Sep 18–19, 2026 · San Rafael, Alajuela, Costa Rica · COSTA RICA · 📍 Lindora, del puente sobre el `virilla, 100 norte, 600 oeste
Reps: Ernesto Uribe, Natasha Loew
Club Carbon CR won Grand Champion at the Camino del Fuego 2026 on September 18, 2026 in San Rafael,Alajuela, CR at Lindora, del puente sobre el `virilla, 100 norte, 600 oeste, scoring 716.0116 in a field of 16 teams. Justice BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 706.8344. Category winners: Chicken — Pangea Grill (180.0000); Pork Ribs — DRUMQ BBQ Costa Rica (179.4400); Pork — SIBO Smokers (178.8572); Brisket — Club Carbon CR (180.0000). This is the 1st of 2 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2026.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 67 times in 100
Club Carbon CR came in rated below the field's top team, Justice BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 33-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Wider than 85% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 9.1772 points — a wider margin than 85% of championships in the data.
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
Chicken places 1–2: Pangea Grill and SIBO Smokers tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 3–4: Tiquicia Smokers and Club Carbon CR tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: Firehouse Jimat BBQ and DRUMQ BBQ Costa Rica tied on 174.8456 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Club Carbon CR took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 4th.
What happened at this contest that stands in the all-time KCBS record book. A gold line is a record nobody has beaten.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 2026 ← this one | San Rafael, Alajuela, Costa Rica | Lindora, del puente sobre el `virilla, 100 norte, 600 oeste | 16 | 716.0116 | Club Carbon CR | Justice BBQ |
| Sep 18, 2026 | San Rafael, Alajuela, Costa Rica | Lindora, del puente sobre el `virilla, 100 norte, 600 oeste | 14 | 177.7372 | Smoke 44 | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 178.2972 | 174.2628 |
| Pork Ribs | 179.4400 | 176.5600 | 174.2628 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 175.4400 | 173.1084 |
| Brisket | 180 | 172.0344 | 168.5256 |
16 entries · top 716.0116 · median 693.7200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Club Carbon CR | |
| 2 | Justice BBQ | |
| 3 | SIBO Smokers | |
| 4 | Tiquicia Smokers | |
| 5 | Smoke 44 | |
| 6 | 88 BBQ | |
| 7 | Pangea Grill | |
| 8 | DRUMQ BBQ Costa Rica | |
| 9 | SDC BBQ Team | |
| 10 | Firehouse Jimat BBQ | |
| 11 | Los Maes BBQ Team Costa Rica | |
| 12 | Fire Family BBQ PTY | |
| 13 | Los Pinos BBQ Team | |
| 14 | Rojas BBQ | |
| 15 | Humo Parrillada | |
| 16 | Knights of the Holy Grill |
16 entries · top 180 · median 174.8456 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pangea Grill | |
| 2 | SIBO Smokers | |
| 3 | Tiquicia Smokers | |
| 4 | Club Carbon CR | |
| 5 | Justice BBQ | |
| 6 | Smoke 44 | |
| 7 | Rojas BBQ | |
| 8 | Firehouse Jimat BBQ | |
| 9 | DRUMQ BBQ Costa Rica | |
| 10 | Los Maes BBQ Team Costa Rica | |
| 11 | 88 BBQ | |
| 12 | SDC BBQ Team | |
| 13 | Humo Parrillada | |
| 14 | Los Pinos BBQ Team | |
| 15 | Fire Family BBQ PTY | |
| 16 | Knights of the Holy Grill |
16 entries · top 179.4400 · median 175.1372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUMQ BBQ Costa Rica | |
| 2 | Club Carbon CR | |
| 3 | Justice BBQ | |
| 4 | 88 BBQ | |
| 5 | Firehouse Jimat BBQ | |
| 6 | SIBO Smokers | |
| 7 | Fire Family BBQ PTY | |
| 8 | Los Pinos BBQ Team | |
| 9 | SDC BBQ Team | |
| 10 | Pangea Grill | |
| 11 | Smoke 44 | |
| 12 | Humo Parrillada | |
| 13 | Tiquicia Smokers | |
| 14 | Rojas BBQ | |
| 15 | Los Maes BBQ Team Costa Rica | |
| 16 | Knights of the Holy Grill |
16 entries · top 178.8572 · median 173.4114
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SIBO Smokers | |
| 2 | Club Carbon CR | |
| 3 | Los Maes BBQ Team Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Smoke 44 | |
| 5 | Firehouse Jimat BBQ | |
| 6 | Pangea Grill | |
| 7 | 88 BBQ | |
| 8 | Tiquicia Smokers | |
| 9 | SDC BBQ Team | |
| 10 | Los Pinos BBQ Team | |
| 11 | Fire Family BBQ PTY | |
| 12 | DRUMQ BBQ Costa Rica | |
| 13 | Justice BBQ | |
| 14 | Rojas BBQ | |
| 15 | Humo Parrillada | |
| 16 | Knights of the Holy Grill |
16 entries · top 180 · median 168.5486 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Club Carbon CR | |
| 2 | Justice BBQ | |
| 3 | Tiquicia Smokers | |
| 4 | 88 BBQ | |
| 5 | SDC BBQ Team | |
| 6 | Smoke 44 | |
| 7 | Fire Family BBQ PTY | |
| 8 | DRUMQ BBQ Costa Rica | |
| 9 | Pangea Grill | |
| 10 | SIBO Smokers | |
| 11 | Los Pinos BBQ Team | |
| 12 | Rojas BBQ | |
| 13 | Los Maes BBQ Team Costa Rica | |
| 14 | Humo Parrillada | |
| 15 | Firehouse Jimat BBQ | |
| 16 | Knights of the Holy Grill |