With impressive times, the top 50 list reflected both seasoned veterans and surprising newcomers
The Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC) Grand Final 2024 delivered an unforgettable spectacle, where elite participants from around the world showcased their precision, strategy, and endurance in an intense competition.
Interesting Insights from the Final Scores:
Incredible Global Representation: This year, participants from 34 different countries made it to the top 50 from all together 75 competitors. Europe dominated the leader-board, but there was notable participation from other regions, such as the Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan, and Mauritius.
The Tight Competition Among the Top 10: The competition among the top 10 was incredibly tight, with only 37 minutes separating 1st place from 10th place. Polish competitors performed exceptionally well, with four participants in the top 15.
Anastasiya Arsenova– 2:35:48 (-15 ring): Anastasiya stood out as one of the top female competitors, finishing 5th despite a challenging 15-ring penalty, which involves deductions for burned ring. Her time of 2:35:48 still placed her among the best, showcasing her resilience and skill.
Dominican Pride: Rafael Solano from the Dominican Republic secured 6th place with a time of 2:35:41. His performance marked a significant representation for the Americas in a in this global event.
Female Power: Women demonstrated remarkable performances, with several of them finishing in the top ranks. Klaudia Ide (Poland), placed 9th overall with a strong time of 2:14:43, while Elena Tronina (Poland) also impressed with 2:12:10, landing her in 11th place despite a 15-ring penalty. Astrid Walter (Germany), who came in 14th, and Anna Gargulio (Italy), who secured 17th, also highlighted the strength of female competitors in this traditionally male-dominated field.
Regional Highlights:
Croatian Success: Croatia was well-represented, with multiple top-20 finishes, including Ivan Žižić (10th) and Zoran Pejović (18th). Croatian competitors consistently show their mastery year after year.
Polish Dominance: Poland’s Borys Szkodziak, Marcin Sakowski, and Klaudia Ide had stellar performances, all finishing within the top 10. With the highest number of participants in the top 50, Poland solidified its position as a powerhouse in cigar smoking competitions.
Surprise from the USA: Drew Emch, who completed his round in just under 2 hours (1:59:52), faced disappointment after he led for much of the first half of the competition. Unfortunately, construction issues dropped him to 13th place. However, Christina Bartnikowski from New York delivered an impressive performance, finishing in a strong 21st position.
Penalties and Their Impact: Several participants faced time penalties for rules infractions, yet still managed to place well. Andrea Palmer (Austria), with a -15 ash penalty, still achieved 30th place. Martina Klainlagel (Germany), affected by a -3 ash penalty, finished in 43rd place, proving that even with deductions, skill can keep competitors in the top ranks.
The 50th Place Story: Vinesh Bilsar (UK) wrapped up the top 50 with a respectable time of 1:01:02. His inclusion highlights the diversity of the competition and how every second matters in this precision-based sport.
Surprising Appearances and First-Timers:
Romain Ratel (France) – 1:56:03: A newcomer to the competition, Romain managed to finish in big 15th place, marking a strong result for France after long time.
Felix Kozlovski (Germany) - 2:29:02 The best newcomer and absolute standout of the competition was Felix Kozlovski from Germany, who stunned everyone by finishing in an incredible 7th place in his very first Grand Finale. His remarkable debut has made him a rising star to watch, and we can expect great things from this promising competitor in
the future.
Bočarovs Vadims (Cyprus) – 1:45:00: another first-timer, showed great promise and clocked in at 1:45:00, making a splash for his nation on the international stage with 22nd position in the world
The Rise of Azerbaijan: Emil Karayev (Azerbaijan) - 1:39:32 made an impressive showing, demonstrating that countries from the Caucasus region are emerging as competitive forces.
Conclusion:
The CSWC Grand Final 2024 was a remarkable showcase of skill, patience, and endurance, featuring a diverse group of competitors from across the globe. With impressive times, the top 50 list reflected both seasoned veterans and surprising newcomers. The competition's precision and focus on the art of cigar smoking make it a unique and growing event that continues to attract participants worldwide. With every second on the clock and every puff counted, this year's edition lived up to its reputation as the ultimate test of cigar-smoking mastery.
TOP 50 RESULTS
1. Hauke Walter GERMANY 2:51:30
2. Borys Szkodziak POLAND 2:49:17
3. Dejan Pažin SLOVENIA 2:41:19
4. Marcin Sakowski POLAND 2:37:21
5. Anastasiya Arsenova KAZAHSTAN 2:35:48 -15min
6. Rafael Solano DOMINICAN REP. 2:35:41
7. Felix Kozlovski GERMANY 2:29:02
8. Igor Kovačić SWEDEN 2:18:39
9. Klaudia Ide POLAND 2:14:43
10. Ivan Žižić CROATIA 2:14:32
11. Elena Tronina POLAND 2:12:10-15min
12. Dariusz Jacek POLAND 2:08:17
13. Drew Emch USA 1:59:52
14. Astrid Walter GERMANY 1:57:00
15. Romain Ratel FRANCE 1:56:03
16. Ali Irvani AUSTRIA 1:55:34
17. Anna Gargulio ITALY 1:53:00
18. Zoran Pejović CROATIA 1:52:50
19. Marian Nendela ITALY 1:48:52
20. Nenad Medak CROATIA 1:46:15-15min
21. Christina Bartnikowski USA 1:45:21
22. Bočarovs Vadims CYPRUS 1:45:00
23. Alex Mihajlo SERBIA 1:41:02
24. Marco Pareijn BELGIUM 1:40:50
25. Daniel Friendenthal AUSTRIA 1:39:38-15min
26. Emil Karayev AZERBAIJAN 1:39:32
27. Thorsten Ebers SPAIN 1:37:50
28. Tormod Skaaraas NORWAY 1:30:23
29. Samir Hajigev GEORGIA 1:30:20
30. Andrea Palmer AUSTRIA 1:29:39-15min
31. Julius Honsch UK 1:27:28
32. Paresh Patel UK 1:25:48
33. Drilon Bytyci KOSOVO 1:25:20
34. Jamal Hipp USA 1:25:02-10min
35. Ivan Ribić SLOVENIA 1:22:24
36. Christopher Trockl GERMANY 1:21:04
37. Mićo Dragosavljević SWITZERLAND 1:17:05-15min
38. Udo Becker MONTENEGRO 1:14:28
39. Jadran Lazić CROATIA 1:12:25
40. Norbert Couvreur MAURITIUS 1:10:44
41. Tamlyn Tomson UK 1:10:22-5min
42. Lucian Laza ROMANIA 1:09:28
43. Martina Klainlagel GERMANY 1:09:10-3min
44. Konstantine Saraginov CANADA 1:08:50
45. Željan Rakela CROATIA 1:08:24
46. Jeremy Casdagly ESTONIA 1:07:08
47. Andreas Joergensen UAE 1:05:10
48. Philip Ashley Rubb UK 1:03:27
49. Richard Tličko SLOVAKIA 1:01:26
50. Vinesh Bilsar UK 1:01:02