As part of a celebration for its 12th anniversary, UnderWater World Complex hosted the first annual Hafa Dog Eating Contest on Saturday, National Hot Dog Day. Fifteen participants from around the island faced off in a hotdog eating contest to compete for the first-place prize of $500 cash.
Contenders were given five minutes and 12 hot dogs and buns. Whoever ate the most in five minutes was declared the champion.
Throughout the competition’s three rounds, unique methods were used to chomp down as many hotdogs as possible, such as eating the buns and the hot dogs separately, dipping the hotdog and the bun in water, splashing Tabasco over the feast, and poking the stomach area and wiggling to make space for more.
Third place received $100 worth of gift certificates and second place received $200 worth of gift certificates to UnderWater World and Sea Grill Restaurant.
Third place was a tie between Mangilao’s Paul Sablan and Thomas Hallars of Talofofo. Both ate seven hotdogs.
Douglas Lauder, hailing from Talofofo, took second place with nine hot dogs.
Having consumed 10 hotdogs in the five minute span — that’s two hot dogs per minute — David Popovich, of Yigo, reigned as the Hafa Dog Eating Champion of 2011.
“I’m kind of disappointed,” said Popovich, “that I didn’t eat all 12. But there’s always next year!”
The event was sponsored by UnderWater World Complex, Sea Grill Restaurant, and, of course, Oscar Meyer.
The competition was part of the weekend-long events hosted by UnderWater World. Other events for the weekend were cultural exhibits, street side barbeque, appearance by GAIN and some of their adoptable pets, cha-cha competition, coconut bowling, and a kids’ coloring contest.
