Ten contestants donned lobster bibs and faced the pair of one-pound soft shell lobsters: Pete Lee (North Carolina), Tom Hughes (Massachusetts), Joan Gray (Southport), Liz Grant (Maine), Al Havand (Florida), Kindal Tait (Texas), Sarii Yamashota (Minnesota), Christian Wdwrzasack (Michigan and Florida), Alexandra Baker (Florida) and Julie Roberts (Boothbay Harbor).

Before the shell cracking began, Roberts said she didn’t like lobster. This could have given her the advantage: She wouldn’t get caught up in how delicious they were; she’d just want to swallow with as little chewing as possible. But it turned out, distaste for Maine’s famous crustacean did not prove to help her win.

A few contestants smashed the lobster shells with their fists, setting lobster juice a-spraying. Others used their fingers to separate the meat from the shell. 

Meanwhile, emcee Douglas Gimbel, accompanied by his sweet puppy Daphne, added comedic suggestions for the contestants and commentary to, and about, them. 

Wdwrzasack’s hand went up first, followed by Lee. Gimbel and Herger checked Wdwrzasack’s lobster remains and discovered a full knuckle that had not been eaten. But Wdwrzasack made quick work of it and was pronounced the 2022 Lobster Eating Contest victor. Herger then awarded the winner a $100 bill to accompany the bragging rights. 

Lee finished in second place, followed by Hughes (third), Yamashota (fourth), Havand (fifth), Joan Gray (sixth), Grant (seventh), Tait (eighth), Baker (ninth) and Roberts, last place.

This year’s contest was held in memory of Ed Tibbetts, former owner of Atlantic Edge, who died after being struck by a van in St. Augustine, Florida on April 2.