Travis Gienger, a horticulture teacher from Anoka, Minnesota, has claimed the top prize at the 51st World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California, for the fourth consecutive year. Gienger's massive pumpkin weighed in at 2,471 pounds (1,121 kg), narrowly surpassing his closest competitor by just 6 pounds (2.7 kg).
Although Gienger’s entry fell short of the world record he set in 2023 with a 2,749-pound (1,247 kg) pumpkin, his latest triumph solidifies his dominance in the competition, held annually south of San Francisco.
Reflecting on the challenge of growing such a massive gourd, Gienger, 44, credited healthy soil and proper plant care but noted that this year’s cold fall and record-breaking rain likely affected the pumpkin’s growth. “We had really tough weather, but I kept working hard, and it paid off in the end,” he said.
Gienger, along with his family, transported the giant pumpkin over a 35-hour journey to California for the competition. The next stop for the massive gourd is in southern California, where professional carvers will create a 3D design on it for a Halloween event.
Gienger’s world record pumpkin from 2023, which he nicknamed "Michael Jordan" in tribute to the basketball legend, weighed 2,749 pounds, breaking the previous record by 47 pounds. The pumpkin was equivalent to about 2,110 basketballs or 275 average jack-o'-lanterns.
This year’s winning pumpkin will be showcased at the upcoming Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, where it will be the star of the event’s noontime parade.
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