Rank outsider gobbles up pie eating crown
The world of competitive pie eating was thrown into disarray today after a last minute entrant scooped the two top titles.
Rank outsider Brendan Brockbank, 18, stunned judges by polishing off his meat and potato pie in one minute and 18 seconds.
His performance delighted crowds who had turned out to watch the World Pie Eating Championships held at a bar in Wigan town centre at 12pm - known locally as "pie noon".
Controversy courted this year's contest following the organisers' decision to switch to a one-pie sprint rather than the usual quantity race. Gravy was also banned after complaints in previous years of "unfair lubricative advantage".
Mr Brockbank, who works as a barman in a nearby pub, only entered the competition on a whim, after he noticed the contest on his lunch break.
After munching his way to the top spot, he then entered and won the vegetarian pie eating contest, demolishing the crusty snack in a staggering 34 seconds.
This is the first year the event, held at Harry's Bar, has featured a vegetarian option and insiders admitted it was unlikely to be repeated next year.
Spokesman Iain Macauley said: "Quite frankly we came under pressure from the Vegetarian Society to introduce a meat-free pie and I am sorry to say we crumbled.
"The vegetarian pie is made with broccoli, sweetcorn and carrots. It is much smaller than the meat alternative and is even made of low-fat pastry.
"It's making a mockery of the whole competition."
Speaking after his back-to-back victories, Mr Brockbank said he was delighted at his success.
He said: "I am as astonished as you are that I won. I'm not really a big eater of pies.
"I didn't really have an eating strategy when I started but I worked out a system about half way through. I just chewed and swallowed as much as I could, as fast as I could."
He vowed to return next year to defend his title. The competition meat pies each measure 12cm in diameter by 3.5cm deep (4.7ins by 1.4ins) and have a pie wall angle from base to top of between zero and 15 degrees.
The vegetarian versions are around 85 per cent smaller, measuring 10cm by 3cm (4ins by 1.2ins)
