Aussie James Webb breaks eating world records and is crowned ‘chicken wing king’

Australian competitive eater James Webb has two new world records, three championship titles and a taste for success after outsmarting the best food guzzlers* on the planet.

Mr Webb was crowned both the chicken wing eating world-record holder and world slopper eating champion in just 48 hours in the US this week.

It follows his world record-winning effort back home at the Ekka show in Brisbane on August 20 when he stunned the crowd to swallow 20 Dagwood Dogs in just 5 minutes and 46 seconds.

Ranked No. 1 in Australia and No. 5 in the world, Mr Webb didn’t think he had a chance of winning when he lined up in the Wing It On! US Chicken Wing Eating Championship at Highmark Stadium in New York State on September 4.

He was up against world-famous eating champion Joey Chestnut and two-time reigning* queen of the wing competition Miki Sudo.

But that didn’t bother the Sydneysider as he blew his rivals* out of the water to win $7700.

Competitors were given 12 minutes to eat as many chicken wings as they could, with judges making sure all the meat had come off the bone.

When the final buzzer sounded it was Mr Webb who triumphed* after eating 276 wings.

If you’re wondering how quick that is, it works out to be 23 wings every minute or one wing every 2.6 seconds.

“If you told me this yesterday, I would have laughed in your face. I’m so shocked right now,” Mr Webb said.

“I’m from Australia, man, I just make it up as I go along.

“I was just trying to clean the bones as best as I could. I know that I’m not as fast, but if they weigh leftovers and there’s less chicken, I have a chance. I guess my style works.”

Mr Chestnut finished second, a whopping 36 wings behind on 240, with Ms Sudo claiming third with 231 wings.

Mr Chestnut, who is the No. 1 competitive eater in the world, praised Mr Webb’s quick eating technique.

“This was only my second time eating against James Webb, and the guy is good. He surprised me, I didn’t know how fast he was,” Mr Chestnut said.

Just two days before his win in New York, Mr Webb was in Pueblo, Colorado, toppling two-time defending champion Geoff Esper at the World Slopper Eating Championship.

A slopper is a cheeseburger covered in red or green chilli or chilli sauce.

Mr Webb ate 32 sloppers in just eight minutes, narrowly beating Mr Esper’s total of 31.5.

Mr Webb’s triple triumph follows his third place behind Mr Chestnut in the annual Nathan’s hot dog competition on July 4 at Coney Island in New York when he downed 47 hotdogs and buns to Mr Chestnut’s winning 62.

* Read more about Mr Webb’s amazing recovery from illness to become a world eating champion in Extra Reading below.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• guzzlers: people who eat or drink greedily
• reigning: person who holds a certain title or crown
• rivals: competitors
• triumphed: won

EXTRA READING
Aussie overcomes illness to eat 47 hotdogs in 10 minutes
Young royals banned from the Christmas table
Anyone want to try a woolly mammoth meatball?

QUICK QUIZ
1. Name the three eating competitions James Webb has won in the past few weeks.
2. How many Dagwood Dogs and chicken wings did he need to eat to beat the world records?3. Which city is James Webb from?
4. What special technique did James Webb master to become ‘chicken wing king’?
5. What is a slopper?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Health Advice
What advice do you think a doctor or other health professional might give James Webb to help him prepare for and recover from eating competitions such as these?

Work with a partner and write up your doctor’s advice on the medical report below.

MEDICAL ADVICE REPORT FOR: James Webb

• What to do to prepare body before eating competition:
• What to do to repair body after the eating competition:
• Exercise requirements:
• Training advice:
• Vitamins or other supplements:

Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical education, Personal and social, Critical and creative thinking.

2. Extension
Is an eating competition something you’d like to see at your local school or town event?
Is it something you would like to watch?
Do you think the town would support an eating competition for fun? Explain why or why not.

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical education, Personal and social, Critical and creative thinking.

VCOP ACTIVITY
1. Opener up-level it
Make a list of all the openers in the article. Pick three that repeat and see if you can replace them with another word, or shuffle the order of the sentence to bring a new opener to the front.

Don’t forget to re-read the sentence to make sure it still makes sense, and that it actually sounds better.