NEW YORK — Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago has won his first men’s title at the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest.
Bertoletti won by consuming 58 hot dogs in a tight, 10-minute race where the leader bounced back and forth. He surpassed his personal best of 55 hot dogs.
Bertoletti, 39, defeated 13 competitors from around the world. The reigning men’s champion, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, didn’t attend the competition this year over a sponsorship tiff. Instead, he’ll compete against soldiers at a U.S. Army base in El Paso later in the day.
Earlier, defending champion Miki Sudo of Florida won her 10th title in the women’s division.
