Russia's annual Pancake Week (explained in this video) is supposed to be a festive occasion, sort of a Russian Mardi Gras. But this year it turned tragic when a man choked and died as he tried to swallow the final bites of his 43rd pancake after winning a pancake-eating contest.

Boris Isayev, a 48-year-old Russian collapsed and died on stage in a weekend competition that was part of Pancake Week. One witness said Isayev "started foaming at the mouth and went down like a sack of stones." There were paramedics nearby, but they were not able to revive him.

It's a scary reminder that competitive eating events, including America's Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, have inherent risks and aren't always just harmless fun.

More information at Fox News and the United Press International.

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