Kobayashi Is Krystal King Again; New "No Dunking Rule" Gives Kobayashi Edge Over Arch-rival Joey Chestnut, Claims 4th Krystal Square Off Title

Japanese speed-eating legend Takeru Kobayashi defeated his arch-rival and reigning champ Joey Chestnut to reclaim the world hamburger eating title today at the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. The 31-year-old from Japan earned a score of 93 Krystal hamburgers in eight minutes, setting a world record under a new no-dunking rule established by The Krystal Company. Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif., finished second with 81.

Kobayashi’s victory over Chestnut today before a live televised audience and a crowd of more than 10,000 puts him back on top of the sport he brought into the American mainstream more than eight years ago, only to see his star fall the past three years following several high-profile losses, including a loss to Chestnut at last year’s championship in Chattanooga.

“We knew today’s Krystal Square Off championship was going to be a battle for the ages with Kobayashi hoping to reclaim his glory and Chestnut defending his two-year reign as champ, and both eaters did not disappoint,” said Brad Wahl, vice president of marketing, The Krystal Company. “Kobayashi’s commanding win over Chestnut proved once again why he is the sport’s biggest star.”

“Kobayashi came into Chattanooga needing a win. He got it and then some,” said Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating, the governing body of all stomach-centric sports. “The 12 Krystal margin revives his rivalry with Joey Chestnut and caps what was a great Krystal Square Off season. At the end, Kobayashi seemed to hit his head on the ceiling of his own self worth; lucky for him the faux hawk provided cushion.”

Presented by The Krystal Company, the Krystal Square Off is the only world hamburger eating championship sanctioned by Major League Eating.

Kobayashi has now won the Krystal Square Off four of its six years. He pockets $20,000 for the victory, along with the coveted Krystal Square Off Champion’s Belt and Trophy made out of crystal. Chestnut earns $10,00 for his second place finish. Patrick Bertoletti, who finished third with 76, takes away $5,000. The remaining finalists receive payouts ranging from $3,000 to $500. The $50,000 total cash purse is the largest in competitive eating.

The Krystal Square Off introduced new rules this year that forced competitors to change their strategies. First, eaters were no longer allowed to dunk their hamburgers in liquid in an effort to eliminate “detritus” during the competition. Also new this year, every eater was given five Big Angus Burgers at the start of the competition in addition to their tray of Krystal hamburgers. Each Big Angus Burger consumed added five hamburgers to an eater’s total count.

The official results are as follows:

Takeru Kobayashi, Tokyo, Japan – 93 (68 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers*)
Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, San Jose, Calif. – 81 (56 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, Chicago, Ill. – 76 (51 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
“Humble” Bob Shoudt, Philadelphia, Pa. – 71 (46 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, Alexandria, Va. – 65 (40 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Hall “Hoover” Hunt, Jacksonville, Fla. – 60 (35 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Tim “Eater X” Janus, New York, N.Y. – 59 (34 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Erik “The Red” Denmark, Seattle, Wash. – 58 (33 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Tim “Gravy” Brown, Chicago, Ill. – 52 (27 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Jim “Buffalo” Reeves – 50 (25 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Eric “Badlands” Booker, Long Island, N.Y. – 47 (22 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
Tyler Allen, Chattanooga, TN – 8 (8 Krystals, 0 Big Angus Burgers)

* Each Big Angus Burger equals five Krystal hamburgers

Krystal has been hosting eating contests ever since it first opened its doors in 1932. Indeed, Krystal’s second customer, Roy Ward, claimed he could eat twice as many Krystals as French Jenkins, the chain’s first customer. He did just that by eating 12 Krystals, and according to legend invented the famous Krystal Sackful in the process. The years have passed, but Krystal Lovers have never stopped challenging each other to Krystal Eating Contests. This longstanding tradition became official in 2004 with the first Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship.

UPDATE: More photos of Takeru Kobayashi before and after his victory.

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Much like how the unsuspecting beauty of Susan Boyle’s vocal performance on “Britain’s Got Talent” captured the hearts and web clicks of millions worldwide, the video below of Takeru Kobayashi gracefully devouring 93 Krystal hamburgers like some superhuman maestro of mastication is sure to become an Internet sensation.

Relive the moment at yesterday’s Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship below. Watch for the shot of the massive crowd on hand to witness the contest at the 2:04 mark. Read about his victory here. Also, you can re-watch the broadcast of the 8-minute contest that aired live on SportSouth here. Kobayashi’s celebration at the end shows just how important the victory was for him.

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Competitive eaters Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi will once again face off on Sunday for the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn.

In less than two days, they’ll face off as sworn enemies at the competitive eating table and battle it out for the biggest prize in competitive eating.

Today though, the top four-ranked eaters – Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti, Takeru Kobayashi and “Humble” Bob Shoudt – met on amicable terms at the official press conference for the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship, held along the banks of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tenn. The four gurgitating giants addressed the assembled media as well as traded tips and strategy among themselves for the upcoming event this Sunday, September 27, 2009.

View photos from the press conference below and make sure to check out the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship Weekend Guide for all the details you’ll need.

You can follow @ksquareoff on Twitter for live updates or settle down on the couch and watch the live televised broadcast on Fox SportSouth at 2:30pm on Sunday. If you don’t get Fox SportSouth or are stuck in front of the computer, have no fear because you can watch the KSO Live Stream from the comfort of your monitor.

See more photos here.

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Put on your Krystal cycling gear and head over to the 3rd Annual Krystal Square Off Poker Run on Sunday, Sept. 27. The morning ride is a great way to kick off the Championship event!

Watching the world’s best competitive eating can be hard on the stomach for both the competitors and the folks watching it. Why not burn a few calories in advance with the third annual Krystal Square Off VI Poker Run presented by Scenic City Vel?

Cyclists from all around the Southeast will put the pedal to the pavement in this fun, non-competitive bike ride which begins at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 at Ross’s Landing. Participants will pedal from one Krystal restaurant to another and collect playing cards at each stop all while enjoying a couple Krystal Burgers along the way. Each cyclist will receive one playing card for reaching a store in addition to three more cards for each Krystal Burger consumed at a restaurant, so that a maximum of 4 cards can be collected per restaurant. The Krystals are free with entry into the ride.

And because everyone likes a little something sweet with their Krystals, for the first time ever there will be MilkQuakes available at the Broad Street and Cherokee Blvd. stores so that you can finish off the ride with an ice-cold and refreshing dessert.

Participants have three hours to ride to as many Krystal restaurants as they can and collect playing cards. When the Official “KrystalFest” Tailgating Party for the Krystal Square Off kicks off at noon, the winner will be announced at the Riverfront based on the best five card hands.

Entry into the Krystal Square Off Poker Run costs only $5, and each participant receives a pair of black cycling socks with the Krystal logo emblazoned on the side of the cuff and a Lynskey T-shirt to show they are part of the ride.

All those interested must sign up in person. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 at the 21st Century Waterfront in Downtown Chattanooga.

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The top three ranked eaters in the world, Chestnut, Bertoletti and Kobayshi will reunite for this year's KSO VI Press Conference set to take place on Friday, Sept. 25 at Ross' Landing.

Before the biggest names in Major League Eating go bite-for-bite Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship, they‘ll meet face-to-face on Friday, Sept. 25 at the official Krystal Square Off VI Press Conference. Set to take place at 2:30 p.m. at Ross’ Landing in downtown Chattanooga, the conference will feature gurgitating giants Joey Chestnut, Takuru Kobayashi, Patrick Bertoletti and Humble Bob Shoudt as they dish about training and eating strategies before their reunion at Sunday’s table.

Having both received automatic seats at this year’s final table, neither defending champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut nor three-time Krystal Square Off winner Takeru Kobayashi have had the chance to eat the new Big Angus Burger or compete in a timed Krystal Square Off Qualifier with the No-Dunking rule. As you can imagine, it will be interesting to hear what the eaters have to say about contending with the new rules for the first time.

On the contrary, current Qualifying-circuit leader Patrick Bertoletti and Atlanta Qualifying winner Humble Bob Shoudt both have first hand experience of Krystal’s rule changes and will be able to shed some light on how the Big Angus Burger Points and No-Dunking policy have in fact drastically altered the face of the competition.

George Shea of Major League Eating will host the press conference, providing an expert’s perspective on what is being hailed the biggest event in the history of Major League Eating, which – as you might expect – also awards the largest cash purse in competitive eating, a whopping $50,000.

Be sure to catch all the competitive-eating drama and more this weekend on Friday, Sept. 25 and Sunday, Sept. 27 at Ross’ Landing along the banks of the Tennessee River.

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Among the "KrystalFest" activities includes the Boat Parade of Competitive Eaters. Seen here at the KSO V, Chestnut, Eater X, Humble Bob and more showed their excitement as they pulled into shore.

With only three days left until the main event, the countdown is officially on to see who will take home the honor, the eminence and all the glory of what it is to be the Krystal Square Off VI Champion. And while the showdown between Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi, Patrick Bertoletti and all the best eaters is what you’ve all been waiting for, there is much more to come leading up to the main event to help satiate your appetite until Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m.

The Krystal Square Off VI list of weekend events will also include the World Hamburger Eating Championship Official Press Conference, the “KrystalFest” Tailgating Party, an amateur eating contest and much more. All events will take place at Chattanooga’s 21st Century Waterfront (Ross’s Landing) and are free and open to the public.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25

2:30 p.m. – Press Conference at Ross’s Landing: For those that need a refresher course from the pros on the biggest competitive eating competition this side of the Mason-Dixon line, head on down to the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship Official Press Conference. There, the top three ranked eaters in the world, Joey Chestnut, Patrick Bertoletti and Takeru Kobayashi, will meet face-to-face for the official pre-contest press conference and photo opportunity. These top gurgitators will make predictions, talk about the new rules and discuss their strategies for winning competitive eating’s most coveted title, its $20,000 cash prize and bragging rights for establishing a new world-record in front of a live audience of 10,000 people.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27

9:00 a.m. - Krystal Square Off VI Bicycle Poker Run begins.

Noon – 2 p.m. – “KrystalFest” Tailgating Party: Come get your grub, game, and groove on with Krystal as they close in on one of the biggest sports competitions in the world. Activities include:

- Free Krystal Burgers and Krystal Blitz Energy Drink to first 1,000 people
- Carnival games for kids, balloons, Krystal prize giveaways and more
- Live music from 38 Special’s Jeff Carlisi and The Hold On Bruce Lees
- Boat Parade of Competitive Eaters and a stop by Autograph Alley to sign autographs for spectators.
- Registration and Drawing for 12th Man Contest. Must be 18+ and have valid photo ID.
- Registration and Drawing for Sackful Challenge Teams. Must be 18+ and have valid photo ID.

2 – 3:00 p.m. – Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship

- SportSouth Live broadcast begins
- 2-minute Sackful Challenge with four teams of two eaters competing to win $100 each.
- Introduction of eaters by George Shea, Chairman of the IFOCE
- 8-minute Krystal Square Off VI World Championship Final
- Award Presentations

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Watch the Krystal Square Off VI live Online and on SportSouth at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27.

The biggest names in the sport of competitive eating will go head-to-head and bite-for-bite live on SportSouth starting at 2 p.m. this Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. And, for the first time ever, Krystal Lovers will also be able to watch this same great coverage LIVE ONLINE at KrystalSquareOff.com.

The special live, streaming event will broadcast online exclusively at krystalsquareoff.com/blog/kso-live-stream (bookmark now!) and allow Krystal lovers and competitive eating fans to interact directly on the page via Facebook.

Among the eaters set to battle for the $50,000 cash prize purse include defending Krystal Square Off champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, three-time Krystal Square Off winner Takeru Kobayashi, the second-ranked eater in the world Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti and nine other masters of mastication.

The live-televised and live online streaming 60-minute special event coverage will include behind-the-scenes footage with the eaters, exclusive interviews and the main event featuring top gustatory athletes tackling the famous Krystal Burger, and for the first time ever, the Krystal Big Angus Burger, a two-handed, all-Angus beef burger. Also new this year is a “No Dunking” rule, making this year’s event the most thrilling event in Major League Eating.

And just in case you miss it the first go ’round, the contest will also re-air on television immediately after the Atlanta Braves game on Sunday, Sept. 27 on FOX Sports South.

For more Krystal Square Off VI live coverage, follow @KSquareOff on Twitter.

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Watch the Krystal Square Off VI this Sunday to see Chestnut and Kobayashi - one of competitive eating's biggest rivalries - contend with the new Big Angus Burger Points and No-Dunking rule for the very first time.

The culmination of months of training, seven qualifying rounds and countless Krystal burgers finally comes to its pinnacle on Sunday, Sept. 27 when 11 competitors take to the final table for the sixth annual Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship.

The eight-minute, live-televised eating contest will feature the number one-ranked gurgitator Joey Chestnut, Japan’s legendary Takeru Kobayashi and the second-ranked eater in the world Patrick Bertoletti in addition to eight more masters of mastication. The 12th eater will be selected from the crowd to compete against the pros as they battle for the top hamburger title and a share of a record $50,000 cash purse.

This year’s Krystal Square Off VI winner will not only receive $20,000 and the coveted World Hamburger Championship Belt and Trophy made out of crystal but will also have bragging rights for establishing a new world-record in front of a live audience of 10,000 people. The runner-up and third place finalists will each take home $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, and the remaining nine will receive payouts ranging from $3,000 to $500.

And as any true competitive eating fan knows, the contest isn’t just about the money or the great-tasting Krystal Burgers – it’s about the battle. While defending Champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut and Japanese eating sensation Takeru Kobayashi automatically receive seats into this year’s final, the remaining nine had to fight to bite. During a two-month qualifying circuit, dozens showed up, but only a select seven won a spot at the finals while the rest fought for two wild card seats.

Will the new Big Angus Burger Points and “No-Dunking” policy be too much for Chestnut and Kobayashi to handle for the first time? Will last year’s runner-up and current Qualifying-circuit leader Patrick Bertoletti steal the spotlight from the two most famous eaters in the world with a victory himself? Only time will tell.

The 11 finalists for Krystal Square Off VI are:

* Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, San Jose, Calif. (Automatic seat as defending champ)
* Takeru Kobayashi, Tokyo, Japan (Automatic seat as three-time KSO Champion)
* Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, Chicago, Ill. (67 Krystal Burger Points in Chattanooga)
* “Humble” Bob Shoudt, Philadelphia, Pa. (66 Krystal Burger Points in Atlanta)
* Hall “Hoover” Hunt, Jacksonville, Fla. (65 Krystal Burger Points in Jacksonville)
* Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, Alexandria, Va. (64 Krystal Burger Points in San Antonio)
* Tim “Eater X” Janus, New York, N.Y. (55 Krystals in Knoxville)
* Tim “Gravy” Brown, Chicago, Ill. (54 Krystals in Nashville)
* Eric “Badlands” Booker, Long Island, N.Y. (51 Krystal Burger Points in Birmingham)
* Erik “The Red” Denmark, Seattle, Wash. (55 Krystal Burger Points in San Antonio – Wild Card)
* Jim “Buffalo” Reeves, (50 Krystal Burger Points in Nashville – Wild Card)

You can catch each second of sixth annual Krystal Square Off World Championship in person this Sunday, Sept. 27 at Chattanooga’s 21st Century Waterfront (Ross’s Landing) beginning at 2 p.m. or by watching live on SportSouth. Live updates will also be available on Twitter @ksquareoff.

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Seen here at the Krystal Square Off VI, Tim "Eater X" Janus pounded back enough Krystals for a repeat win of the Knoxville Qualifier.

Not even the threat of a torrential downpour put a damper on what was a fierce competition between Tim “Eater X” Janus and Juliet “The Lovely” Lee at the last Krystal Square Off VI qualifying round held at the Tennessee Valley Fair in Knoxville on Sunday, Sept. 20. Clouds may have loomed overhead, but the only things the audience could see falling were the hopes and dreams of Juliet Lee, “Crazy Legs” Conti and the nine other competitors that champ Tim “Eater X” Janus left in the dust by chomping down a winning 30 Krystals and 5 Big Angus Burgers for a total of 55 Krystal Burger Points.

If you’re bummed you opted to stay in last weekend, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with all the action via video. And chin up, tiger: you still have one last chance to see Janus kill some Krystal burgers this Sunday, Sept. 27 as the sixth annual Krystal Square Off World Championship goes down in Chattanooga starting at 2 p.m.

See photos below from the Knoxville Qualifier. Full photo gallery here.

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KSO VI Nashville Qualifying champ Tim "Gravy" Brown shows a little love to the second place winner Erik "The Red" Denmark.

This past Saturday, the most colorful of characters came down to Nashville for the second-to-last Krystal Square Off VI Qualifying round. A gold-clad Tim “Gravy” Brown and fan favorite Erik “The Red” Denmark were neck and neck throughout the entire competition, but Brown stepped up his game at the very end to pull out the win with 54 Krystal Burger Points. Denmark finished in second with a count of 51, which didn’t match his first qualifying tally but ensured that he’d be a definite for the Wild Card picks.

Be sure to catch both of these guys in action once again this Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship at Ross’ Landing in Chattanooga. And in the mean time, check out the video footage below of one of the most nail-biting qualifying rounds to take place on this year’s circuit.

A selection of photos from the Nashville Qualifier is below. Full photo gallery here.

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