Sterling Brinkerhoff, Age 9 from Benjamin, UT Wins 36th ANNUAL NATIONAL ODOR-EATERS ROTTEN SNEAKER CONTEST(SM)

MONTPELIER, Vt. March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Even the panel of "odor specialists" resisted the urge to cover their noses as pungent smells emanated from the most offensive sneakers in this year's Annual National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest. Ready to be judged, eight kids, ages seven to thirteen, from across the country have arrived in Montpelier today, selected as national finalists, wearing the decrepit and odorous rubber-soles that won them regional recognition.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/odor-eaters/48413/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110322/MM64519)

In its 36th year, the National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest is the ultimate test of just how offensive sneakers can get when they're not taken care of properly. Sneakers are judged on the conditions of the sole, tongue, heel, toe, laces or Velcro, eyelets/grommets, overall condition and most important ODOR, by a panel that includes NASA "Master Sniffer" George Aldrich, Chemical Specialist for NASA space missions, and Rachel Herz, Ph.D., author of The Scent of Desire, and professor at Brown University.

This year, Sterling Brinkerhoff was the grand prize winner of $2,500, out-stinking these other contestants:

Keevan Dinkel, age 7, Wasilla, AK

Cameron Brown, age 10, White Sands Missile Range, NM

Joseph Wills, age 11, Richford, VT

Caitlyn Enger, age 12, Palermo, ND

Elijah Perry, age 12, Grand Blanc, MI

Luke Winters, age 13, Bristol, CT

Christian LeRoy, age 13, Bartonville, IL

The Champion confessed that his sneakers got dirty and smelly because he wore his sneakers looking for frogs and bugs in the irrigation ditch and just playing outside.

He also received the Golden Sneaker Award, a trophy, an all expense paid trip to New York City to see the Broadway show Mary Poppins, and a supply of Odor-Eaters® products to kick out the odor from his sneakers. Although the maker of Odor-Eaters® products sponsors the contest, it's clear that the contestants keep the product far from their willfully worn and torn warriors submitted for judging.

Sterling's sneakers will also be enshrined in the Odor-Eaters® "Hall of Fumes" in Montpelier, VT.

For more information about the Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest(SM) or Odor-Eaters products, visit www.odor-eaters.com sponsored by Blistex, Inc.

SOURCE Odor-Eaters