Marian Nedelea Italian CSWC Champion

At the Cigar Smoking World Championship’s grand final in Split last year, Marian Nedelea from Cigar Club Pescara became the first Italian to smoke for more than two hours when he finished ninth at the highly respectable time of 2 hours 25 minutes and 15 seconds. Despite this, he wasn’t the defending national champion at this year’s Italian qualifier. In 2023 CSWC ambassador Gino Iannillo took home the title, when Nedelea lost his cigar early due to construction problems, but six pre-qualifiers featuring a total of 80 participants throughout the country later, he was ready to reclaim the slow smoking throne.

The national qualifier was held at the Golf Club Druento in Turin, and hosted by two local cigar clubs, Cigar Club Collegno and Puromotivo Torino.

“Competitors arrived early in the morning, tasting some Oliva cigars sponsored by VCF, and some tasty wines of the Tre Secoli Winery,” says two-time champion Iannillo, who as CSWC ambassador decided not to defend his title this year.

After lunch 20 people sat down to see who could smoke the slowest, and of course Italian record holder Nedelea was the favorite, despite not being the defending champion. In fact, he’s never won the Italian qualifier… until now.

Even though he didn’t reach the same height as in the grand final, 1 hour and 43 minutes and 45 seconds was enough to claim his first national title. In second place Christian Fantinato from Amicigar came in at 1 hour and 42 minutes, followed by Collegno tobacco shop owner Simona Bellini Colafrancesco, who smoked for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

1. Marian Nedelea 1:43:45
2. Christian Fantinato 1:42:00
3. Simona Bellini Colafrancesco 1:30:00