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Nathan's Hot Dog-Eating Contest at Mercato 2012

Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Adrian Morgan, left, of Baton Rouge and Adam Peters of Naples compete during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Photo by JASON EASTERLY

Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Adrian Morgan, left, of Baton Rouge and Adam Peters of Naples compete during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.

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  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Eleven competitors from around Florida participated in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Eleven competitors from around Florida participated in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Jeremiah Hall of Fort Myers laughs with other competitors before the start of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Eleven competitors from around Florida participated in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Kevin Strahle of Ridgewood, N.J. eats hot dogs during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. The object of the contest is to eat the most hot dogs possible in ten minutes.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Ben Korn, 10, keeps an eye on his competition in the 'Neat Eat' during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Eleven competitors from around Florida participated in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Maureen Petersen, left, of Naples and her sister Doreen Bleck of Glen Gardner, N.J. cheer on competitors during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Adrian Morgan, left, of Baton Rouge and Adam Peters of Naples compete during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Owen Houston, 7, of Naples starts the kids 'Neat Eat' during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Eleven competitors participated in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Competitors had ten minutes to eat the most hot dogs they could. Adrian Morgan of Baton Rouge won the men's competition with 33 hot dogs.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Laura Riehman of Tampa is awarded a trophy to top woman competitor during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Riehman ate four and a half hot dogs in ten minutes.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Adrian Morgan of Baton Rouge eats hot dogs during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Competitors had ten minutes to eat the most hot dogs they could. Morgan won the men's competition with 33 hot dogs.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Adrian Morgan of Baton Rouge eats hot dogs during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Competitors had ten minutes to eat the most hot dogs they could. Morgan won the men's competition with 33 hot dogs.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Kyle Nestel of Pembroke Pines, Fla. celebrates after being named third place with 19 hot dogs eaten during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Adrian Morgan of Baton Rouge celebrates after winning the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Morgan ate 33 hot dogs in ten minutes.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Linda Grant of Naples poses for a picture with Adrian Morgan of Baton Rouge after he won the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Nathan's Famous employee Sam Barclay looks for volunteers to keep the leader board count during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Judges are sworn in during the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit for their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
  • Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News Hot dogs are prepared for the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog 'neat eat' for kids at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Nathan's Famous Hot Dog qualifying circuit held their annual hot dog eating contest held at the Mercato on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Winners from each of the qualifiers held in twelve different cities around the country will go to Coney Island to compete in the 97th annual July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Competitors had ten minutes to eat the most hot dogs they could.

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