Posted on 10/09/2006 10:04:48 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
DALLAS - A 62-year-old retired accountant from Nevada swallowed 247 peppers in eight minutes to win the Jalapeno Eating World Championship at the State Fair of Texas.
Richard LeFevre won $2,000 for prevailing in Sunday's contest, which was sponsored by the International Federation of Competitive Eating.
"I love to eat, and I love to compete, so the two go pretty well together," said LeFevre, the world's eighth-ranked eater according to the federation.
LeFevre, who has also won the fair's World Corny Dog Eating Contest three times, said his winning strategy was to mix three or four peppers in his mouth with a swig of milk before swallowing.
LeFevre was one of four professional eaters who took the top four places in the competition.
Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas said she had never eaten a jalapeno before the contest. Ranked third in the world by the federation, she downed 239 peppers to take second place and $1,000 in prize money.
Christopher Huang, of Arlington, entered the competition even though he doesn't normally eat spicy foods.
"I eat mild salsa," Huang said. "But there's nothing like putting yourself through a lot of pain for no reason."
The 26-year-old required several minutes of recovery time after eating 53 jalapenos.
"I cant feel my face," he said when he was able to speak again.
Dr. Daniel DeMarco, a gastroenterologist and director of endoscopy at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, said the amount of jalapenos consumed in an eating contest is more harmful than the burn.
"It's really pretty stupid," DeMarco said. "Like any sort of abuse of your body, it doesn't make any sense."
He said long-term complications are unlikely, but there are some risks.
"If they get sick, they're going to be vomiting it up, and that can cause esophageal tears," he said.
Up it to $100. I'll chip in. And of course, wait until I'm home. ;-)
C'mon, Xenalyte...it can't be much hotter than those spicy beers you get at Ninfa's.
Problem solved....
Wow! Now that's gonna be some hot $hit!
My first introduction to them was about 15 years ago. I was chopping them for chili (having a few beers) and after the chili was at a simmer, took a real quick bathroom break. Big mistake handling anything immediately afterwards.
I literally ran out the front door and down the hill - didn't know where I was going, but my brain said RUN, so I did.
On the slow walk back up the hill...I wiped a little sweat from my eyes...
These people have a serious screw loose....
You poor thing! I hope you learned your lesson this for next time! :)
Yup, jalapenos are fine bare handed, but it's latex gloves for the habaneros/scott bonnets.
ROFL!!!!!
You aren't chicken Xena, you are smart. My father had a name for this, he called it Mexican heartburn. It burned going in and it burned even worse coming out.
All I know is that I wouldn't want to be sitting around watching TV with that boy after two hours of flatulent digestion!
WARNING
Eating this will Hurt...
Twice...
That's the good stuff. Jalapenos are nothing.
(I can't feel my face )
In a few hours that will be the least of his problems.
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