Nearly 20,000 spectators filled the Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center to watch competitors stuff themselves with chicken wings.
Jonathan "Super" Squibb, who set the record of 255 wings last year, had came in hoping to earn his fourth consecutive Wing Bowl crown. While Squibb did manage to finish off 271 wings, the feat was only good enough for second place.
It was Competitive-eating champ Takeru Kobayashi (tah-kah-roo koh-bee-yah-shee) that claimed the $20,000 cash prize after demolishing 337chicken wings in 30 minutes. It was the six-time Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest champ’s first time at competing at Wing Bowl.
Along with the prize money Kobayashi, 33, received a Wing Bowl XX championship ring. Squibb did well too: as the local winner he drove home in new Chevy Camaro. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the competition featured two 14-minute rounds of eating, followed by a two-minute sprint round.
The Wing Bowl was first held in in 1993by local sports radio The Morning show hosts Angelo Cataldi and Al Morganti. They felt the event would help fill the long void of the Eagles not making the Super Bowl. Morganti told the Atlantic , “No one has the carnival we have. It's one of the politically incorrect events that you'd be correct to attend. There's no redeeming social value to it and we don't pretend that there is. You're not going to meet afterwards and discuss the lessons you learn in life."
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