Rudding Park gears up for first UK Aufguss championships

The event takes place at Rudding Park from April 24-26; winners will represent the UK at the Aufguss World Championships in Sept

By Wendy Golledge

13 April 2023

www.britishsaunasociety.org.uk/uk-aufguss-championships

The inaugural UK Aufguss Championships are taking place at Rudding Park in Harrogate, North Yorkshire later this month.

Entry is open to those employed as a master of aufguss in a spa and members of the public – providing they have undertaken an aufguss training course. Anyone who has successfully participated in a previous aufguss contest can also enter.

The winners will go on to represent the UK in the Aufguss World Championships at Satama Sauna resort, Germany from September 11-17, 2023.

Read our report from the Aufguss.it Friends Challenge

The Spring 2023 edition of European Spa magazine includes a deep dive into the art of aufguss and a report from the Aufguss.it Friends Challenge that recently took place at Farris Bad in Norway.

EXPERT GUIDE TO THERMAL EXPERIENCES

We also share our Expert Guide to Thermal Experiences, featuring tips and advice from the world’s leading suppliers of heat and cold experiences, to help your team make the right investment to maximise your thermal offering:

Enhancing the benefits of sauna

Rudding Park was the first UK spa to introduce the multi-sensory sauna ritual that is aufguss to the UK.

An aufguss master works with water and a towel to circulate heat throughout the sauna.

Designed to enhance the benefits of a sauna session, the aufguss ritual leaves guests feeling both mentally and physically revived.

“It’s fantastic to see aufguss rituals starting to emerge in the UK at spas such as Rudding Park and Galgorm. We hope the first UK Championships will shine a light on our home-grown talent, whilst bringing wider awareness to the UK spa community.”

Deborah Carr

UK aufguss lead and British Sauna Society Board UK aufguss officer

Deborah Carr, UK aufguss lead and British Sauna Society Board UK aufguss officer, has been instrumental in bringing the practise to the UK.

“Sauna offers a huge untapped opportunity for spas to truly evolve their wellness offering by creating new revenue boosting communal spa activities.” she said.

Aufguss training image — Aufguss training in progress

Immersive spa experiences

Already embraced in other parts of Europe for the powerful health benefits it offers, aufguss is a way to create more immersive experiences for spa guests.

It’s ideal for those who are keen to explore genuine wellness therapy, beyond the more traditional touch therapies.

Five UK competitors are attending the championships from spas across the UK, including Galgorm, Rudding Park and Alapamare Wellness.

“Aufguss WM are delighted to welcome our 16th nation to the international family. The UK is one of the most vibrant sauna development countries in Europe. This is the start of something very big."

Lasse Eriksen

Vice-president, Aufguss WM

The awards will be judged by four jury members: Lasse Eriksen, vice-president of Aufguss WM and Lay Pang Ong, six times Aufguss Danish Champion and vice-president of the Danish Sauna Association will join Heonsok Kim, chair of the Japanese Sauna Society and Deborah Carr.

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