Event challenges eaters with 20-foot bratwursts

YPSILANTI, Mich. — A fundraising event for children's art in Michigan has pitted participants with big appetites against 20-foot-long bratwursts that weigh close to 6 pounds.

Twelve competitors and hundreds of onlookers turned out Thursday night for the Wurst Challenge, raising about $7,000 for the FLY Children's Art Center.

Jesse Kranyak is a co-owner of The Wurst Bar and says he was excited to host the event at his restaurant.

He says the restaurant contributed the bratwursts, two of them vegetarian and the others pork and beef mixes. New Holland Brewing Co. donated a keg. Blogger Mark Maynard helped organize.

The proceeds benefit FLY's Creativity Lab in Ypsilanti (ihp-sih-LAN'-tee), a city of 19,000 that's home to Eastern Michigan University.

Among the brat-biting competitors were Mayor Paul Schreiber and university President Susan Martin.