Maverick, the 2,560-pound pumpkin, triumphs in the “Super Bowl” of water bottle festivals

Growers from across the country descended on the California coast, taking with them some of the most gargantuan pumpkins in the world.

The giant pumpkin weighs off, held each year before the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival just south of San Francisco, is considered by competitors to be something of a Super Bowl in this unique sport, and juggernauts entered this year - some weighing as much as an average rhino - did not disappoint.

Travis Gienger, a horticulture professor - who hauled his 2,560-pound pumpkin from Minnesota - won first prize and set a new record. The trip took him 35 hours.

"Think driving in a snowstorm is bad? Try driving one of those things," Gienger said. He and his huge pumpkin were awarded $23,040 in prizes.

Gienger named his pumpkin "Maverick" after it survived an accident early in season. A 5-pound bucket of soil was accidentally dropped on it a few days after it sprouted, but the Steadfast Squash survived. "No one really thought it would happen," Gienger said. "But it just healed and is income."

Pumpkins like Gienger's Giant don't just happen. They're carefully cultivated by elite cultivators who share and exchange special seeds, repelling every year the limits of what was once thought possible.The seed of Maverick is from the same juggernaut that produced a world record Guinness World owned by an Italian grower, who bred a 2,702-pound pumpkin last year. Gienger obtained the much sought after seed through an exchange.

"My 2020 seed has continued to grow some of the biggest beautiful orange pumpkins," he said. said, adding that another producer preferred splendor over size. "And of course I grew an ugly pumpkin," he laughed.

Ugly or not, Maverick now holds the title of heaviest in North America. However, the profession is much more than a simple competition. It's all about camaraderie and collaboration. "Every time we attend one of the weigh-ins, it's like a family reunion that we producers have," Leonardo Urena, a producer from Napa, Calif., told The Guardian last year. "It's a good sport because there's no jealousy or rivalry." Even if his own pumpkin doesn't place, the winner could come from seeds he donated to other growers. This year, Urena was unable to enter pumpkins, so he helped judge and moderate the competition.

Even with a perfect start, it is not easy to grow giants. They need the right amount of space, a haven from pests, and nourishing soil that helps feed the sugars inside. When the recipe is right, pumpkins can gain about 50 pounds a day. Things can go wrong at any time and even a small tear in their delicate, spongy skin can mean disqualification from the contest.

Gienger's gourd was a remarkable feat, not only for its girth but also because of where it was grown. His home country doesn't exactly offer the most ideal conditions. Consistency is key, according to Gienger, who added that where he lives and grows, temperatures can go from 96 F to 40 F (36 C to 4 C) in an instant.

"Minnesota has a great mid-year, but our spring in our regions is really, really tough. So to do it in Minnesota, it just shouldn't happen,” Gienger said. But he doesn't question it. So far, it seems, he has enough magical ingredients to germinate those special seeds. "It's like winning the Tour de France on a Ferris wheel," he said. "You know, you can only hope, but it worked."

Maverick will be on display at the 50th Half Moon Bay Pumpkin and Art Festival, taking place will be held on October 15 and 16, before he attempts to break another record - the largest carved jack-o'-lantern. Then his special seeds will be shared around the world in preparation for next year's season, which usually starts around mid-April. But for now, Gienger and his giant are still celebrating. It's not his first victory - he also won the title in 2020 - but it's his biggest.

"If a lesson were to be learned from this, it's persistence," he said. "It took me a...