Nathan’s 2023 Hot Dog Eating Contest back on after weather condition hold-up

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By Desheania Andrews, Rthvika Suvarna and Ronny Reyes

July 4, 2023 | 1:13pm

The hotdog race is back on.

The much expected yearly Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest for the guys’s department will resume Tuesday afternoon after a quick hold-up due to lightning storms hanging over Brooklyn.

ESPN, which is hosting the occasion, revealed it would resume at 2 p.m Tuesday.

Hundreds had actually collected at Coney Island in front of the renowned Nathan’s flagship restaurant to cheer for Joey Chestnut to declare his 16th triumph at the occasion prior to the hold-up.

But following the ladies’s match today, where Miki Sudo protected her ninth win with 39 hot dogs, rain and lightning strikes appeared to put an end to the Fourth of July custom.

Contest authorities at first informed the crowds the competitors was being nixed.

“I’m very disappointed to tell you that after speaking to the NYPD, we have to dismiss the crowd and the competition is not going to happen. It’s too much of a lightning risk,” contest authorities informed viewers.

Charlie Mura, 20, informed the Post he had actually come all the method below Canada to take pleasure in the Fourth of July custom.

“I wanted to see Joey Chestnut eat like, 60, hotdogs,” the dissatisfied Canadian said.

“I feel like on the Fourth of July, [it’s] celebrating freedom… I’m pretty pissed,” he included. “It’s my God-given right to see this show. Rain or shine they should have hotdog eating contests.”

New Yorker Helen Velazquez, 20, echoed the belief, stating it was incorrect to cancel the occasion in the very first location.

“The contestants literally dip the hotdogs in the water like what’s the point, put ponchos on them and go on.”

Tensions had actually increased at the Coney Island boardwalk when the contest was at first postponed due to weather, with organizers chewing out viewers to leave the location and keep away from the camping tents they had actually established.

The crowd, looking for shelter from the rain, consistently argued with contest employees informing them to leave, with the 2 groups chewing out each other as the NYPD tried to step in.

As other viewers looked for shelter by the neighboring train station and even under staircases, one man going to leave the rain informed The Post: “It’s like a water park for the Fourth of July!”