“Ciogghitta d'oro”, the snail eating competition in Sassari

In the end only one will remain, with a full belly and dozens of empty snail shells to celebrate its triumph. In Sassari, snail eaters are ready to challenge each other to win the 14th edition of the "Ciogghitta d'oro", the traditional Sassari-style mini escargot sucking competition, better known as "ciogga minudda", which will take place on Friday 26 July from 9pm, in Piazza Fiume.

The event, which has become a true cult of the Sassari summers, was presented today at the Sassari Chamber of Commerce by the organizer and president of the Abbì cultural association, Lillo Carboni, together with the president of Slow Food Sardinia, Valerio Taras, and with the journalist Francesco Salis, assigned the role of live commentator of the hot matches between snail suckers.

The regulation allows only one technique and no tools other than the canine to pierce the shell of the small snail and the lips to suck its contents. At the end of exhausting duels, the final will reward the most voracious eater, the one who, in defiance of any dietary rules, will devour, in a minute and a half, more snails than his opponent.