Winners of fourth UK Aufguss Championships crowned

Galgorm Resort in Northern Ireland played host to the fourth annual UK Aufguss Championships, which has grown from just five competitors in its first year to 11 in this year’s competition.

Kyle Buttner from Sweheat Sauna in London (pictured above) was crowned winner in the performance aufguss category and will go on to compete in the Aufguss WM finals at Satama Sauna Resort and Spa in Germany in September.

Meg Hopkinson from Soul Water Sauna in Edinburgh won in the newly introduced modern classic aufguss competition. She will head to the finals of the Modern Classic Cup at Farris Bad in Norway in October.

In the team competition, Galgorm’s Zak Moore and Jack Strange were victorious and will  go on to compete in playoffs at Thermen Bussloo in the Netherlands in August.

The two-day competition drew finalists from across the UK, who presented 15-minute performances to hundreds of spectators.

New for 2026

This is the first time the competition has spanned both a performance aufguss category as well as a new modern classic category.

Modern classic aufguss has been practised for decades across Europe and the new competition is in tribute to the art of sauna rituals. Contenders demonstrate the authentic practice of aufguss, without the aid of costumes, lights or theatrics.

The competition concentrates on the essence of music, essential oils and classic towel waving techniques to craft a transformative experience, and an atmosphere of tranquillity and harmony for their audience.

Back to basics

Aufguss is judged by four jury members, who are each seated in the sauna. The jury meticulously assesses each master on a range of categories including increase and distribution of heat, waving techniques, fragrance usage, atmosphere, feeling and overall impression.

This year’s international jury comprised Christina Boring of Denmark and Caroline Schraag from the Netherlands.

They were joined by Heonsok Kim, vice-president of the Japanese Sauna Association, and lead jury member, Farris Bad’s Lasse Erikson, president of Aufguss WM.

“The storytellers of Europe”

European Spa spoke exclusively to Deborah Carr and Lasse Eriksen at the event, about the success of the event and the surge in popularity of aufguss in the UK.

“Every year, we see the points increasing as UK sauna masters hone the craft,” said Eriksen. “This year we’ve seen a massive increase in quality, understanding of the rules and of the traditions.

“People in the UK are the storytellers of Europe; you know how to do this. While other countries specialise in techniques or infusion, you will bring the stories. That’s what we hope for the future, the UK will increasingly bring its amazing gift for stories to the sauna.”

“At a time when everyone is more stressed than ever before, the ritual combination of the infusions, the heat, the waving techniques, the movement and the music, all brought together in a communal way, offers the release we all need,” said Carr.

Supporting the Aufguss movement

European Spa has long supported the growing aufguss movement as it transitions from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries to UK spas.

To read more about the UK Aufguss Championships, look out for the full event report in our summer issue.

You can hear from global experts about the rise of sweat culture in the European Spa Platinum Resource 2025, here.

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