'Drug' tests at World Pie Eating Championship!
Spot-checks targeting 'drug' cheats are being introduced at the World Pie Eating Championship.
Organisers of the event, at Harry's Bar on December 15, decided upon the unprecedented move after learning of numerous surreptitious methods employed by contestants seeking an advantage.
The championship's executive president and owner of Harry's Bar, Tony Callaghan, said: "Gravy has traditionally been the performance-enhancing drug of choice amongst pie eaters at this level.
"But since we banned it they've been trying to find other ways of generating lubricative advantage – we hear rumours cough mixture is the new Bisto.
"Specifically we're told that Dry Tickly Cough Linctus works well at lubricating the throat and causes a mild anaesthetic effect, which enables faster swallowing.
"In tests we've found this can take around two seconds off the time taken to eat a regulation Championship pie.
"We'll be putting big blokes on the door to search pockets randomly for cough mixture."
In other changes to this year's event, the pies will be provided by an out-of-Wigan bakery.
Bowen's Bakery of Adlington, near Chorley, has been chosen as Official Partner to the World Pie Eating Championships 2009 after the closure of Wigan Pies, formerly Heaton's Bakery, in January.
Mr Callaghan believes his decision could deliver a new record without the cheating.
He said: "Vince Bowen, being a southerner, uses real nancy gravy IN the pies, which provides a much higher resistance to swallow stall. This makes for a much more streamlined competition, and may result in record times this year.
"I tested the pies personally and I was hugely impressed. I did two pies in three minutes."
Vince Bowen, of Bowen's Bakery, said: "I'm delighted we've been chosen. I gather it was a fierce competition, but Tony operated a fair system."
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Thursday 02 September 2010
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