MELFORT 鈥� For the third year in a row, Garth Turner won a pizza eating contest that raises money for Telemiracle.
Almost $14,600 was raised by the contest, hosted by TJ鈥檚 Pizza.
Turner, who was sponsored by Salvation Army, ate his extra large pizza in five minutes and 55 seconds, a new record for the competition.
His strategy was just to eat as fast as he could, and not eat any lunch the day of the competition.
聽鈥淎pparently I eat faster. I鈥檝e always been able to eat very fast,鈥� Turner said.
He found after winning three competitions it doesn鈥檛 get boring because it鈥檚 for a good cause.
聽鈥淚t鈥檚 about raising money for Telemiracle so that鈥檚 really what makes it exciting,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of fun.鈥�
Placing second was Tyson Waldner, who ate his pizza in eight minutes and 25 seconds. Placing third was Morgan Leigh, who had the least amount left in his box when the timer went. Second and third place were both sponsored by the Melfort Kinsmen.
Lloyd Muntain, co-owner of TJ鈥檚 Pizza wanted to thank all of the contestants.
鈥淲e always shoot for a higher level when you鈥檙e setting up for one of these fundraisers and that,鈥� Muntain said. 鈥淭he contestants that entered the contest, they are the true heroes of this event 鈥� the fundraising numbers that they did, and shattering what we pulled off in past years is just phenomenal.鈥�
Thirteen contestants were in attendance.
鈥淲e had guys at the last minute calling in at Regina and Saskatoon that wanted to get involved with this. We were full. We had a deadline and we pulled it off.鈥�
Muntain has considered expanding to a larger venue and having more contestants participate, but it is important to him for the Melfort Legion to be involved, which is where it has been held in all the past years.聽
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really want to because the Legion has been so great on helping us out and patting us on the back and doing this, so I don鈥檛 want to leave them out,鈥� Muntain said. 鈥淭hen again I would love to see 18 contestants out there and that. It all depends on volunteers.鈥�
Next year鈥檚 competition will be on Jan. 28, 2020.
Currently they don鈥檛 have a goal for any specific amount they want to raise.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really have a goal, it鈥檚 more helping out and assisting the foundation. They鈥檝e assisted us in the past with the birth of my youngest daughter, this is my way of giving back.鈥�
When asked how it feels to win, Turner鈥檚 response was simple.
鈥淥ther than really full? It feels good,鈥� Turner said.
