Horticulture teacher Travis Gienger won the 53rd Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California, on Monday, securing his fifth victory with a 2,389-pound entry named “Rocky.” While Gienger took home the top prize in the Super Bowl of Weigh-Offs,
a separate grower in Rhode Island appears to have set a new world record with a 3,156-pound pumpkin that is currently awaiting verification.
Travis Gienger’s Fifth Championship Win
Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota, reclaimed his title at the 53rd Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. His pumpkin, nicknamed “Rocky” after the iconic boxer played by Sylvester Stallone, tipped the scales at 2,389 pounds.
The victory earned Gienger $21,501 in prize money, calculated at $9 per pound, as well as the coveted Pumpkin King Champion Ring and the Mel Mello Sr. Grand Champion Growers Jacket. Gienger missed out on a separate, additional prize of $30,000 that was offered for breaking the world record.
“Five-time champion, that’s what we came here to do.”
Travis Gienger, winner of the 53rd Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off
The Unverified World Record in Rhode Island
While Gienger dominated the California stage, a new record for the heaviest pumpkin was set on the East Coast. Ron Wallace of Greene, Rhode Island, confirmed he has been in contact with Guinness officials, who indicated his record is on track to be verified.
Giant Pumpkins Require Specialized Agricultural Techniques
The fact that Travis can weather the elements, like 30-degree weather, and still grow this massive pumpkin is pretty unbelievable,
Ronan Fowler, the competition’s organizer, said. He noted that the agriculture industry is increasingly reaching out to giant pumpkin growers to ask for advice on soil and other growing techniques.
Festival organizers noted that because these giants are grown specifically for their size, they are not intended for consumption, meaning there were no giant pumpkin pies at the end of the event.
