After wolfing down 399 bowls of the traditional noodles in 10 minutes Sunday, Hatsuyo Sugawara, 45, from Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, beat other contenders in the annual All-Japan Wanko Soba Eating Championship held in the city known for the noodles.

Sugawara's win was her third in a row since she joined the competition three years ago. Three consecutive wins in the race mark a milestone, the organizer said.