Nicolazzi Back on the Throne

Natasha Nicolazzi is back on the Swiss slow smoking throne. After her triumphs in 2021 and 2022, last year she had to concede to René Loser, but in one of the first qualifiers of the season she reclaimed the crown at 1 hour 35 minutes and 6 seconds.

Second place went to former CSWC organizer Franco Cavegn, who now debuted as a competitor. He finished six minutes behind Nicolazzi. Third place went to another rookie, Luis Raich, who was another seven minutes behind.

“Raich demonstrated remarkable poise and skill for a first-time competitor,” CSWC founder Marko Bilic says.

As usual the competition took place during the Big Alpine Smoke in Chur, an hour outside of Zurich, and the most unexpected twist was the early exit of last year’s champion, Rene Loser.

“He was out after just 37 minutes,” Bilic explains. “His early departure alleviated some of the pressure on other participants, creating a more relaxed atmosphere for both veteran competitors and newcomers.”

1. Natasha Nicolazzi 1:35:06
2. Franco Cavegn 1:29:10
3. Luis Raich 1:22:25