Emch Third Time US CSWC Champion

As almost eerily predicted by yours truly, the US qualifier of the Cigar Smoking World Championship did actually see the return of an old stager, when the Leaf & Bean in Pittsburgh opened up its doors for the competition. When the national champion from the last two years, Drew Emch, flew in to secure his third title in a row his main opponent turned out to be a former American champion from the Macanudo era, Christina Bartinowski.

“From the outset, it was clear that this would be a contest to remember,” CSWC founder Marko Bilic says. “Drew, the favorite, faced unexpected and fierce competition from Christina, who proved she was still a formidable contender.”

As the race progressed, the two champions pulled ahead of the rest, turning the competition into an intense duel between them. For Christina, it almost came to an early end, though, not once, but twice.

“Despite being nearly eliminated twice, Christina managed to keep the fire alive, demonstrating her resilience and expertise. Her determination was evident as she skillfully maintained her cigar, pushing Drew to his limits.”

In the end, she fell short of reclaiming the title by just one minute, as Drew, with his nerves tested, managed to retain the title of slow smoking champion of the US. The winning time of 2 hours and 8 minutes leaves a lot to desire, though. If Emch and Bartinowski, who both have confirmed their participation in the grand final in Dubrovnik in three weeks, want to challenge reigning world champion Hauke Walter and the others for the title, they need to step up and smoke for at least another hour.

“Drew, in particular, has his sights set on the ultimate prize: the world champion title. It’s a goal he’s been chasing for two years. So all eyes will be on these two champions, to see if Drew can finally achieve his dream, or if Christina will continue her resurgence and reclaim her place at the top.”

Third place this year want to Bruce Goodman, who kept his cigar going for just over an hour.