After four years the Cigar Smoking World Championships came back to France, and Strasbourg. The event was held at the hotel Le Temps des Saison and even drew recognizable people like Jeanne Barseghian, the mayor of Strasbourg, and 91 year old journalist Pierre Bonte.
”All of the contestants were newbies, but they clearly showed that they knew what they were doing,” founder Marko Bilic says. ”They started well, relaxing, but as the competition progressed they became more focused. The competition spirit was switched on and it was fantastic to see smokers of all generations battling together, in a mix of old and new school.”
Two of these rookies made it into the top 20 list of the season. Mathieu Ginglinger became the 2023 French champion at 2 hours 1 minute and 14 seconds, followed by Oliver Steinhaeuser at 1 hour 51 minutes and 43 seconds. The latter could have come out victorius, though, hadn’t he earned a 15 minute penalty.
Behind them Pierre Bonte proved that he is more than just a journalist when he came in third at 1 hour 15 minutes and 5 seconds.
1. Mathieu Ginglinger2:01:14
2. Oliver Steinhäeuser 1:51:43
3. Pierre Bonte 1:15:05
