Competition a mouthful for big eaters

[caption id="attachment_40506" align="alignright" width="405"] BEEFING UP: Big eaters, from left, Ren Mulder, PJ Fisher and Barry Saunders get in some practice ahead of a burger-eating competition at Mulligans on Sunday. Picture: BRIAN WITBOOI[/caption]

A PORT Elizabeth pub and eatery is calling on the city's big-eating "burghers" to put their money where their mouths are.

While it is the sort of nail-biting competition which might not suit everyone's tastes, Mulligans in Walmer will be looking for the fastest faces in the city on Sunday when the venue hosts its own "Burger King" or Queen, eating competition.

Contestants will be going mouth to mouth, in groups of four, to see who can down three massive burgers the fastest.

But, according to Mulligans owner and event organiser Ken Claasen, it will not be that easy to chew up the competition.

"In addition to the burgers, the participants will also have to chomp their way through three accompanying portions of chips and top off the meal by downing 1½ litres of a liquid of their choice."

Contestants will have 30 minutes to finish it all off. The finalists will return next Sunday to compete in the final.

But there is one more catch for contestants with ambitions bigger than their appetites – in the event of a draw, they will have to face off on another burger.

Claasen said big cash prizes were up for grabs. "To prevent a free-for-all, we have set an entry fee of R50, but for that you get a feast of burgers and the chance to really shoot your mouth off. " - Shaun Gillham