A pumpkin tipped the scales at 2,749 pounds in Half Moon Bay on Monday to set a world record and capture the title in the 50th annual weigh off.
Defending Half Moon Bay champion Travis Gienger of Minnesota, who set the North American record in the 2022 contest, grew the world record gourd that captured the grand prize at the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.
The previous world record of 2,702 pounds was set at a contest in Italy in 2021, according to contest organizers.
Gienger will get $9 a pound for winning the contest and a $30,000 bonus for breaking the world record, organizers say. This year's grand prize winner also will get a ring not unlike those awarded to World Series, Super Bowl and NBA champions.
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The famous contest featuring some of the largest gourds around kicks off a week of events and festivities leading up to the 51st annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival next weekend.
Last year's contest featured a winning pumpkin from Minnesota weighing in at 2,560 pounds, setting a North American record.
In this year's contest, cash prizes were also awarded for the most beautiful pumpkin, the biggest California pumpkin and the biggest Coastside (local) pumpkin.
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For more on the contest and the festival, visit the official contest website.
