KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — American competitive eater Joseph Christian Chestnut ate his way to his 15th win in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest during the annual Fourth of July competition.

Professionally known as Joey Chestnut, the 37-year-old ate 63 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes beating his closest competitor, Geoffrey Esper, by 20 dogs, New York Post reported.

Ranked first in the world of competitive eaters by Major League Eating, Chestnut has won all but one Nathan’s contest since 2006.

The women's category was won by eight-time champion Miki Sudo, who ate 40 hot dogs and buns.

Meanwhile, ESPN reported that Chestnut, who downed 76 frankfurters and buns last year, blamed his lower record due to a leg injury.

The event was momentarily marred by protestors where a spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask rushed onto the stage.

Another protester in a white stormtrooper mask also snuck behind the competitors and hoisted a sign saying, "Expose Smithfield's Deathstar.”

Smithfield manufactures Nathan's famous hotdogs.In conjunction with the event, Nathan's also donated 100,000 frankfurters to the Food Bank for New York City.