World champion can eat a haggis in under 44 seconds (offal quick)

Alastair at work as a butcher. — Alastair Ross, haggis eating champion, at work as a butcher.

Scotland’s haggis-eating champion has admitted he’s pondered retirement after complaints from family and friends.

Alastair Ross, from Dunkeld, is a seven-time world champion thanks to his ability to scoff a full haggis in under 44 seconds.

Yet butcher Alastair says the digestive effects of wolfing down a pound of offal mean he’s been forced to consider giving up his annual competitive eating bid.

“After I’ve been in competition, it causes some problems,” said Alastair. “Let’s just say my mates don’t want to stand near me in the pub afterwards. There have been complaints.

“My partner Kayleigh won’t come near me for two days afterwards either. It’s been difficult for them and I’ve very much considered retirement, but I’m not quite at the stage where I’m going to quit yet.”

The winds of change aren’t blowing for Alastair when it comes to his bid to retain the haggis-eating crown. He plans to compete in this year’s games – held in Birnam, Perthshire, in August – and is already in preparation thanks to his secret weapon: Lager.

“A lot of young guys come in and take a drink of water with each mouthful of haggis,” added Alastair. “If you watch a video of me you’ll see I wash it down with lager.

“I think it comes from me drinking lager at my rugby club. I tend to eat an awful lot once I’ve had a few beers.”

His favourite brewer, Scots firm Innis & Gunn, got in touch with Alastair and last week he was invited to their restaurant and bar in Edinburgh as part of their new deal offering unlimited steak frites this Friday.

Alastair, true to form, managed to put away five portions.

“I think that was the equivalent of two kilograms of steak,” he said. “It was a nice change from haggis.

“Innis & Gunn have been great – I genuinely have always drunk their beer when I’m washing down haggis. They’ve generously offered to sponsor me for this year’s haggis competition.

“When Innis & Gunn challenged me with putting the unlimited deal to the test, I was chuffed. For me, there’s nothing better than devouring plate after plate of steak and chips.

“I’d love to see how many challengers are willing to take me on. If anyone manages to beat my record, it’s an excuse for me to come back and reclaim my title.”

Alastair Ross has comic Paul Dock, left, astounded by his capacity for steak frites.

Competitors at the World Haggis Eating Championships are presented with a 1lb haggis and must eat it as quickly as possible.

To prepare, Alastair, who plays wing for Hamilton Bulls rugby second team, eats large meals in the week leading up to competition.

“It’s all about stretching out your stomach,” he explained. “Then, 12 hours before the competition, I won’t eat anything at all.

“It’s not too bad immediately after I’ve finished eating, I don’t feel nauseous or anything. In fact afterwards I usually head to the ice cream van and order a sundae or a banana split. You’ve got to have something sweet for dessert after a haggis.”

‘Nothing beats a well-made haggis’

Despite eating haggis competitively, Alastair isn’t sick of the traditional Scottish dish.

“Haggis is absolutely delicious,” he said. “Nothing beats a well-made haggis which is seasoned correctly.

“I know it’s not for everyone but there’s a lot of good eating in one, and I should know – I’ve eaten a lot of them, and I’ve been training as a butcher since I was 14.

“The spices are key, which is where a lot of big manufacturers get it wrong. I won’t name names but some of them are like eating soup. Get a good haggis and you can eat loads.”

Alastair revealed his status as a champion haggis eater sometimes leads to undue attention.

“Once people find out about it they want to know everything, so I often try to keep it on the down-low,” he added. “In one interview for a job as a butcher, the manager heard about my records and wanted a demonstration.

“I had to eat a haggis for him, which I managed to do in under a minute. I wasn’t prepared but he was impressed and I did get the job. It was one of the strangest interviews I’ve ever done.”

But Alastair’s method of using pints of lager during competition almost backfired during one competition.

“There’s a cracking video on YouTube of me basically guzzling a handful of haggis then grabbing a can to take a drink,” he said. “The can slipped and tipped over, but I managed to catch the pint just before it fell and keep on going.”