When Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi competed in the first ever Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship last November, the 26-year-old eating phenom arrived to the heart of the South as an interloper and left a world-record holder, stunning both the competitive eating world and a proud nation of Krystal
hamburger-eating fanatics on their home turf by devouring 69 of the
famous small, square hamburgers in just eight minutes.
Krystal is readying for the 2005 Krystal Square Off World Hamburger
Eating Championship.
Already declared one of the “majors” in the sport of competitive
eating and distinguished as the only world hamburger-eating championship officially sanctioned by the International Federation of
Competitive Eating (IFOCE), the Krystal Square Off will kick off once
again on Labor Day, Sept. 5, in Chattanooga, with the first of 11
regional qualifying events.
The qualifying circuit will criss-cross six states, from Texas to Florida, and will pit the world’s best competitive eaters against the lifelong Krystal fans.
Winners of the regional qualifiers will earn a seat at the final table
of the world championship event, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19, in
Chattanooga, and will be competing for one of the largest cash purses
offered on the U.S. competitive eating circuit. While the total money
prize for this year’s main event will not be announced until later this
summer, officials have confirmed that the purse will be larger than
2004’s unprecedented $17,500.
“Last year, the Krystal Square Off was the new event on the competitive
eating circuit, and it instantly captured the imagination and attention of Krystal lovers and competitive eaters everywhere with more than 1,700 people competing for the 14 coveted spots at the final table. In 2005, we expect an even bigger and more competitive field,” said Mike Williams, vice president of marketing, The Krystal Company.
“The Krystal brand has always been about fun, friends and enjoying our
one-of-a-kind big taste food in multiples, and the Krystal Square Off
embodies all of this, plus the pride and loyalty people from all across
the South have for the Krystal brand.”
Commenting on the match-up between Krystal’s customers and the
professional eaters who mostly reside outside Krystal country, Williams
noted, “While the majority of our customers come out to the qualifiers
simply to have fun, enjoy a few Krystals and watch and meet the pros,
many of who have become household names, we do have a few talented
customers with a special knack for putting away Krystals. Whereas last
year they were fueled mainly by passion—and that alone got several to
the finals, even upsetting a few of the pros—they’ve now had ample time
to study and perfect the technical prowess necessary to compete, and
perhaps, beat the world’s best.”
At last year’s debut Krystal Square Off, all of the IFOCE’s top eight
ranked eaters, along with its #16 ranked eater, qualified for the main
event, but the real story was how the amateurs took five of the 14
coveted spots. Local Krystal customers like Sam “Big Country” Vise of Union City, Tn. earned seats by taking down top ranked eaters who
boldly flew in to qualifying events with their pro stature in tow only
to have it tossed aside like an empty Krystal box. Perhaps the most
touted Krystal customer heading into the main event was Matt “The
Psycho” Ward of Murfreesboro, Tn., who gained an automatic entry into
the final when he set the world sprint record in 2003 by putting away
an astounding 21 Krystals in just two minutes.
In the end though, Takeru Kobayashi won convincingly, setting a new
world hamburger-eating record by consuming 69 of the cult-craving, two
and a half inch, square hamburgers in eight minutes. Kobayashi took
home the top prize of $10,000 cash, the Krystal World Champion’s Belt
and the champion’s crystal trophy. Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, the
102-pound phenom from Alexandria, VA, took second place and $5,000 by
eating 46 Krystal hamburgers.
“The iconic stature of the Krystal burger, especially throughout the
South, boosted participation to unparalleled heights and made last
year’s debut one of the most highly competitive series we’ve seen
anywhere in the world,” said Richard Shea, president of the IFOCE.
“Now, with the worldwide attention the Krystal Square Off has achieved
and the underdog, Rocky Balboa-like ambition of Krystal lovers—to
overcome all odds on the path to gastro-greatness—we anticipate that
the 2005 championship series will be a spectacular battle for burger
eating eminence, the likes of which we’ve never seen.”
Anyone interested in competing in the 2005 Krystal Square Off World
Hamburger Eating Championship can find the most up-to-date information
at www.Krystal.com. As an officially sanctioned IFOCE event, all
registration for the qualifying contests will be handled by the IFOCE
through the Krystal website. Participants must be 18 years or over.