The Swiss Aufguss Championships are regarded as the cradle of professional show Aufgusss in Switzerland. It was launched in Bad Ragaz in 2013 and was held in six editions until 2018. After a planned but canceled event in 2019, it took a break due to the pandemic. The Original Swiss Aufguss Championship returns in 2026 - as a curated premium event for the public, Aufguss professionals and partners.
"An Aufguss is far more than just heat and fragrance. The moment in which tempo, temperature, music and presence interweave, something is created that is no longer wellness, but culture. This is exactly what the Swiss Aufguss Championships have always been a stage for - not to copy, but to bring the original to life."
Milestones & winners (2013-2018)
2013 - 1st Swiss Sauna Aufguss Championship (Bad Ragaz, Tamina Therme)
First official edition. Mario Weise (Tamina Therme) becomes the first Swiss sauna Aufguss champion; Alessandro Pellegrini (Splash & Spa Tamaro) ranks 2nd, Carola Reisgies (Tamina Therme) ranks 3rd.
2014 - 2nd edition (Bad Ragaz, Tamina Therme)
Maik Brandenburg (Tamina Therme) wins the individual title. The event also serves as a qualifier for international competitions.
2015 - 3rd edition (Bad Ragaz, Tamina Therme)
Gian-Claudio Mayer (then Ovaverva St. Moritz / later Thermalbad Zurzach) wins the singles.
2016 - 4th edition (Bad Ragaz, Tamina Therme)
Individual: Robert Heinevetter ("The Great Gatsby"). Team: Diana Laig & Maik Brandenburg (Tamina Therme) with "Melody of Life". Both competitions and Tamina Therme's role as host are documented.
2017 - 5th edition (Ostermundigen, Fitnesspark Time-Out)
Individual: Izabela Zoladz wins ahead of last year's winner Robert Heinevetter. Team: Mara Zute & Benoit de Bock ("Touch of nature"). Venue and result are documented.
2018 - 6th edition (Bad Ragaz, Tamina Therme)
Individual: Manuel Müller (Tamina Therme) ahead of Erik Jordan and Veronika Schmidt. Team: Danilo Grano & Nicola Cazzangia ("Beauty and the Beast").
Development & meaning
Break & differentiation: 2019 was canceled; the pandemic then prevented a continuation. 2023 - 2025 World Cup qualifiers were held in Switzerland - but these are not identical to the official Swiss Aufguss championship.
Bad Ragaz as a pioneer: The Tamina Therme has had a lasting influence on the structure and profile of the championship (technical and stage equipment, expert jury, international standards) and has produced several title winners.
Qualification window: Various editions also served as qualifications for international competitions and thus set quality standards in the ensemble of wedeling technique, dramaturgy, fragrance composition and audience impact.
The exception in 2017: A deliberate change of location to Ostermundigen (Fitnesspark Time-Out) showed the national appeal beyond Bad Ragaz.
Conclusion
The Swiss Aufguss Championships were founded in 2013 at the Tamina Therme in Bad Ragaz and quickly became a recognized reference for professional Aufgusss in German-speaking countries. By 2018, a total of six editions had taken place, almost all of them in Bad Ragaz - only in 2017 was a conscious decision made to expand nationally with the Time-Out fitness park in Ostermundigen.
Early on, the championship shaped an understanding of Aufguss that went far beyond classic wellness service: it understood Aufguss as stagecraft - as an interplay of fragrance dramaturgy, precise waving technique, atmosphere and emotional impact on the audience. Winners such as Mario Weise, Maik Brandenburg, Gian-Claudio Mayer, Robert Heinevetter, Izabela Zoladz and Manuel Müller set national quality standards. Another edition was planned for 2019, but was canceled; the pandemic silenced the stage completely. Although World Cup qualifying formats were held in Switzerland from 2023, these were in no way in the direct tradition of the official Swiss Aufguss championship in terms of organization and culture.
This makes the year 2026 all the more significant: It marks not just a continuation, but a conscious rebirth - curated, staged to a high standard and, for the first time, consistently designed as a premium experience for the public.
Write a comment