The first speed-eating world championship for black caviar was held over the weekend in Moscow, with contestants gorging themselves on kilograms of the luxurious delicacy costing tens of thousands of dollars.
Hundreds of guests attended the competition, held at a Moscow restaurant called The Apartment. Twelve people were chosen as contestants by lottery. The competitors were to consume half a kilogram of black caviar as quickly as possible.
The competition was won by Alexander Valov, a stocky 49-year-old man who came to the competition in a business suit. He conquered the other contestants by devouring his half-kilogram in one minute, 26 seconds, Ridus.ru said. As a prize, he won 10,000 rubles ($340) and more caviar to take home.
After the competition the rest of the people at the restaurant were allowed to sample the caviar as well. The entire contest reportedly cost organizers 2 million rubles ($70,000).
Most black caviar in Russia comes from the black market. Only 19 tons of the 244 tons sold in 2010 were sold legally, Vedomosti reported last year.
A 250 gram tin of Beluga caviar sold by Paris-based Petrossian, which sets a reference for global prices, costs $3,091.
The Komsomolskaya Pravda news outlet has a video of the event.
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