Open wide, stuff it in, chew with the speed of a blender and swallow. Repeat nine more times as quickly as possible.

That's what 28 of 66 contestants did to win a puff-pastry eating competition yesterday and advance to the Asia Eating Contest semifinal.

The competition promises to get tougher with the addition of the "Queen of Eating" from Japan and Hong Kong's "Glutton Lady." They will compete this weekend for the 10,000-yuan (US$1,246) first prize.

The 28 first-round winners ate 10 puff pastries between one minute and 33 seconds to four minutes and 22 seconds.

The semifinal will be held on Saturday at Shanghai Ongoing Department Store.

The contestants to advance were mostly young people, including three women.

In the semifinal, they will eat as many hot-dogs as possible in 15 minutes. The same format applies in Sunday's final, but hot dogs will be replaced with curry rice.

Miyuki Iwata, Japan's "Queen of Eating," once ate 100 dumplings in 27 minutes and Chang Wing-man, also known as "Glutton Lady," once ate a plate of Singapore noodles in 43 seconds.

Both the semifinal and final will start at 3 PM.

(Shanghai Daily May 22, 2006)