BALKAN OPEN CSWC BRINGS DRAMA AND EXCITEMENT TO SKOPJE
- expertcigar
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
On July 16th, the Balkan Open CSWC – the Balkan Championship in slow cigar smoking – was held with great success at Restaurant Dukat in Skopje.
The competition gathered 26 competitors, most of them experienced in the sport, alongside several first-time participants eager to test themselves against seasoned smokers. The event was judged by Gabriel Stibel.
The prize fund was extraordinary, made possible by organizer and main sponsor Samanta d.o.o., together with sponsor-friends Sofa Studio, Sigma Dupont, Eurolab, Illy Caffè, Kalina Stil, Smoke Society M, and Kamnik Winery. Prizes included armchairs for first and second place, Dupont lighters and accessories, Les Fines Lames products, an Illy coffee machine, ashtray sets, Zippo lighters engraved specially for the event, Angelo cutters, Cuervo y Sobrino cigar cases, and fashion accessories from Damat such as ties.
As is tradition, Samanta also supported the event with Chivas Regal whisky, and the top three finishers were awarded Chivas Regal 18, 15, and 12 respectively.
The atmosphere was relaxed and full of camaraderie, delighting the experienced competitors while surprising many first-timers with their performance. In the opening 20 minutes, three-time champion Nikola Popovski took the early lead, only to unexpectedly drop out of the game shortly after.
Within the first hour, several experienced favorites who had chosen a cautious, tactical approach were eliminated, opening the door for first-time competitors to seize their chance.
At one point, Nikola Pitov held a strong lead, followed closely by Violeta Andonovska Popovska, the only female competitor in the field, while third, fourth, and fifth place were held by Dragan Stošić, Dejan Radevski, and Dalibor Šojić.
But the sport rarely stays simple. Amid the euphoria, a lack of concentration proved costly: fifth-placed Dalibor Šojić dropped out of contention, followed shortly by Violeta Andonovska Popovska, who had been a strong contender for second place, falling to fourth.
Meanwhile Nikola Pitov, the clear favorite at that moment, lost concentration and let his cigar go out, finishing third. Pitov's run had already seen its share of drama – the event photographer had accidentally knocked the ash from his cigar around the 40-minute mark, but he skillfully saved it from extinguishing in the nick of time. Despite the setback in experience, he claimed a strong third place, and is expected to be a serious contender in future competitions.
The real drama unfolded between the final two competitors: Dragan Stošić, a veteran of the sport, and Dejan Radevski, competing for the very first time. Both smoked patiently, waiting for their moment. Radevski's training clearly paid off – in a dramatic finish, he edged out Stošić by the narrowest of margins, having slightly more cigar remaining, to claim victory and become champion of the Balkan Open.
Stošić took a well-earned second place.
Special recognition went to Violeta Andonovska Popovska, the only woman among the top five, who was awarded a Dupont lighter and a bottle of Kamnik wine by the Sigma/Dupont representative.
Thanks go out to all sponsors, supporters, and participants, including assistant Darko Ivanovski, for making the Balkan Open CSWC a memorable event.