Travis Gienger from Anoka, Minnesota won the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off with a pumpkin that tipped the scales at 2,471 pounds (1,121 kilograms), securing first place by a slim margin of just 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) over the runner-up.

However, this year’s gourd did not surpass the world record of 2,749 pounds (1,247 kilograms), which was set by Gienger last year.

Gienger credited his success to healthy soil and well-fed plants, though he noted that challenging weather conditions, including a cold fall and record-breaking rain, likely affected the pumpkin’s growth.

“We had really, really tough weather and somehow, some way, I kept on working,” Gienger said. “I had to work for this one, and we got it done at the end, but it wasn’t by much.”

This annual event offers a first-place prize of US$9 per pound for the winning pumpkin’s total weight, as well as a US$30,000 grand prize to whoever can beat the current world record.