1st USA Qualifying Tournament of The Cigar Smoking World Championship Hosted by King Jewelers Nashville

First-Ever United States Qualifying Tournament of The Cigar Smoking World Championship Deemed Overwhelming Success!

On Friday May 8^th 2015 King Jewelers Nashville was honored to host the Cigar Smoking World Championship qualifying round for the first time ever on U.S. soil. This historical event included a night of fine cigars, watches, and jewelry with cocktails by Angels Envy, Simi Winery, and Robert Mondavi Winery. Delicious hors d’oeuvres were served with live Bahamian music outdoors while the cigar smoking championship entries gathered inside. Over 20 contestants from around the world came together to compete at the Nashville qualifying round.

Nashville was the appropriate choice of city to hold the first ever qualifying round in the U.S, as it is the home to the current World Cigar Smoking Champion, Darren Cioffi. In addition to his World Title, Darren is also the official champion in Switzerland, Croatia, and Serbia. He is also the President and founder of Principle Cigars.

Cioffi said, “The evening was as exciting as we’d hoped and was attended by people from 15 countries; not bad for an inaugural event. The setting of every prior qualifying round of this competition and every location to follow most assuredly pales in comparison to the fantastic setting that King Jewelers provided us for our event.”

Marko Bilic of Cigar Club Mareva who sets the strict rules of the competition was also in attendance to regulate and ensure that the participants and the contest followed the guidelines were met to be considered a official and certified qualifying round. Bilic said, ‘We turned a new page in cigar world history, after six years of Cigar Smoking World Championships, dozens of qualification tournaments in world capital cities from west to east, the first ever CSWC tournament was held on American soil!”

Club Mareva establishes the rules for all the qualifying competitions, which involves the “slow-smoking” of a Mareva-size cigar. Normally enjoyed in about 25 minutes, the challenge is for participants to make their cigar smoke continually for the longest period of time without allowing the cigar to extinguish.

The winners of the Nashville qualifying around include: Third place, Petteri Patjas of Finland (1hr, 22min, 49sec), Second place, Eric Kyle of Nashville, TN (1hr, 28min, 32sec), and First place, Jason M. Lois of Louisville, KY (1hr, 58min, 02sec).

Prizes including limited edition boxes of cigars from Principle Cigars and Macanudo and a Macanudo Waterford crystal ashtray were awarded to the participants with the three best times. The first-place winner, Jason Lois, is now qualified to participate in the 6th Annual Cigar Smoking World Championship to be held in September in Croatia.

King Jewelers was thrilled to host this historic event in Nashville. “King Jewelers was honored to host the first-ever qualifying round of the Cigar Smoking World Championship,” said David King, owner of King Jewelers Nashville. “Find watches and premium cigars find themselves adorning the same hands around the world. It was exhilarating to exhibit and celebrate the blending of these luxuries in such a significant way at this event.”