100-Pound Woman Wins Turkey-Eating Contest

[j_shady]

NEW YORK - It's a question just begging to be asked: How much turkey can a person shove into their mouth in 12 minutes?

A group of competitive American eaters assembled at Artie's Deli in New York on Wednesday to gobble down 10-pound roast turkeys and find out.

Eric "Badlands" Booker started quickly, ripping through two turkey breasts and establishing an eight-ounce lead after three minutes. As time ticked down and the competitors faced moister meat in the drumsticks and shoulders, Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, Chip Simpson and Tim Janus gained speed.

After 12 minutes, nearly all had stripped their bird to the bone.

After examining the scales, the judges announced a verdict: the 100-pound Thomas, of Alexandria, Va., had taken first prize, worth $2,500. Booker dropped to sixth place.

How much turkey did Thomas eat? A total of 4 pounds, 3.1 ounces.

Thomas says she took the "Black Widow" nickname because she likes to "eliminate the males" in eating contests. Her other records include eating 65 hard-boiled eggs in 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

Her idol? Japanese competitive eating champion Takeru Kobayashi