Location: Fairmont, WV
GEOFFREY ESPER CLAIMS FIRST CAREER CHAMPIONSHIP WIN!
The rise of Mr Geoffrey Esper continues apace. The mild-mannered Massachusettsan claimed his first-ever Championship win—as distinct from a qualifier win—at the 2016 West Virginia Three Rivers Festival Pepperoni Roll Eating World Championship. He ate 23 Pepperoni Rolls in 10 minutes for the win. Major League Eating warmly congratulates this rising star of our league on this momentous achievement in this signature discipline. It portends well for the remainder of 2016 and beyond. Success in Pepperoni Rolls—a test of pure capacity—should translate to further successes for Mr Esper in other disciplines.
Gideon Oji and Sonya Thomas tied for second; Ms. Thomas made a statement in this event, her first outing for quite some time. She is far from sated. Dud Light ate well for fourth; Badlands grinded to fifth; Juliet Lee was resplendent as always in her drive for sixth place.
But as the early summer Fairmont, WV, evening turned to night, there was but one name they spoke: Esper, Geoffrey. Will we look back in years to come at this event as the one that sparked a fire that burned down the established order at the top of the Major League Eating tree? Who can say? No one. But know this: Esper is all business, all the time. Don't rest when he's at the table, no matter your name, rank or reputation.
FULL RESULTS! 1st - Geoffrey Esper - 23 Pepperoni Rolls in 10 mins 2nd - TIE Gideon Oji and Sonya Thomas 20 4th - Dud Light - 19.75 5th - Badlands Booker - 17.5 6th - Juliette Lee - 17 7th - Matt Cohen - 10.75 8th - Micheal Deitz - 10 9th - Matthew Raible - 8 10th - Wild Bill - 7.75
This contest took place at 8pm on Saturday May 28th, 2016 at Palatine Park in Downtown Fairmont, WV!
About The West Virginia Three Rivers Festival! This year marks the 37th year for The West Virginia Three Rivers Festival and the 6th year as host of The Pepperoni Roll Eating World Championship. In these six short years, it has become the main event for the Festival. The dates for this year’s Festival are May 26, 27 and 28, 2016. The Pepperoni Roll Eating World Championship will be held on the last night of The West Virginia Three Rivers Festival—Saturday May 28th—at 8 pm.
Pepperoni Rolls are a regional cuisine. The classic pepperoni roll consists of a soft white yeast bread roll with pepperoni baked in the middle. It is delicious. The rolls originated as a lunch option for the coal miners of north-central West Virginia in the first half of the 20th century. The Roll that is sanctioned for The West Virginia Three Rivers Festival Pepperoni Roll Eating World Championship weighs 3.25 ounces. At the 2015 Championship event, Matt Stonie set a new World Record by eating 34 Pepperoni Rolls in 10 minutes. That record will be on the line at this year’s Championship event!
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*All applicants must be 18 years of age or older and fully acknowledge and understand the inherent dangers and risks associated with participating in an eating contest. The applicant further acknowledges and understands that the MLE/IFOCE coordinates with event sponsor(s) to select and approve eligible participants, and that the MLE/IFOCE shall decide, at its sole discretion, whether an applicant is eligible to participate in any eating event, and/or related activities. The MLE/IFOCE may revoke an applicant's eligibility to participate in the eating contest, or related activities, at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion. The MLE/IFOCE and the event sponsors reserve the right, at any time, to change any and all details concerning the event, including, e.g., time, duration, location and prize structure.