The next time you get in trouble for watching too much television, let your parents know that you are in training for the Ultimate Couch Potato competition, which could win you a grand prize worth over $5,000 USD.

The competitions which are sponsored by ESPN Zone, a chain of sports-themed restaurants affiliated with the sports channel, are held in three different US cities - Baltimore, Chicago and New York.

The rules are quite simple. Contestants have to settle down into recliners and watch as much TV (only ESPN of course), as they can. While they can order unlimited food and drinks, they can not sleep or get up from their chairs except for bathroom breaks.

Of all three cities, New York's winner Stan Friedman had the 'easiest' victory. Winning for the second year in a row, he had to watch TV for just 18 hours, 48 minutes and 17 seconds.

Jeff Miller from Chicago, also a second-time winner had a slightly harder time fending off his opponent, Chicago Police detective, Marco Acevedo. He had to watch TV for 39 hours, 2 minutes and 25 seconds.

The city of Baltimore proved to be the real couch potato city - It took Jessica Mosley almost three days or over 70 hours to win. She not only won, but also broke the Guinness Book of Records time of 69 hours and 48 minutes set by Suresh Joachim in 2005.

For all this lounging, the three winners each received a 42' HD Television, two airline tickets to any US destination, a Recliner, various ESPN goodies and last but most importantly, ESPN Zones Ultimate Couch Potato trophy featuring - you guessed it - a real live potato! Sounds like a great competition to us!

Source: Espnzone.com