Chow Down for Charity Hotdog Eating Contest
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Philip Soderborg


Mike McAvoy

David Ruskjer

The Elite Ate 

Gallant Group of Gluttons Gorge for Glory
Phil Soderborg Crowned Top-Dog In Inaugural Eat-Off

Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs concluded its first-ever hot dog eating contest Sunday, July 27, 2008. The final eat-off featured the top eight eaters of the previous four preliminary qualifying events thus receiving the title of “Elite Ate.” Given eight minutes to eat as many hot dogs as possible, the group of gluttons gorged for glory on a dog day of summer.

Featuring experienced and possibly internationally-ranked competitive eaters, some with wacky nicknames like A-Bomb and Busta-Nut, the event was a huge draw for a hot summer day in cordoned-off corner on Colfax Avenue. In an ironic twist, it was newcomer to competitive eating - Phil Soderborg of Englewood who took top honors eating thirteen hot dogs in eight minutes narrowly beating award-winning competitive eater Mike McAvoy of Westminster by a bites worth. David Ruskjer of Littleton came in third with 10 hot dogs downed. Coincidently, these three all competed in the July 13th qualifier finishing in the same fashion. Ruskjer was chosen as an alternate when Matt Kish of Denver called in sick earlier that day earning the nickname of Lucky Rusky.

“I wasn’t worried about those guys” said McAvoy as he commented on the other ranked eaters in the contest. “Phil’s a natural eater.” He added. McAvoy would know having faced him just two weeks prior in the final qualifier. Soderborg went on to set the three-minute qualifier record of eight hot dogs during that contest to advance to the finals.

Soderborg will go down in hot dog history as the first-ever champion of the inaugural contest and holds two contest records. Soderborg received the grand prize of a $300 gift card to Sam’s Club, a glass trophy and other items. McAvoy received a second place glass trophy and a $100 gift card to Café Star and Ruskjer received a $50 gift certificate to Mezcal for his third-place honors.

The event was the brainchild of owners Steve and Linda Ballas. The Ballas’ wanted to find a fun and exciting way to raise money for charity and it was only fitting to host a hot dog eating contest and host it in July in honor to National Hot Dog Month. The entire endeavor rose over $3,300 for Project Angel Heart and Colorado Aids Walk through a multi-week fundraising effort including car washes, hot dog sales, a silent auction and eating contests on every Sunday since Memorial Day.

Contest Results

1st place: Philip Soderberg with 13 hot dogs
2nd place: Mike McAvoy with 12.9 hot dogs
3rd place: David Ruskjer with 10 hot dogs
4th place: Donavon Busta with 9 hot dogs
5th place: Andrew “A-Bomb” Lane with 8 hot dogs
6th place: San Wong with 7 hot dogs
7th place: John Spivey with 6 hot dogs
8th place: Rob Bolseth with 5 hot dogs

Check out YouTube video of Final Contest Introductions Click Here
Check out YouTube video of Final Contest Part 1 Click Here
Check out YouTube video of Final Contest Part 2 Click Here

Mike McAvoy and
Philip Soderborg
advance to the finals


Soderborg sets qualifier record of eight in three


Lana Nicolarsen sets record for female competitors at
four and a half in three

Tuukka "the Teemu Selanne of Salami" Laitinen becomes first international competitor

The Contestants
Click on name for photo
Philip Soderborg
Mike McAvoy
David Rustjer
Bryan Botelho
Jim Campbell
Matt Hossner
John Spivey
Lana Nicolarsen
Tuukka Laitinen
Catherine Boyd
 

Elite Eater from Englewood Eats Eight Hot Dogs in Three Minutes – Sets New Record

Forty-three year old Philip Soderborg from Englewood was just one of ten competitors who came to chow down for charity and a last chance to qualify for Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs Inaugural Hot Dog Eating Contest at the July 13th qualifier. Soderborg stunned the capacity crowd easily eating eight hot dogs in the three minute time frame to take the top spot and setting a new contest record previously held at seven hot dogs by Donavon Busta of Centennial, Colo.

“I’ve never competed in an eating contest before,” says Soderborg as he went on to elaborate on how learned to eat quickly growing up in a large family. “You had to eat quickly or go hungry.” He added.

Second place was a much different story as Mike McAvoy of Westminster and David Ruskjer of Littleton each tied with seven and a half dogs as piece forcing a 30-second eat-off to break the tie. McAvoy downed two dogs to Ruskjer’s one earning him the remaining spot on the group of elite eight eaters who will chow down at the finals to be hosted on July 27, 2008 at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs in Denver.

Two other contest records were set on the July 13th qualifier including the first international competitor Tuukka Laitinen of Jakobstad, Finland. Billed as the “Teemu Selanne of Salami,” the 33-year old Laitinen proudly wore a Finland Olympic hockey jersey during the contest and while he kept the contest close, he ultimately lost out to the top two qualifiers.

One of the biggest surprises was 23-year old Lana Nicolarsen of Denver as she downed four and a half hot dogs in the three-minute timeframe to set the new record for female contestants previously set at two and three-quarters and held by 38-year old Keriba Neveau of Denver. In fact, had Nicolarsen participated at a previous qualifier, that amount would’ve been enough for her to qualify for the finals but on a day when the eight dog record was set. Of the dozens of competitors – both men and women, Nicolarsen is among the top ten. Honorable mention goes out to 24-year-old Catherine Boyd for taking the second spot among female competitors eating a total of three and a half hot dogs during the qualifier.

The final chow down will take place at 1:00 p.m., on Sunday, July 27th at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs located at 3525 E Colfax Ave in Denver. The top two contestants from each of the four qualifiers will form the group known as the “Elite Ate” who will have eight minutes to eat as many hot dogs as they can. Grand prize includes a $300 gift card to Sam’s Club, a trophy and crowned “Big Weiner” of the contest. Second place includes a trophy and a $100 gift card to Café Star and third place receives a $50 gift certificate to Mezcal.

The event is aimed to gain funding and awareness for Project Angel Heart and the Colorado Aids Fund. The entire $25 entry fee and a portion of all hot dog sales will go directly to the charities. The final chow down is free and open to all spectators who want to witness the action in person. Raffles and other prizes will be available.
 

Check out YouTube video of Contest Introductions - Click Here
Check out YouTube video of the July 13 Qualifier  - Click Here
Check out YouTube video of the 30-sec Eat-off  - Click Here

Nick Stock and A-Bomb Lane advance to the finals


K. Neveau and son Jake become the first mother
and son team


Tommye Wall of Broomfield becomes oldest competitor

The Contestants
Click on name for photo
Andrew "A-Bomb" Lane
Nick Stock
Ian Gilbert
Bruce Slanniello
Keriba Neveau
Jake Neveau
Andrew "Tommye Wall
 

A-Bomb Easily Takes Top Spot - A Three-way Tie for Second Place ends with Eat-off

Andrew "A-Bomb" Lane came in to today's qualifier as the clear favorite - he did not disappoint eating more dogs in the three-minute timeframe than any other at Steve's Snappin' Dogs third of four qualifying hot dog eating contests hosted on June 29th.  In all, A-Bomb only needed to eat a total of four dogs to qualify.

Second place was a much different story. Nick Stock of Quad Cities, Illinois along with Denverites Ian Gilbert and Bruce Slanniello, all tied with three dogs a piece.  "I never thought I'd see it happen," says Steve Ballas, owner of Steve's Snappin' Dogs.  "But I guess it did!" He added.  To identify a clear winner for the second spot at the July 27th finals table, a 30-second eat-off ensued with all three remaining contestants.  Although already qualified, A-Bomb Lane decided to join in the competition as a gesture of his competitive nature.  The competition was close but the it was the out-of-state contestant Nick Stock who took the second spot eating 7/8 of dog in the 30-second tie-breaker.

The event featured the first vegetarian as Keriba Neveau of Denver ate the equivalent weight in vegi-dogs of a regular "Snapper."  Neveau's 14-year-old son Jake also competed in the qualifier making Jake the youngest competitor in the contest and the Neveau's the first mother and son team.

One of the biggest highlights of the qualifier was the participation of 75-year old Tommye Wall of Broomfield.  While Wall was not in it to win it, she did participate and requested to eat a Chicago-style hot dog instead of the plateful of "Snappers" the other contestants received.  In typical competitive spirit, Wall ate her dog within the allotted timeframe becoming the oldest competitor and supporter of the benefiting charities - Project Angel Heart and Colorado Aids Walk.


 

Check out YouTube video of Contest Introductions - Click Here
Check out YouTube video of the June 29 Qualifier  - Click Here
Check out YouTube video of the 30-sec Eat-off  - Click Here

Donavan Busta and Matt Kish advance to the finals

Allyson Hathaway became
the contest's first female contestant

Click here to view some awesome photos


The Contestants
Click on name for photo
Donavon Busta
Matt Kish
Andrew "A-Bomb" Lane
Jason Medrano
Jeff Dankenbring
Kevin Mumford
Scott Arnold
Allyson Hathaway

Donavon Downs Double the Dogs on Dad’s Day - Sets Contest Record at Seven

Many of us who have heard of competitive eating contests automatically think of the name of Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi – the guy credited with eating 58-odd hot dogs in 12 minutes. Even few of us know that he was beaten last year by Joey Chestnut, who won by eating a world record-breaking 66 hot dogs and buns in the same time frame. But how many could these two guys, or anyone for that matter, be able to eat in three minutes? And what if the contest was a “dry” or “picnic-style” contest that allowed no dunking? Well, up to Sunday, June 15, the bar stood at four – well at least in the Chow Down for Charity event hosted by Denver’s own Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs.

Forty-one-year-old San Wong of Denver set the four-dog contest record on June 1st during the first of the four qualifying events. On June 15th, thirty-five-year-old Donavon Busta of Centennial nearly doubled that number by consuming seven complete hot dogs – bun and all, in front of a capacity crowd at the second qualifier. Busta was one of eight competitors on the Father’s Day feast-off vying for a chance to qualify for the July 27th finals.

“I’ve done some wings contests,” says Busta, who went on to elaborate on his successes eating competitively during Colorado Mammoth halftime shows and other events. “I haven’t done dogs before.” He added. Busta along with Matt Kish of Denver will join a group of eight elite contestants that will advance to the final Chow Down for Charity on July 27th. Kish took the second spot downing five and half dogs narrowly beating out Andrew “A-Bomb” Lane by a bite’s-worth.

Lane, along with several other competitors will re-try their luck at one of the two remaining qualifiers to be contested on June 29th and July 13th. The contest is geared toward gaining awareness and funds for the Colorado Aids Fund and Project Angel Heart. The entire $25 entry fee and a portion of all hot dog sales on Sunday’s will directly benefit these charities.
 

Check out CBS Denver's video coverage - Click Here
Check out YouTube video (.50 sec) - Click Here
Check out YouTube video (2:40 sec) - Click Here

San Wong and Ron Bolseth qualify for the finals

The Contestants
Click on name for photo
San Wong
Ron Bolseth
Brady Weingardt
Sonny de Guzman

 
 

The First Chow Down For Charity Qualifier Attracts All Ages

Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs kicked off the first qualifying event for its inaugural hot dog eating contest last Sunday, June 1 at 2:30 pm. The contest featured the youngest and the oldest registered participants as sixty-one-year-old Sonny de Guzman of Thornton went up against twenty-one-year-old Brady Weingardt along with forty-one-year-old San Wong and thirty-three-year-old Ron Bolseth, all of whom are from Denver.

Contestants were given a total of three minutes to devour as many hot dogs as they could. Wong was the clear winner with a total of four hot dogs eaten within the time span. Bolseth narrowly beat out Weingardt by a fraction of a hot dog. Both Wong and Bolseth will advance to the finals to be contested on July 27, 2008. Subsequent qualifiers will take place on June 15, June 29 and July 13 and we are still accepting new entrants.