Aw, shucks: Virginia man downs 480 oysters to claim crown

NEW ORLEANS – A Virginia man has slurped down 40 dozen oysters to claim victory at this year’s World Oyster Eating Championship in New Orleans.

NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports Darron Breeden ate 480 of the bivalves in eight minutes in Sunday’s Oyster Festival event.

About 4,000 south Louisiana oysters were prepared and shuttled tray by tray to a table laden with hot sauce, beer and other drinks. The seven contestants hunched over the checked tabletop as judges in striped shirts kept careful count, turning over a new number with each dozen consumed.

As time ran out, Breeden stretched his stomach, which would soon be encircled by the oyster-festooned championship belt. Defending champion Michelle Lesco of Arizona won second place with 27 dozen oysters, while New Orleans native Adrian Morgan came in third with 26 dozen.

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Information from: The Times-Picayune, http://www.nola.com