150 contestants ate hands free in contest wrapped up by a battle of the crown heads
OCEAN CITY — Another Wednesday called for another wacky event in America’s Greatest Family Resort.
Last week, 150 competitors, ranging from children to adults, turned out for the Wacky Wednesday pie-eating contest under the loggia at the Ocean City Music Pier.
Contestants, who were given the option of cherry or apple Tastykake pies, were divided into five age groups — 5 and under, 6 to 8, 9 to 12, teens and adults. They were told to keep their hands behind their backs as they stood or kneeled behind rows of tables as family members, cameras at the ready, cheered them on.
The contest began with the youngest age group — and some of the kids were clearly in it to win it. Others took two bites and decided they were finished. At least one simply looked bewildered at the prospect, his head barely reaching above the table.
The judges, Miss Ocean City Grace Oves and Little Miss Ocean City Lyla Clark, were tasked with deciding which contestants left barely a trace of pie on their plates. The first winner was Jack Costello.
As the ages increased, so did the level of the competition.
The competition among 6- to 8-year-olds was close but Blake Costello was the first to scarf down his entire pie.
“We did this event last year and we really wanted to do it again,” Blake said.
The competitive 9- to 12-year-old group was up next.
By far the biggest group, some of the contestants had to go around the other side of the table because the competition was so packed.
Not only was it the biggest group, but it was the most competitive.
As they youths finished, they would raise their hands to signal the judges but then a piece of pie would fall out of their mouths, or off their face, making them go back for the rest. Sometimes the judges pointed out more morsels they had to munch.
Bobby Desantis was the first to finish.
“It feels great. I mean, I really didn’t think I was gonna win,” Desantis said.
Then it was time for the grand finale. The adults took center stage with an additional challenge — they had to start with the pie in its aluminum container. That made the adults have to not only eat the pie with no hands, but find a way to get the pie out of its container first.
Scott Cooper picked up the whole thing, shook the pie out of the tin, spit out the tin and then inhaled pie in the fastest time of the day. He stepped back and raised his arm in triumph.
Cooper entered the pie-eating contest determined to defend his title from last year. His big addition to the contest was his son, Cole, about to turn 4 a few days later. Even though his dad cheered him on in the first contest of the day, Cole decided he had had enough about halfway through. When his dad asked if he would like to stop, Cole, with cherry filling smeared around his mouth, looked up and nodded.
After the crowds cleared out of the loggia, the crown heads decided to have their own competition. Even Clark’s parents, Sara and Ray, joined in the fun.
The competition to finish first was fierce between Oves and Ray Clark, while Lyla and Sara were struggling to start and keep the pie down.
Oves was declared the winner as she got the last pieces of crust in her mouth just before her competitor.
“It feels amazing, it feels so great. I am so honored,” she said, laughing at the silliness of the contest. “It was actually really fun. I don’t know how all the kids did it.”
Lyla, who stopped and stepped away from the table repeatedly, admitted, “I’m not a huge pie fan so I kind of had a throw-up type feeling, but it’s OK because it was fun.”
When it came to pie, Sara Clark looked a lot like her daughter despite a valiant attempt to choke some down.
They agreed, however, if it were key lime pie, they would have cleaned up.
Ray Clark was graceful in defeat.
“Grace was a tough competitor,” he said. “The queen beat me. I mean, you can’t beat royalty. But really, these events are just awesome. It feels so great to be a part of it.”
By CAMRYN SCHULTHEIS/For the Sentinel
