Dressed in a hot-dog costume, Jake Kenyon, a Kansas University senior from Atchison, cheers and dances as hot-dog-eating competitors, from left, Steven Nguyen, a Shawnee freshman, Britta Tobias, Osage City sophomore, and Jason Baker, Houston junior, chow down at Wescoe Beach. Students raced to eat four hot dogs in the shortest amount of time on Monday. The eating competition, which helped to kick off a week full of events celebrating KU homecoming, drew a sizable crowd of onlookers during the noon hour at KU.

Matthew Casaletto rubbed his stomach Monday after learning the hard way that without guts there is no glory.

“I wish I could have some Pepto-Bismol,” he said.

The Kansas University freshman was top dog in KU’s Feed Your Beak Hot-Dog-Eating Contest on Wescoe Beach. The event was among the first of this week’s homecoming festivities.

Casaletto wolfed down four hot dogs, with buns, in 3.19 minutes, beating about a dozen competitors.

Casaletto said he had sized up the competition before the contest and knew he had more stomach for the wieners than the others.

“I took a look around,” he said. “I saw the fear in their eyes.”

The homecoming party continues today with “KU Can-struction,” a contest that involves building giant sculptures out of cans from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wescoe Beach.

Jayhawk Idol contestants will perform at noon on Wescoe Beach. And comedian Kathy Griffin will perform at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Lied Center.

For a full list of events, visit www.homecoming.ku.edu.