News

German wins New Ulm sauerkraut eating contest

Photo: Elzbieta Sekowska, Photos.com

Jul 23, 2012 at 7:39 am

NEW ULM, MN (AP) - Wunderbar! A German has won the sauerkraut eating contest at New Ulm's Bavarian Blast festival.

The New Ulm Journal reports he's 21-year-old Valetine Gasteiger, an agricultural foreign exchange student who's living near Red Wing this summer. He ate 16 ounces of sauerkraut in about two minutes Saturday, finishing ahead of 18 other people.

Gasteiger won the contest without noticeably spilling any sauerkraut on himself. He says he's never been in a contest like this before, but he does eat a lot of sauerkraut.

Gene Buhr of Albert Lea finished second for the second straight year. Joel Reiman of Austin was third.