KEY WEST, Fla. — A Key West man downed a whole 9-inch Key lime pie topped with whipped cream in 1 minute and 14 seconds Monday to win the annual Key Lime Pie Eating Championship in the U.S.’s southernmost city.
Chris Shultz defeated 24 other entrants in the Key West competition that has become an Independence Day tradition.
Shultz devoured the pie by stuffing his face into the sweet treat. Per competition rules, contestants were not allowed to use forks, spoons or their hands.
Rob O’Neal/AP
“I plunged face-first into my pie and wiggled my face around and ate as much as possible,” Shultz told the Florida Keys News Bureau after notching the victory.
Key lime pie was designated by the Florida Legislature as the official state pie in 2006, but it now has some competition when it comes to desserts. Strawberry shortcake was recently designated as the official state dessert and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year.
