Super Squibb Wins Wing Bowl 17

In a shocking result, Jonathan "Super Squibb" won Wing Bowl 17 in his first appearance. The young competitive eater from south New Jersey ate an astounding 203 wings in the Wachovia Center earlier this morning and has already confirmed that he will return next year to take on three time Wing Bowl champion Joey Chestnut.

This year's Wing Bowl was an amateurs only contest, much to the chagrin of many professional eaters as Wing Bowl has become a staple in the competitive eating world.

While not on the national scale of the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest, there is no doubt what the No. 1 eating contest in Philadelphia is. Chestnut was especially bitter to the 2009 Wing Bowl because he wants to defend his title. After Wing Bowl had opened the contest to eaters from outside of Philadelphia the professional eaters had started to take over.

As Philadelphians started to turn on the professional eaters 610 WIP decided to try and keep the event with a local flavor, bringing in the top amateur eaters from the Philadelphia region this year.

Super Squibb qualified for the contest in a unique way. After one possible contestant had failed to show up one morning for an eating stunt to qualify for Wing Bowl 17, Super Squibb answered the open invitation to eat six pounds of cottage cheese in three minutes.

He actually qualified for Wing Bowl on his third attempt and became a personally favorite of Wing Bowl creator Al Morganti. Super Squibb entered the contest as odds sitting at 9-1.

In the weeks leading up to Wing Bowl 17 the announced favorite, at 2-1 odds, was Damaging Doug, who was entering his 10th Wing Bowl. He had become a favorite of Morganti and Angelo Cataldi, but it seems to be that Damaging Doug got caught up in his own hype.

Damaging Doug failed to advance to the second round, ensuring he would go 0-10 in Wing Bowls.

Commissioner Pat Croce announced that some contestants were complaining about the wing selection on their plates and some were not eating every wing on their plate. Croce announced that only full plates would count and that contestants could not decide to eat the drumsticks or the thighs and that a contestant must eat every wing on their plate.

Damaging Doug was apparently one of the first to complain about the wings.

Wing Bowl is divided into three rounds. Two 14-minutes rounds with the top 10 moving from the first round to the second round, and then a two-minute final round between the top five eaters from the second round. Wing totals carry over from round to round.

After one round, Super Squibb took an early lead and never looked back, finishing with 103 wings in the first round, three ahead of Hank the Tank with 100 wings. Officer Beast, representing the Philadelphia Police Department advanced to the second round with 90 wings.

Glutieus Waximus was the final eater to advance to the second round with 79 wings.

Advancing to the final round was Super Squibb with 195 wings, the homeless man Not Rich was a surprise in second with 173 wings, Hank the Tank with 145 wings, Da Disposal with 141 wings, and Cadillac Corrigan with 129 wings.

Super Squibb was set up to jog to the finish line and finished with a total of 203 wings, 23 ahead of Not Rich, who was runner up with 180 wings.

Congratulations to Super Squibb! Look forward to seeing you defend your title next year!