Marysville woman to compete in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

Joey Chestnut banned from Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

The reigning hot dog eating champ, Joey Chestnut, has been banned from competing in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest this year.

A local woman will be representing Washington as she competes in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest this week.

Katie Prettyman, 41, of Marysville is among the list of competitors who will be chowing down dozens of hot dogs on Thursday in Coney Island.

Prettyman is part of Major League Eating but works as the Regional Volunteer Services Officer for the NW Region of the Red Cross,

She is one of nine women in this year's competition. Miki Sudo, of Tampa, Florida, holds the women’s record of 48.5 in 10 minutes. Miki won her ninth title at the Nathan's Famous contest last year with 39.5 hot dogs and buns eaten.

The field has shifted this year as Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, the reigning champion of the contest, will not participate in Thursday's event after signing a deal with a rival brand.

Instead, Chestnut will take his hot dog-downing talents to an army base in Texas for America’s Independence Day. Chestnut, of Indiana, will compete against soldiers in Fort Bliss, in El Paso, in a 5-minute hot dog eating contest. In 2021, Chestnut set the current record of 76 hot dogs, in 10 minutes.

The 2022 Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest is held in Coney Island of Brooklyn borough, New York City, United States on July 4, 2022. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

With Chestnut out, those vying for second place in Brooklyn in the past might have renewed hope to chomp their way to victory this year.

Last year’s second-place winner was Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, Massachusetts, who downed 49 dogs to Chestnut’s 62. Third place went to Australia’s James Webb with 47.

Winners of the hot dog eating contest get a $20,000 cash prize. The 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest takes place on Thursday, July 4 from 11 a.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET at Coney Island in New York City.

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: A plate full of hot dogs is seen during the 2022 Nathans Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2022, in New York City. The contest, which has happened every year since 1972, has returned in fron

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The yearly bun fight, which dates back to 1972, sees large crowds of fans in foam hot-dog hats gather in front of the original Nathan’s Famous’ restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, to cheer on the competitors as they chow down. The contestants are allowed to dunk the dogs in cups of water to soften them up, creating a stomach-churning spectacle.

If you can't make it to Coney Island, ESPN will be airing and streaming the competition. Coverage of the women’s competition begins at 7:45 a.m. PT on ESPN3. The men’s competition airs at 9 a.m. PT on ESPN2, with re-airs at 3 p.m. PT and 6 p.m. PT on ESPN.

FOX Digital and the Associated Press contributed to this report.