The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC) to go virtual in 2020. The fast response of the CSWC organization was the so called „Stay Strong” online season last year.
With many travel restrictions still in place, Marko Bilić, founder and president of the competition, is building an “International Judge Association” to ensure that national competitions can take place live. Bilić: “CSWC has been built over the past 11 years through international friendships and live social gatherings. We are ready and highly motivated to take on the new challenges we are facing as a community. We are determined to continue to bring our excitement and fun to all competitors, followers and to all the new people who are interested to become part of the Cigar Smoking World Championship in live experiences again, starting with this season 2021.”
Marko Bilić created a professional training program to certify CSWC judges all around the world and build a strong network of national judges in the qualifying countries. “This new certification program will let us take on the current challenges global travel imposes on us and simultaneously let us handle the growing international interest for CSWC events in a more efficient way. At the same time national judges will enjoy this special role, which will bring to them recognition, respect and some unique benefits.”
Marko Bilić added: “The CSWC season 2021 will take place with national judges in charge of their countries’ slow smoking tournaments. The CSWC International Judge Association is ready with training programs and we are waiting for candidates who are interested to become official CSWC judges.” The application form can be found at http://cswcworld.com/page56.html.
Applications and training sessions will take place during the month of March and the final tests will take place in April. The CSWC qualification season will start in May and last until mid of August. If the circumstances will allow, the CSWC Grand Final 2021 event will take place end of August under adapted conditions and possible limitations due to Covid-19 pandemic. A list of all tournaments for the 2021 season will be published in April.
