Hometown hero Barry Rigby gobbled up a hat-trick of victories in the World Pie Eating Championships today (Tues).<br /><br />Warehouse worker Barry, 49, wolfed down a 12x3.5cm meat and potato pie in a lightning fast 35.4 seconds to take the crown of world champion for the third time.<br /><br />Barry, of Wigan, Gtr Manchester, who previously won the championships in 2009 and 2014, beat 16 rivals to take home the coveted Bradley Piggins trophy .<br /><br />He said: "It's been delayed because of Covid and the bad weather, I've just been waiting for it to start up again after a two year absence.<br /><br />"I'm a three-time world champion now. The trick is to take small bites and get small chunks in your mouth and swallow them as quick as you can."<br /><br />Competitive crust munchers including previous winners Ian Gerrard, 43, and five-time champ Martin Appleton-Clare, 41, took part in the contest at Harry's Bar in Wigan.<br /><br />The event, which sees finely tuned athletes from around the world take part, was postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid regulations.<br /><br />And its comeback, scheduled for last month, was put back for bad weather.<br /><br />Organiser Tony Callaghan said: "Barry first won the title in 2009, but demonstrated he's lost none of his talent.<br /><br />"He matched the last championship winning time, pre-pandemic in 2019, set by a monster of the sport Ian Gerrard: 35.4 seconds. <br /><br />"It was a high quality chunder - that's the collective noun we use for elite pie eaters - who barely left a crumb for the cleaners and demonstrated their true potential by hanging round for a free lunch afterwards/<br /><br />"Although in the contest some did show that time away from the table during the pandemic does take its toll with a few competitors fighting swallow stall throughout.<br /><br />"However, our efforts to follow a policy of sustainability have tripped up after the work experience lad was given instructions to find a recycled trophy but came back with a cycling club cup."<br /><br />The competition has been held in Wigan - where locals are known as pie eaters - since 1992.<br /><br />Some say the nickname comes from local miners "eating humble pie" after going back to work during the general strike of 1926.
