CONEY ISLAND, N.Y. — A pair of men from Pennsylvania are set to take center stage at the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
George Chiger, of Pocono Pines, and Sean Yeager, of Phoenixville, are among this year's contestants in the annual July 4 event.
Chiger, 45, qualified for the 2018 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest by eating a personal best 30 dogs in 10 minutes, according to his Major League Eating profile.
It will be Yeager's first appearance at the contest after eating 36.75 hot dogs at the Washington D.C. qualifier.
The yearly bun fight, which dates back to 1972, sees large crowds of fans in foam hot-dog hats gather in front of the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, to cheer on the competitors as they chow down. The contestants are allowed to dunk the dogs in cups of water to soften them up, creating a stomach-churning spectacle.
The field has shifted this year as Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, the reigning champion of the contest, will not participate in Thursday's event after signing a deal with a rival brand.
Instead, Chestnut will take his hot dog-downing talents to an army base in Texas for America’s Independence Day. Chestnut, of Indiana, will compete against soldiers in Fort Bliss, in El Paso, in a 5-minute hot dog eating contest. In 2021, Chestnut set the current record of 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
With Chestnut out, those vying for second place in Brooklyn in the past might have renewed hope to chomp their way to victory this year.
Last year’s second-place winner was Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, Massachusetts, who downed 49 dogs to Chestnut’s 62. Third place went to Australia’s James Webb with 47.
Miki Sudo, of Tampa, Florida, holds the women’s record of 48.5 in 10 minutes. Miki won her ninth title at the Nathan's Famous contest last year with 39.5 hot dogs and buns eaten.
Contestants hail from 13 states and several countries.
HOW TO WATCH
If you can't make it to Coney Island, ESPN will be airing and streaming the competition.
Coverage of the women’s competition begins at 10:45 a.m. ET on ESPN3. The men’s competition airs at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2, with re-airs at 5 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.