MUTIA CHANIAGO DEFENDS HER CROWN AT CSWC PHUKET 2025

 the Cigar Smoking World Championship made its highly anticipated return to Phuket — this time to the renowned Churchill Cigar Lounge, now in a brand-new, larger location that had opened only weeks earlier.

The new venue, with its elegant design and improved comfort, quickly became a strategic battleground even before competition day, as participants visited in advance to scope out the “perfect seat” — one with minimal air-conditioning draft and ideal smoke flow.

In true CSWC spirit, the lineup was a vibrant mix of nationalities. The French came in strong with five competitors, joined by participants from Australia, The Netherlands, Canada, the UK, Thailand, Poland, Ukraine, and Indonesia.

The opening hour proved to be a challenge for many — six out of fourteen competitors were eliminated, with a few penalties issued for ash drops in the first forty minutes. Then came the “half-hour bloodbath,” when five more participants were knocked out, leaving only three contenders at the table: Alexander Meunier, Chris Hejne, and defending champion Mutia Faisal Chaniago.

Alexander bowed out at 1:38:30, setting the stage for a tense head-to-head between Mutia and Chris. In the end, Mutia’s experience and steady pace prevailed — she defended her 2024 title with a winning time of 2:04, defeating Chris by a nine-minute margin.

With her victory, Mutia has already set her sights on making history in 2026 by becoming a three-time CSWC Thailand champion, while Chris is considering taking his skills to the CSWC Malaysia competition on August 9 for another chance to qualify for the Grand Final in Croatia.

Results:

🥇 Mutia Faisal Chaniago – 2:04

🥈 Chris Hejne – 1:55

🥉 Alexander Meunier – 1:38:30