NATIONAL HARD CRAB DERBY & FAIR-CRISFIELD, MD

August 30, 2008
Crabs are ready to raceCooking, pageant winners return title to their familiesBy Liz HollandStaff Writer
CRISFIELD -- A seventh-grader with a passion for cooking was named the grand prize winner Friday at the annual Crab Cooking Contest.
Adam Gibson, 12, of Marion Station beat 24 adult cooks for the top honors with his Maryland Crab Imperial Nachos, which also won first place in the soup and appetizer division.
"That was just incredible to win the division," he said. "Then I won grand prize -- I'm stunned right now."
This was not Gibson's first attempt in the annual contest. Two years ago he won a first-place prize for his Key Lime Crab Salad. Last year he entered, but did not win.
The Somerset Intermediate School student said he is already thinking of where he would like to go to college five years from now. Although he hasn't decided on a school yet, he hopes to study culinary arts and combine it with an education degree in order to teach.
"That would be really cool," he said.
His interest in both teaching and cooking comes naturally. His mother is Maryland Teacher of the Year April Todd. His stepfather, Andrew Todd, was Somerset County Teacher of the Year two years ago and the grand-prize winner the 2006 cooking contest.
The Crab Cooking Contest was one of the kickoff events to this weekend's 61st National Hard Crab Derby.
On Thursday night, 16-year-old Elizabeth Long was crowned this year's Miss Crustacean.
The senior at Crisfield High School helped hand out awards at the cooking contest and will preside over other Crab Derby events today and Sunday.
The daughter of Gail and Lee Long isn't the first in her family to win the title. Her aunt, Wendy Reese Noll, was Miss Crustacean 1981 and her cousin, Brittani Hinman, was Miss Crustacean 2006.
The Crab Derby continues today with a parade on Main Street at 11 a.m., the Governor's Cup Race at 2 p.m., the Crab Derby at 2:30 and Crab Picking Contest at 3:30 p.m.
Most events are on the grounds of Somers Cove Marina, which opens at noon today and Sunday.
Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children 12 and younger.
somersetherald@gannett.com