Inside The IFOCE's Top Ten

Joey Chestnut - Image courtesy IFOCE

As we get closer to Nathan's Famous on July 4th, I thought I'd take a look at the top ten ranked eaters in the IFOCE right now (as per their ranking list here) and try to predict how they'll make out in the big show. This will also hopefully help introduce new readers to some of the personalities that make up the world of competitive eating.

1) Joey Chestnut. In 2007, Chestnut shocked the world by defeating Takeru Kobayashi at Coney Island. Last year, he did it again. The dominance of the Japanese phenomenon has been truly shattered, bringing the Mustard Belt back to American shores. The California-born Chestnut's career has been on a constant ascent since winning Rookie of the Year in 2005, and he's on target to make it a three-fer this July 4th. Chestnut still holds the world record for hot dogs (66, with buns), and despite a loss to Kabayashi at the P'Zone Chow-Lenge is my pick for Nathan's this year.

2) Pat Bertoletti. At 24 years of age, Chicago-born Bertoletti is the young turk of the competitive eating circuit, but he's had a hell of a few years. The mohawked Bertoletti beat Kobayashi in the Krystals eat-off, set a catastrophic world record in the grits division with 21 pounds in 10 minutes, and holds too many pie records to count. A lot of people are betting on the man they call "Deep Dish" to only improve his game, but will this be his year?

3) Takeru Kobayashi. Probably the most mainstream famous competitive eater in the world, the Japanese Tsunami dominated the sport for the first half of this decade, taking the Mustard Belt home six years running. However, his star has fallen a bit in recent years, as a serious jaw injury in 2007 led to losing several competitions against both Chestnut and Bertoletti. Whether Kobayashi is back in full form has yet to be determined - his recent performances have been strong, if not world-changing. He could still have a comeback left in him, though, which means an exciting standoff in July.

4) Tim Janus. Also known as the masked "Eater X," Janus brings a colorful personality to IFOCE events with his good looks and exciting performances. But don't think that this trader by day, eater by night is just a prettyboy who can't get the job done. His world records in tamales, tiramisu and ramen noodles show that he can get the food down with the big boys.

5) Bob Shoudt. "Humble" Bob Shoudt is a fascinating figure - at home a vegetarian, the only time when Shoudt eats meat is during sanctioned IFOCE competitions. But man, can he do it - beating out much higher ranked competitors at Krystal's in 2007 and holding a handful of records, including beef brisket sandwiches. Look for an interview with "Humble" Bob soon.

6) Sonya Thomas. The "Black Widow" was the first female competitive eater to make an impact on the sport, and watching her eat is a truly astounding experience. The 40something Alexandria, Virginia native weighs in at a mere 105 pounds, and yet holds a truly astounding array of world records in foods as diverse as turducken, hard-boiled eggs, and cheesecake. The IFOCE's 2003 Rookie of the Year, the last few years haven't been as strong for the wee eater, but she still crushes most other gustators with ease.

7) Hall Hunt. The thinking man's competitive eater, Hall "Hoover" Hunt is a MENSA member, former structural engineer and general awesome dude. Although still a rookie, Hunt is considered one of the sport's bright new stars, and seems to take a more analytical approach to his eating technique. Whether he has the unique physical gifts to come out on top at Nathan's may be another story, but he'll certainly make a good show of it.

8) Richard LeFevre. The oldest competitor in the Top 10, the 63-year-old Rich LeFevre can stand toe-to-toe with eaters half his age, recently snatching victory from Pat Bertoletti and Sonya Thomas by eating 247 pickled jalapenos in 8 minutes. Known for his "long game," LeFevre qualified in Vegas for Coney Island this year, and while he's not seen as a top seed, he could be a dark horse due to his consistency and experience.

8) Juliet Lee. The second woman in the IFOCE Top Ten, Lee has only been competing since 2006, but has already become one of the most popular eaters in the sport. It is extremely rare for a woman to make it to Nathan's on July 4th, but she made it last year, and will compete again in 2009. Lee doesn't excessively train for her appearances, but whatever she's doing seems to work, as she qualified for Nathan's on Saturday and set a world record for cherrystone clams on Sunday this Memorial Day weekend.

10) Tim Brown.  Rounding out the Top 10, Tim "Gravy" Brown is another young buck looking to make a name for himself. His performances in 2008 and 2009 have been quite strong, and while he may not be ready for the big game quite yet, he's accomplished a lot since starting to take the sport seriously in 2007. His decisive win in the Kansas City qualifier has a number of observers bullish on his chances.