CIPC RULES FOR PIPE SMOKING CONTESTS
Version 2.6, valid from 1 January 2025
1 INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
1.1 International slow pipe smoking championships are held every year under the supervision of the CIPC. There are two types of international championship:
- World Championship
- World Cup
1.2 World Championship
1.2.1 The World Championship is an individual competition.
1.2.2 In addition to individuals, one (1) team from each country (the national team) may take part.
1.2.3 Each national team shall consist of members of the national association that nominated them. Teams may be mixed-gender. Teams may also be of mixed nationality (subject to the consent of the presidents of the national associations concerned).
1.2.4 The names of the national team members shall be announced by the president of the national association.
1.2.5 The World Championship is held every two years.
1.2.6 Both individuals and national teams are ranked in the competition.
1.2.7 The winner of the individual World Championship is entitled to be called “World Champion”.
1.2.8 The country that wins the team competition at the World Championship is entitled to use the title
“Best National Team in the World”.
1.3 World Cup
1.3.1 The World Cup is a team competition.
1.3.2 Every registered individual contestant must be registered as a member of a club team,
except in the cases described in Articles 1.3.4, 1.3.5 and 1.3.6.
1.3.3 Club teams may be mixed-gender. Club teams may be of mixed nationality, provided all team members are members of the club.
1.3.4 If the total number of participants from one club is lower than the minimum number required
to form a team (see Article 3.1), they may form or join a mixed team with another club
from the same country, or they may register as individual contestants – see Article 1.3.6.
1.3.5 If the total number of participants from one country is lower than the minimum number required
to form a team (see Article 3.1), they may form or join a mixed team with a team from another country, or they may register as individual contestants – see Article 1.3.6.
1.3.6 Individual contestants who have not joined a team at least ten (10) days before the start of the World Cup will be placed in a mixed team or added to an existing team at the organisers’ discretion. The organisers will inform them of their team at registration at the venue.
1.3.7 There is no limit to the number of teams per club or country.
1.3.8 The names of the team members shall be announced by the local clubs belonging to a national association that is a member of the CIPC.
1.3.9 The World Cup is held every two years, in the years between World Championships.
1.3.10 Both teams and individuals are ranked in the competition.
1.3.11 The winning team of the World Cup is entitled to be called “World Cup Team Champions”.
1.3.12 The individual winner of the World Cup is entitled to be called “Best Individual Pipe Smoker of the World Cup”.
1.4 International championships must be held in accordance with these rules.
2 OTHER CHAMPIONSHIPS AND CONTESTS
2.1 Other championships and contests:
- National championships
- Regional championships
- Other contests
2.2 It is up to the organiser to decide whether the contest is for individuals and/or teams.
2.3 Other championships and contests may be held in full or partial compliance with these rules.
3 TEAM
3.1 A team is a group of individual participants. Each team must consist of at least three (3) and no more than five (5) smokers.
3.2 A team’s final time is the sum of the three (3) best times of its members.
4 PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST
4.1 The purpose of the contest is for participants or teams to smoke a pipe for as long as possible without relighting it, and to determine who can do so the longest. Every participant or team must use the same quantity of tobacco, the same make and type of pipe and the same type of tamper.
5 PARTICIPATION
5.1 The contest is open only to persons over 18 years of age who are members of pipe clubs belonging to a national pipe association (which must be a member of the CIPC).
5.2 The organiser has the right to limit the number of participants. However, any such limit must be stated when the association is entrusted with organising the contest.
5.3 Participants must check that their details are correct when registering at the venue. Once registration has closed, the organiser is not obliged to correct incorrect or incomplete details.
6 ENTRY FEE
6.1 The organisers set the entry fee for the contest; each participant pays the (non-refundable) fee by the registration deadline set by the organisers.
6.2 The organisers may accept or refuse a last-minute registration or change.
6.3 Any participant who requests a last-minute registration or change (Article 6.2) may be required to pay any costs incurred (non-refundable) in addition to the entry fee.
7 TOBACCO
7.1 Participants shall use only the tobacco chosen by the contest organisers.
7.2 The quantity of tobacco used shall be three (3) grams (± 0.1 gram).
7.3 The organisers shall publish the name of the chosen tobacco (which must be readily available internationally), together with the full event programme, at least two (2) months before the contest.
8 PIPE, TAMPER, MATCHES
8.1 The organisers shall provide all participants with a pipe, a tamper and two matches in a box, to be used at the start of the contest.
8.2 The pipes shall be made of briar, straight and of classic shape, with or without a replaceable filter or reducer/adapter, and shall hold at least three (3) grams of tobacco.
8.3 The organisers shall announce the exact dimensions of the contest pipe at least two (2) months in advance, in accordance with Article 8.2 above.
8.4 On request and for a fee, the organisers shall send a sample pipe to any club; however, the organiser may limit the total number of sample pipes sent in this way.
8.5 If the pipe supplied by the organiser is fitted with a filter or reducer/adapter, participants may remove it at their own discretion. Participants may not add or insert their own filter or reducer/adapter (see Article 10.4).
8.6 The wooden tamper shall be fourteen (14) to fifteen (15) mm in diameter and one hundred (100) mm (± 5 mm) long, without paint or any other surface finish. Engraved or burnt-in logos and/or contest names are permitted. The cut ends should not be sanded and the edges must be sharp.
8.7 The two (2) matches supplied shall be in a box and must be between forty-five (45) and sixty (60) mm long.
9 JURY
9.1 The jury has full decision-making authority and consists of at least three (3) and no more than five (5) persons, as follows:
9.1.1 the President of the CIPC or a person appointed by them
9.1.2 the contest director from the organising pipe club, whose duties are to appoint the stewards and to announce decisions, results and, where necessary, interim times
9.1.3 at least two (2) jury members, being presidents of national associations or their nominees, appointed at the CIPC General Assembly on the day before the contest
9.2 At least one (1) steward shall be present for every group of ten (10) participants. Stewards are appointed by the contest director. They monitor the contest, supervise the participants at all times and record each participant’s time on the registration card placed in front of them. It is recommended that the time also be written on a separate sheet of paper as a backup. Stewards hand out the pipes and other items specified in Articles 10.3, 10.7 and 10.17.5 below. If necessary, they ask the jury for instructions by raising a red card. The jury has the right to replace a steward during the contest if it finds the steward ineffective.
10 CONDUCT OF THE CONTEST
10.1 Each participant receives a numbered registration card, a sheet of white A4 office paper (plain or watermarked, for example with the contest name or logo) and an optional name badge, which must be visible. Each participant then sits at their numbered table/seat.
10.2 No water is placed on the table. It will be handed out later by the steward (see Article 10.17.5).
10.3 When the contest director gives the signal, the steward gives each participant one (1) pipe, one (1) tamper and two (2) matches in a box, as described in Article 8; after checking the pipe, each participant places it in front of them. Any defective pipe will be replaced.
10.4 Participants may not add or insert any foreign substances into the pipe, such as chalk, a filter or a reducer/adapter (see Article 8.5) or similar materials. Special hand creams or finger accessories are not permitted.
10.5 Participants may use only the wooden tamper supplied by the organisers.
10.6 Participants may not modify the tamper in any way, such as roughening the surface, cutting grooves or moistening it. Marking the depth of the pipe bowl by turning the tamper or with a pen is permitted.
10.7 At the contest director’s signal, the stewards place one (1) packet of tobacco in front of each participant. Participants may not touch the tobacco until the starting signal is given.
10.8 The steward ensures that only the following items are in front of each participant:
10.8.1 the pipe
10.8.2 the wooden tamper
10.8.3 two (2) matches in a box
10.8.4 the packet of tobacco
10.8.5 a sheet of white A4 office paper
10.8.6 the time-recording card
10.9 No other items (tools, mirrors, lights, special glasses, etc.) are allowed on the table. Smartphones and personal devices must stay with the contestant. Smartphones must be switched to silent mode.
10.10 When the contest director gives the starting signal, participants open their tobacco packet and have five (5) minutes to fill their pipe.
10.11 The tobacco may be rubbed out only during this preparation time.
10.12 Participants may not moisten the tobacco in any way.
10.13 When the five (5) minutes allowed have elapsed, the steward removes any remaining tobacco and packaging.
10.14 When the contest director gives the signal, participants must light their pipes; timing starts from this moment.
10.15 Participants have one (1) minute to light their pipe, using one (1) or both matches. The steward replaces any match that breaks or fails to light.
10.16 After one (1) minute, the steward removes the remaining matches and boxes.
10.17 Every participant must note that:
10.17.1 The tamper may be used only while the pipe is in the mouth.
10.17.2 Participants must NOT knock or shake the pipe in any way. It is permitted to turn the pipe over and empty the ash by tapping it gently into an ashtray; however, any tobacco that falls out may not be put back into the pipe.
10.17.3 During the contest, participants may remove the stem from the pipe for a few seconds to clear any moisture, by tapping it on the sheet of white office paper or blowing through it.
10.17.4 Participants may use the sheet of white office paper to wipe the tamper during the contest.
10.17.5 Participants may drink after the first ten (10) minutes of the contest. As instructed, the steward places water on the table 10 minutes after the start. Each contestant has a glass or their own bottle of water. Participants who have medication prescribed by a doctor (tablets or liquid) may take it during the contest.
10.17.6 It is not permitted to keep the pipe alight by blowing into the bowl with the mouth or nose. Doing so is grounds for disqualification.
10.17.7 Silence must be observed during the contest – participants must not make unnecessary noise.
10.18 If a contestant needs to leave the contest table briefly (feeling unwell, toilet, etc.), they must tell the steward. The steward asks them to exhale smoke from their pipe. If the pipe is alight, the steward notes the time at which the contestant left the table. If the pipe has gone out, the steward proceeds in accordance with Article 10.20. The pipe must remain on the table in front of the contestant’s seat. When the contestant returns, the steward asks them to exhale smoke from the pipe. If the pipe is alight, the contestant continues. If the pipe has gone out, the steward enters the time at which the contestant left the table on their registration card.
10.19 A participant whose pipe goes out must inform the steward immediately and hand over their registration card so that their time can be recorded. The participant confirms the recorded time with their signature and leaves the table/contest room as quickly and quietly as possible.
10.20 If a steward suspects that a pipe has gone out, they may ask the participant to exhale smoke. If the pipe has gone out completely and the participant did not report it promptly as required by Article 10.19, the steward asks the jury to disqualify the participant for lack of fair play.
10.21 A disqualified participant must hand their registration card to the steward.
10.22 If a participant’s pipe burns through, the jury will disqualify the participant.
11 ADVERTISING
11.1 No advertising or trademarks are permitted on the clothing of jury members or participants (only club badges and the like). Club clothing bearing the club name and/or logo is permitted.
12 FINAL RESULTS
12.1 The jury draws up the final list of winners. The jury’s decision is final and binding.
13 WINNERS
13.1 The winner is the individual or team achieving the longest smoking time, provided that the pipe is not burnt and the participant has not broken any of the rules. The jury inspects the pipes smoked by the ten (10) best smokers to check that they have not been burnt.
13.2 The organisers may award special prizes and may draw up a separate list of winners for ladies.
14 COMPLAINTS
14.1 Participants may appeal against a decision of a steward or timekeeper by lodging a complaint with the jury within ten (10) minutes of the end of the contest.
14.2 Complaints will not be accepted after this period.
14.3 The organisers accept no liability for damage or injury caused by objects or persons, whether participants or not.
14.4 By taking part in the contest, participants implicitly agree to abide by these CIPC rules.
15 AGREEMENTS BETWEEN NATIONAL CLUBS
15.1 Clubs belonging to the CIPC accept these rules as the only valid rules for awarding the titles under Articles 1.2.7, 1.2.8, 1.3.11 and 1.3.12.
15.2 A national association may use these rules for organising its national championship. The title of national champion (club champion) is awarded in accordance with Articles 1.2.7, 1.3.11 and 1.3.12.
15.3 The CIPC Board reserves the right to decide on any case that may arise. During contests, any disputes are decided by the jury.