47 minutes and 45 seconds. That’s how long it took before last year’s world champion Borys Szkodziak was out. The guy who set a season record of 3 hours 20 minutes and 3 seconds in the final in Split didn’t even last for 50 minutes in the Polish qualifier. Not only that, after another 30 minutes world record holder Klaudia Ide was out, ending up in 8th place.
As big an upset as this was, there were many skilled smokers left in the competition. After all, Poland is currently the top slow smoking nation in the world. Like last year’s Polish champion Elena Tronina (Szkodziak qualified for the final at a Time Chase event) who came in third at 2 hours 13 minutes and 50 seconds. Or number 12 on the all time top 20 list and second runner-up in 2022, Marcin Sakowski. He took a step up on the podium when his cigar burnt out at 2 hours 19 minutes and 40 seconds. None of them were able to beat Adam Charchut, though, who held on for another 52 seconds to claim his first title.
All three made it into the top 20 list of the season, and the feeling is we will see both Szkodziak and Ide in the final as well.
“Apart from the competition, this was also a sensational garden party,” organizer Marcin Lewandowski says. “The 26 competitors and other guests spent almost ten hours at a M&P Nadwiślańska 108 on the shores of Lake Łacha. Among other things there was a live cooking show where chef Miguel prepared two variations of paella and different beverage tastings of wines, Prosecco, port, whiskey, rums, and the unique limited edition of Pawlin Tennessee Whiskey.”
1. Adam Charchut 2:20:32
2. Marcin Sakowski 2:19:40
3. Elena Tronina 2:13:50
