16-time winner and record-holder in the hot dog devouring contest, Chestnut is out of this year’s event over a commercial deal he made to represent a rival brand producing vegan hot dogs.
Chestnut won the Coney Island competition last year and has been the top dog every year since 2016, including his world record-breaking 76 hot dogs in 2021.
Finishing third in last year’s competition, Webb is now attracting attention as a contender alongside last year’s runner-up, Geoffrey Esper, and is “smashing hot dogs” nearly every day to steel himself for the July 4 crown.
“It is like the Super Bowl, really …. it’s the biggest event anywhere in the world for eating,” Webb said from his base in Dallas in the United States.
“It has been a pretty crazy build-up with the whole Joey Chestnut news.
“It was pretty wild, it hit us all like a punch in the face. To be fair, I think even Joey was surprised that it came out like that.
“The word banned, when it comes to a sport it’s quite serious. So I was shocked, I did not think it was going to be that kind of crazy.
“But for me, nothing really changes. I still have to train, prepare and get ready for it. It’s just there is a lot more at stake now I think.”
Webb had his best result in last year’s Nathan’s competition when he gobbled 47 hot dogs to finish third behind Chestnut’s 62 hot dogs and buns.
But the Australian eating star will arrive at Nathan’s with his appetite primed, having already devoured a string of world records this year.
Webb cracked open a pistachio eating world record with 338 in eight minutes; smashed down 224 grilled chicken wings in 10 minutes and ate 13 and half pounds of chocolate fudge in eight minutes.
He also smashed 51 sausages in 10 minutes; 350 doughnut holes in eight minutes and 70 glazed doughnuts in eight minutes.
But it is Nathan’s famous mustard belt that he covets the most.
“To even be in the conversation, that’s crazy - 12 months ago people didn’t even know my name, let alone now being in the conversation for the mustard belt,” Webb said.
“Man, that would mean more than what I could even describe in words (to win).
“In terms of the eating world, that (Nathan’s) is everything. I would literally go to bed with that belt every single night for the rest of my life.
The way the Americans are, they are very statistics based, so obviously Joey has always been the favourite because he is a 16-time champion.
“But actually in the last 12 months, I have won the most contests out of anybody.
“So, yeah, they are saying ‘James Webb, this guy from Australia, the new favourite and can he get anywhere close to Joey’s record?’. All this really outlandish kind of speak. I’m like ‘Wow, it’s pretty crazy, these guys know who I am’.
“It’s a big thing, it’s very outrageous to be in the conversation. To be fair, I’m just grateful that I am actually in the conversation.
While he was not shy about how much he craved the Nathan’s crown, Webb said he remained hopeful that Chestnut would still be able to compete.
“To be honest, I am still hoping Joey is there on the 4th of July,” Webb said.
“I hope they can sort out their differences and negotiate a deal.
“I really want Joey to be there to be honest.
“It literally would not surprise me if they parachuted him in at the last minute.
“America is wild. Anything is possible.”
Webb is now ramping up his preparations for the event and will have eaten hundreds of hot dogs by the time he gets to the Nathan’s stage.
He kicked off his first practice eating session last Friday with 47 and a half hot dogs and will aim to replicate the competition’s conditions every second day for the next week.
“I am in Dallas at the moment and I have kind of set up camp here, it is close to the gym that I train at, close to a Walmart and it has got a barbecue at the back, so pretty much every second day just smashing hot dogs,” Webb said.
“On my first practice, I did 47 and a half, which I basically started where I ended last year. I did 47 at Nathan’s last year, which is pretty good considering it’s so hot here in Texas.
“But I really want to get 50 in my second practice and then Wednesday I want to hopefully surpass the 50 mark.
“Literally for the next eight days, I am only going to consume hot dogs … by the time you hit Nathan’s, the smell of hot dogs, you are just over it.
“I will be trying to mimic the contest day every single practice.
“On the days where I don’t have my practices, I probably won’t eat at all. The day before a contest, you don’t eat, you fast … I hit the gym, I will hydrate, but I won’t eat.”
Webb’s eating exploits are all the more impressive given he confessed that he did not like hot dogs much at all.
“It is one of those typical American foods,” Webb said.
“We have done a few contests that are very American. For example, the baloney contest. For the life of me, I don’t know why people would go and spend their money on baloney. Pork roll is another one and hot dogs are another one.
“Here (in the US), a hot dog is a delicacy, people go out for hot dogs. There are hot dog stands everywhere in New York City. It’s a thing, there are stores or restaurants that only sell hot dogs. To me it is mind-blowing.”
Originally published as Australia’s No.1 competitive eater on his prospects in the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
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