Contestants scream for ice cream at Windmill City Fest

On Saturday, Alex Breytspraak (from right to left), 3, of Aurora, has to drop out of the "Get Your Mind in the Gutter" ice cream eating contest at the Windmill City Festival in Batavia because of a brain freeze, while his sister Molly, 4, and Evan Misner, 7, of Batavia, continue on in the contest. (Rob Winner photo)

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BATAVIA – Zach Leonhard knows the secret to eating ice cream fast.

“I bite it instead of licking it because it is easier,” the 14-year-old Batavia resident said.

He used that technique Saturday to win the championship round in the “Get your Mind in the Gutter” ice cream-eating contest at Windmill City Festival.

Leonhard beat out his younger brother, Josh, who had to settle for second place.

Their mother, Janet Leonhard, was proud of both her sons.

“I thought they both had excellent chances,” she said. “Josh usually eats more.”

So perhaps it’s not surprising that Josh was ready to eat some more after the contest was over.

“I’m not that full,” he said.

Besides providing some entertainment for curious bystanders, the contest also raised money for the Batavia Parks Foundation, which is trying to install a new, state-of-the-art SpaceNet playground structure at Engstrom Park.

In the late 1990s, the playground was vandalized and removed from the park.

Master of ceremonies Craig Foltos laughed as one contestant asked whether spoons were going to be passed out.

“You have to just dig in with any part of your mouth or nose,” Foltos said.

He also provided some words of warning.

“If you get a brain freeze, there are firemen and paramedics here to help you out,” Foltos said.

The name of the contest summed up what participants had to do as they did their best to gobble up the ice cream without using their hands.

Batavia High School football player Sean Boyle is not a big fan of vanilla ice cream.

“I’m more of a chocolate fan,” Boyle said.

But that didn’t stop him from taking first place in the 14- to 20-year-old category.

He attributed a few factors to his win.

“I haven’t eaten much today,” Boyle said. “My trick was I don’t get brain freezes. I think that was my advantage.”

He also liked the fact that whipped cream was added to the vanilla ice cream.

“It added some flavor. It made it better,” Boyle said.