Denzil Gunner, 30, on a year-long mission to take on strange challenges won £1,000 at the annual competition in Somerset and may now be chosen to represent Britain in extreme eating competitions in America. However, Mr Gunner, from Notting Hill, in London, was five pies short of the world record of 46, which is held by an 8st American woman. Sonya Thomas, 36, from Virginia, devoured 46 mince pies in 10 minutes in 2006. The annual contest is a popular event on the competitive eating circuit and this year 29 pie-eaters took part. Mr Gunner said: "I didn't do any eating preparation at all, I just showed up and went for it. "My technique was just to cram as many in as possible and drink as much water as I could because they are very dry. "I didn't really think about it I just kept on eating until they said stop and then I realised how ill I felt. "You can't really taste them but I'm glad its over a month to Christmas when I have to eat another one. "I'm worried about the drive home now, I think there will be a lot of stops in lay-bys." Speed eating is a major phenomenon in America and some of the bigger events are televised with prize funds of thousands of dollars. But extreme eating in the UK has attracted criticism from health campaigners, who have condemned it for glorifying gluttony. Organiser Daniel Medley said the International Federation of Competitive Eating will be interested in Mr Gunner as his mince pie achievement was impressive. "This is the closest that a Brit has ever got to the record," he said. "If he wants to go to America we will take him and the federation will be quite keen on him going over there and doing the circuit. "Americans are quite confused about mince pies because they think they contain meat." Last year house-husband Clive Pearson, 34, from Chilcompton, in Somerset, stuffed down 26 mince pies in 10 minutes to win.
No comments:
Post a Comment