Photo Finish at CSWC Lebanon

“This is gonna be a photo finish, Lois.”

The quote from an early episode of “Family Guy”, when Peter Griffin is running for a casino bathroom, immediately sprung to mind when the Cigar Smoking World Championship qualifier in Lebanon recently became one the closest race in the history of the competition, maybe en the first one to actually result in a photo finish.

After a two-year hiatus CSWC Lebanon was back. Just like the last two times, the competition was held at Club Mareva in Beirut, with CSWC founder Marko Bilić present to witness the incredible excitement first-hand.

“It was a night of tension, precision, and high drama,” he says. “The event felt like more than a qualifier. It felt like a celebration of Lebanon’s place in the global cigar world, and by the end of it, the difference between glory and heartbreak was measured not in minutes, but in seconds.”

So what actually happened when Imad Abi Khalil was crowned the 2025 Lebanese slow smoking champion? With a penalty for momentarily moving the cigar from his hand hanging over him, he knew he had to hold for another ten minutes after the cigar of Mag Demain went out. Demain, who proved to be a world class slow smoking contender, delivered a fantastic performance, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough.

“His technique was nearly flawless, his focus unwavering, and yet, the title narrowly slipped away,” Bilić says.

After Abi Khalil’s cigar died out and the smoke settled, the margin was so slim a photo review had to confirm the result. In the end, Demain had to concede as Abi Khalil emerged victorious. In a battle for third place, Eddi Abi Abdallah was penalized for losing ashes, leaving the last place on the podium for Paul Abu Athem.

“The emotional stakes were unmistakably high as Beirut’s qualifier proved once again that in slow smoking, control is everything,” Bilić concludes.

At the end of the evening, organizers Woody Ghsoubi and Najat Abdo, made a long-awaited announcement. In 2026, the CSWC Beirut qualifier will return to the legendary Phoenicia Hotel, a true Lebanese institution.

1. Imad Abi Khalil 2:01:10
2. Mag Demian 2:01:00
3. Paul Abu Athem 1:39:00