U.S. SEASON OPENS AS CSWC by OLIVA CIRCUIT RACES ACROSS AMERICA
- expertcigar
- Jun 6, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 9, 2025
In a sport defined by patience, precision, and the slow mastery of time itself, the Cigar Smoking World Championship by Oliva Cigars is entering one of its most ambitious U.S. campaigns to date—a coast-to-coast race that will test both veterans and rising stars.
This month, in just seven days, three qualifiers in three states will shape the first chapter of CSWC USA 2025—a season already generating intense anticipation among competitors and organizers alike.
THE SCHEDULE
The tour begins on June 18 in Naples, Florida, at the distinctive Alamo Naples Indoor Gun Range, a venue that has already gained legendary status within the American slow-smoking community. The competition there will take on added weight: the Oliva Cigars headquarters team will be present on site to support, record for broadcast, and honor the field—an unmistakable sign of how seriously the championship’s premier sponsor views this year’s U.S. leg.
days later, on June 20, the action moves north to Lincoln, Nebraska, and the highly regarded Capital Cigar Lounge. Known for its deep community roots and fierce competitor base, the Nebraska qualifier promises to deliver another display of endurance and focus.
The U.S. swing will culminate on June 25 in Princeton, New Jersey, where the field will gather at At Earth’s End, a venue that has become synonymous with East Coast cigar excellence.
Marko Bilić, CSWC founder, will personally attend this marquee event, adding an unmistakable global presence to the evening’s proceedings.
The USA qualifiers will also see the highly anticipated return of Christina Bartnikowski, CSWC USA Ambassador and organizer, former USA Champion and Vice Champion—a competitor whose knowledge and competitive fire are well known on both sides of the Atlantic. We also heard rumors that TOP shots as Drew Emch and big back of one of the best USA smokers Eric Kyle are very possible scenario on this hot qualifiers.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: A NEW ERA FOR CSWC USA
After several years of building momentum across the country, the CSWC by Oliva Cigars is now entering a new strategic phase in the United States—with quality, not quantity, as the guiding principle.
Instead of focusing on a large number of qualifiers, the championship has shifted to fewer, higher-profile events, carefully selected to offer the best possible competition experience. Over time, this model will enable the CSWC to expand organically, bringing elite-level slow-smoking events to new corners of the U.S. cigar community, but always with top standards in place.
Another significant evolution: there is no longer a USA Final. All three events this year are equal qualifiers—and the U.S. Champion will be the competitor who posts the single best time across all three locations. In this way, every draw, every second, and every venue will matter.
THE LARGER STAKES
Though spread across thousands of miles, these three qualifiers share a common thread: they will help determine which American names will rise toward the CSWC global Top 20, where elite competitors from more than 50 nations now battle for every second on the leaderboard.
This evolution would not be possible without the support of the official global sponsors of the CSWC by Oliva Cigars:Oliva Cigars, ST Dupont, Cuervo y Sobrinos Watches, DeART Humidors, Boveda, Damat Tween, Cigar Journal, InterTabac Fair, Les Fines Lames, Bosquet Paris Cigar Etuis, and Hulecos—whose continued partnership allows the championship to operate at the highest level of sport and spectacle.
As the first draw is lit in Florida and the final ash falls in New Jersey, one thing is certain: the U.S. leg of the CSWC season will shape the global race—and the world will be watching.