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Diary Highlights
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04 Oct 2022
Historic number of winners crowned at 2022 Aufguss World Championships
From 12-17 September, the world’s top aufguss masters gathered in the Netherlands to celebrate the power of sauna and participate in the annual Aufguss World Championship.
Aufguss is an entertaining, communal sauna ritual that – at its simplest – involves an aufguss master waving a towel to distribute the sauna’s heat, usually set to music and with essential oil fragrances adding to the experience. But the top sauna masters can get very creative, weaving in storylines, costumes and complex movements to enhance the experience.
The seven-day sold-out competition gathered sweat enthusiasts from around the world and was hosted inside Thermen Bussloo’s new 200-seat sauna arena.
This year marked the first instance in which Japan and Romania took part in the competition. It was also the first time the event organiser – Aufguss WM – welcomed a new UK delegation to the event which will start competing in 2023.
Split into singles and team categories, the competition drew 68 participants from 13 countries who had qualified.
Spa Business spoke to Lasse Eriksen – the development manager for Farris Bad in Norway, who is both a judge and board member of Aufguss WM – for the inside scoop on the event.
“Once a year, sauna enthusiasts from around the world gather around the steam to experience the most mesmerising aufguss performances on the planet,” he said, “this year, competitors pushed the boat out with new stylish techniques, difficult throws and magical shows.”
The new world champions
In the singles division, the judging panel dealt with a historic first after two entrants received a score of 537.25 points. The judges felt both performances deserved to be champions and, for the first time in history, crowned two world champions in single aufguss.
The first winner was Maciej Piczura from Poland – a previous world champion in both the single and team divisions.
This year was the aufguss veteran’s third time attending the event and his performance told a story about a man who was accused, arrested and sentenced to death for a murder he didn’t commit.
Eriksen praised Piczura for his emotive story-telling as well as his “beautiful waving techniques, style and control”.
“Maciej’s final aufguss was one for the history books and was one of the most technically difficult and wonderful modern classic styles we have ever seen. He is a well-deserved world champion.”
The second winner was Laura Lenders from the Netherlands who was performing in her hometown.
“What Maciej had in techniques and waving, Laura delivered in audience interaction,” said Eriksen, “her story was built around a woman who falls pregnant and leaves her husband after he wanted no part in the child’s life.
“Laura took us on a journey on all the challenges a pregnant woman goes through, all the way down to the facial expressions when giving birth! Laura made the story come alive and created a funny, thoughtful and engaging performance.
“Her waving skills and knowledge of sauna are immaculate and with her experience as a several-time finalist she certainly deserved to finally made it to pole position.”
In the doubles category, Italian duo Simone Mannelli and Massimo Gelli were named the champions after coming from behind in the qualifiers. Their performance was inspired by the story behind the creation of Florence’s iconic Brunelleschi dome.
Eriksen commended the team on their performance, calling them two “very passionate, experienced and technical aufguss masters who honoured their city and country”.
Next year, the championships will be hosted in SATAMA Saunapark outside of Berlin, Germany, which will coincide with the destination’s 10th anniversary.
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19 Apr 2024
Galgorm Resort gears up to host UK Aufguss Championships next week
UK sauna enthusiasts will converge at Galgorm Resort in Northern Ireland next week for the
highly anticipated second annual UK Aufguss Championships.
27 Mar 2024
Thailand's first lady attends APSWC Awards ceremony recognising industry excellence
The Asia Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC) recently marked another year of industry
achievement with a prestigious awards ceremony held during the 2024 APSWC Round Table
event in Bangkok, Thailand.
08 Mar 2024
Global Wellness Day 2024 to champion reconnecting with nature
Global Wellness Day (GWD) is set to mark its 13th annual celebration on 8 June 2024, under
the theme #MagentaNature, emphasising the vital connection between humanity and the
natural world.
04 Mar 2024
SHA Wellness receives top accolade at 2024 World Spa and Wellness Awards
Eight of the world’s leading spa operations were honoured at the annual World Spa and
Wellness Awards during a glamorous ceremony held in London over the weekend.
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01 Mar 2024
Second edition of UK Aufguss Championships set to heat up Galgorm Resort
The ancient art of aufguss will be celebrated this April with the Second UK Aufguss
Championships at destination spa and hotel Galgorm Resort in Northern Ireland.
06 Feb 2024
Canyon Ranch announces Enchant at The Ranch wellness festival
Destination wellness brand Canyon Ranch will host the first edition of its beauty and wellness
festival, called Enchant at Canyon Ranch, from 17 to 21 March at its Tucson resort and spa in
Arizona.
10 Jan 2024
Spas of America unveils Top 100 Spas of 2023, Spa at Séc-he lands first place
Spa and wellness travel website Spas of America has unveiled its Top 100 Spas of 2023, with
The Spa at Séc-he in downtown Palm Springs, California, taking the top spot.
20 Dec 2023
We Work Well unveils 2024 event schedule for fitness, wellness and hospitality industries
International hosted buyer event company We Work Well (WWW) has confirmed dates and
locations for its 2024 conference calendar.
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