Pipe smoking contest

Smoke the pipe as long as possible:

During a pipe smoking contest, the winner is the one who smokes as long as possible, without lighting the pipe more than twice. Keeping your pipe lit for a long period of time is not easy, even for experienced pipe smokers! Some have become experts since they participate in many contests, whereas others were just born for this. However, the idea is before all to meet other pipe enthusiasts and to have a good time, to try new tobaccos...

These contests have become a tradition over the years. There are three contests in pipe-clubs in France, a French championship and even a world championship. Did you know that the world record is 3 hours, 33 minutes and 38 seconds? This contest takes place in France since 1971, and it is not ready to stop!

The rules of the pipe smoking contest:

If you want to participate in this contest, you have to know the following rules. Everyone has:

• the same pipe (depending on the contests, the shape may vary: straight or bent)
• the same amount of tobacco (3 grams)
• 1 pipe tamper (a classic wooden one)
• 2 matches (and not one more)

First step: packing the pipe

You have 5 minutes to pack your pipe.

Each contestant looks at the 3 grams of tobacco in front of them. They try to see by touching it if it is too humid or too dry, and will therefore use a specific technique to pack their pipe (in order to get the best pipe draft they can). The tobacco then falls in the tobacco chamber, pinch by pinch. Each pipe smoker has their technique, but it is a very important step, and you have to be really careful so that the pipe will not go out only a few minutes or even seconds after being lit up.

Step 2: ignition

You have 2 minutes to light up your pipe with only two matches.

The pipe is packed, you now have to light it up. Two minutes is what you have to make as much as you can with your two matches. Each smoker has their technique: lighting the middle of the tobacco, the whole surface... The two minutes are over, the competition can begin!

Step 3: smoking the pipe

The timer is on, the smoke begins to fill the room, the contest has officially started! Pipe smokers now have to smoke their pipe for as long as they can. Of course, you cannot light it up if it goes out. You have to maintain the combustion of the tobacco with your pipe tamper and you need to find the good pipe draft. The minutes go by, but a contestant already raises his hand: this means that his pipe just went out and it is over for him... The winner will be the one that will smoke longer than the others.

The secret to win?

There is unfortunetaly no miracle recipe to win, and pipe smokers try to do as best as they can to keep their pipe lit. However, here are a few useful tips that could be used:

• Staying calm (like when smoking at home). You have to take your time, while concentrating on your pipe draft.
• Staying focused. It is important to always look inside the tobacco chamber to see what happens. The combustion has to be smooth. Even a quick chat with your neighbour can be enough to make you lose!
• Using the pipe tamper only when needed. It is necessary to use your pipe tamper from time to time to maintain the combustion. However, you should never press too hard, or the pipe could go out and... this would be the end!

No matter how long it lasted, each contestant can keep the pipe they used at the pipe smoking contest. Most of the time, the winners win a few gifts (local specialties), but the more important thing is to have tried and participated.

Event:

Like always, the "Confrérie des Maîtres Pipiers" organises an induction ceremony the day before the pipe smoking contest in Saint-Claude, Jura, France.