Travis Gienger Wins Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off Again!
Travis Gienger has once again claimed victory at the 51st Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, marking his fourth win overall. His winning pumpkin, named Rudy, weighed in at a whopping 2,471 pounds. To put that into perspective, it’s twice as heavy as a grizzly bear, half as heavy as a Rhinoceros, two-thirds as heavy as a car, and can flavor 74,794 pumpkin spice lattes.
Gienger will receive nine dollars per pound as prize money along with a champion ring, jacket, and a luxurious two-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, California. The horticulture teacher from Minnesota set a record in 2023 with a 2,749-pound pumpkin, entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. Gienger also holds the world record for the largest jack-o’-lantern by circumference, achieved in October 2022 for a pumpkin carved to look like an eagle with a circumference of 242 inches.
Reflecting on his win, Gienger stated, “I didn’t think I’d have anything come June. If you had talked to me in June I would have been like, no, our weather is way too wet, way too cold.”
The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, where the weigh-off takes place, attracts thousands of visitors each year for pumpkin-themed activities. The coastal city is renowned for its large pumpkin patches.
The trend of growing giant pumpkins started in the 1970s, with the first 1,000-pounder appearing in 1996. Growers use special seeds to cultivate these massive gourds, with a growing season of over 100 days allowing them to reach enormous sizes. Pumpkins have a thick rind that protects them and helps them grow larger than other vegetables.
Most record-breaking pumpkins are Dill’s Atlantic Giants, specially bred for size. These pumpkins may have genetic advantages such as larger vascular tissue or better nutrient absorption. When not being used for lattes or jack-o’-lanterns, pumpkins are a nutritious food choice, supporting the immune system and heart health.
