17. July 2025 18 min read

VIDEOS AND PHOTOS! Every evening at Elamus Spa you can see the sauna masters who took part in the Aufguss championship

Held in Tallinn on 13–15 June the sauna shows from the II Aufguss Championship of Estonian Sauna Masters can be seen in the evenings at 19:00 at Elamus Spa, in the Baltics’ largest ritual sauna, which holds over 100 bathers, is equipped with sound, light and video technology, and where a 4-metre-long stove heats the room to 75 degrees.

From 13 to 15 June the II Estonian Aufguss sauna championship took place at Elamus Spa, where 12 Estonian sauna masters took the stage. Over the three days the judges and visitors took part in 12 solo and 3 team shows – each of which lasts 10–15 minutes and combines masterful towel technique, the art of using aromas, storytelling skill and the creation of a sauna experience the audience can enjoy.

A sauna show combines masterful towel technique, the art of using aromas, storytelling skill and the creation of a sauna experience the audience can enjoy.

The Aufguss championship brought over 2,000 spectators to Elamus Spa

According to Elamus Spa manager and Aufguss championship organiser Margit Kurn, the marathon of sauna shows brought together over 2,000 spectators over the three days.

In an interview given to Postimees , Kurn said that whereas going to the sauna used to be more of an older generation’s habit, today that is changing. “Ten of our 12 sauna masters are young people in their twenties, for whom the sauna and sauna rituals are a great passion and an important part of their everyday life.”

Frederik Vilms-Jamsa. Photo: Karen Härms

Photos: Ryszard Rak

According to Kurn, sauna rituals play a big role in this change happening. “The older generation is better at taking more time for themselves and enjoying the sauna for longer, but young people, who are used to a fast pace of life, usually prefer to be in the sauna for a shorter time and to experience saunas of different temperatures, to socialise more with one another and talk. Thanks to exciting sauna rituals, where it is interesting to take part and to watch what the sauna master does while being involved yourself, young people’s time in the sauna has also lengthened and the sauna’s popularity has grown.”

19-year-old Nora Katreen Harik was crowned Estonian champion

The winner of the championship’s individual standings and the Estonian champion crowned was 19-year-old Nora Katreen Harik, whose performance earned 447.333 points from the jury. Nora was the youngest participant in the competition and at the same time the competitor who had practised Aufguss for the shortest time. Despite this, she enchanted the international jury with a strong sauna show that brought a tragic love story to the stage.

Harik’s winning performance tells the story of a cabaret dancer who discovers that her husband has been unfaithful. “After the dancer finds out that her husband has cheated on her, she commits murder in a state of passion and is sentenced to death for it. Before the sentence is carried out she asks for only one thing – the chance to dance one more time,” Harik described her competition story to Krista Lensin.

Before the sentence is carried out she asks for only one thing – the chance to dance one more time.

Nora Katreen Harik only began training in Aufguss in February this year, just three months before taking part in the championship. Harik got the inspiration to start with Aufguss precisely from the sauna shows she saw at Elamus Spa. “I have been to this spa a great deal myself and have seen the performances of last year’s Estonian champion, Ksenia. Watching her I always felt that I would very much like to do something like that myself,” Harik said after winning the champion’s title.

Nora knew from the start that she wanted to bring something unexpected to the stage: “I wanted to create a programme with a dark story that revolves around dance… and that programme seemed to create itself,” she explains. The first rehearsals with music settled the plot, and once the last detail was in place, her doubts about the programme’s dark tonality disappeared too.

Nora, who won the audience’s heart with her exceptionally emotional performance, is living proof that great victories are possible in spite of stage fright and doubt, if you do something that genuinely makes your heart beat faster.

“I was in complete shock; for a few days afterwards I still thought it had all been one big, mad dream,” Nora recalls the first moments after winning the champion’s title, describing how a gratitude so great it brings tears still accompanies her.

Although Nora has been treading the boards since the age of five, stage fright is still her companion in the moments before a performance. “I have learned, though, that a pre-performance routine is very important. I always get all my things ready early and take five minutes of complete silence, drink water and do not talk to anyone. When the stage door opens, all the fears disappear and I can be completely myself,” Nora says.

Nora, who became Estonian champion at just 19, encourages other young people to chase their dreams too. “Don’t be afraid to fail, be afraid of regretting that you didn’t try! Be afraid of missing out on those emotions, be afraid of closing the doors that would otherwise have been kindly open to you, and be afraid that one moment it may be too late. Live and act according to the voice of your heart and believe that life will take you exactly where you need to end up,” recommends Nora, whose own creative heart knows no bounds. Already in September the Aufguss World Championships in Verona, Italy await Nora, and taking part there fulfils another of Nora’s dreams – to perform on a truly big stage. “I am excited and thrilled and cannot wait to see where this journey carries me!”

Don’t be afraid to fail, be afraid of regretting that you didn’t try! Be afraid of missing out on those emotions, be afraid of closing the doors that would otherwise have been kindly open to you, and be afraid that one moment it may be too late. Live and act according to the voice of your heart and believe that life will take you exactly where you need to end up.

Overall standings:

2nd place – Kaupo Sõrmus (439.000)
3rd place – Sander Lõhmus (434.333)

The winners of the team standings

For Ksenia Kolkina this was already her second consecutive year at the Aufguss championship. Last year Kolkina took home the Estonian champion’s title in the individual standings, having trained for the competition for a mere six months. Frederik Vilms-Jamsa, taking part in the competition for the first time this year, has likewise been doing Aufguss for only half a year. “Frederik only began training in Aufguss half a year ago, but has already made an immense leap in development,” Kolkina confirmed. Both sauna masters confirmed in an interview given to Krista Lensin that it is precisely mutual trust and strong cooperation that created the special dynamic in the pair’s performance.

The duet’s show brought a playful story of the relationship between a police officer and a criminal to the sauna stage. “It was a classic cops-and-robbers chase story, but with a little twist and the turns of love,” Vilms-Jamsa explained.

In addition to technical preparation, both Ksenia and Frederik confirmed that the support of family and loved ones was very important to them before the competition. “A big thank you to my parents and also to my future spouse, with whom we have a wedding coming up in just a few weeks. Our training often lasted until three in the morning and they were very patient beside me,” Kolkina said.

Frederik too admits that without his family’s support preparing for the competition would not have been possible: “None of this would be possible if we did not have people at home who let us train until two and start again at eight in the morning. They have all been very supportive around us.”

None of this would be possible if we did not have people at home who let us train until two and start again at eight in the morning. They have all been very supportive around us.

For the World Championships in Italy in September the sauna masters intend to change their show somewhat. “Some local jokes and references have to be adapted for the Worlds. We have to take into account that our audience there is international,” Vilms-Jamsa said. They also plan to add new technical elements and towel tricks to the choreography.

Team standings results:

1st place: Ksenia Kolkina & Frederik Vilms-Jamsa – 519.000
2nd place: Karl-Peeter Kangur & Timmu Viilup – 481.333
3rd place: Hanna Lisett-Koppel & Oliver Raus – 454.667

Kurn, who was responsible for the organisational side of the competition, acknowledged that both the competitors and the whole Elamus Spa team worked long days to offer the competitors and the audience the maximum experience. “Our technical team and the sauna masters were at work until late hours every day, but the feeling you finally go to sleep with is indescribably warm and grateful. The level we saw here in the sauna was very, very high,” Kurn said in an interview given to Krista Lensin.

In Kurn’s assessment Estonia’s sauna masters have reached a level where they compete successfully with the world’s best too. “Several of our sauna masters have studied under international masters and you can see that the level of training has risen considerably. Their confidence has risen too, which is clearly visible in the performances.” The best sauna masters of the Estonian championship enter the international competition already this coming autumn, when the sauna Aufguss World Championships take place in Verona, Italy.

Elamus Spa will continue advancing Estonian sauna culture in future too and plans to diversify the competition format. “In addition to the annual professional championship we are also creating new sauna master competitions, in order to offer development opportunities and an even more varied programme to our guests.”

The sauna shows tell of love, of the battle between good and evil, of life and survival

Nora Katreen Harik is Elamus Spa’s newest sauna master, who has held this profession for only three months. Nora, who came to the steam room from the dance floor, recently finished secondary school and performed in the summer as an entertainment programme dancer on Tallink Baltic Queen. Dance has been part of her life for 14 years already and it accompanies her in the sauna too, where the power of movement is felt in every Aufguss ritual. Nora’s competition programme came about by itself, bringing together the dance world she is comfortable in and the cabaret close to her heart, and creating around it a love story with a deep and dark ending.

The 22-year-old sauna master Timmu Viilup has already worked as a sauna master for a year and a half. Before becoming a sauna master, Timmu worked in construction. Today, alongside the profession of sauna master, he also organises various events. When Timmu is not busy in the sauna, he also enjoys making music, running and hiking. Timmu’s competition story, which comes from life itself, tells of a problem that touches all of us quite closely – loss – with a little fantasy added to spice the story up.

The 49-year-old Kaupo Sõrmus is the head of Elamus Spa’s sauna masters, who has worked at the spa as a sauna master for two years. Alongside his everyday work as a sauna master, Kaupo also runs sauna rituals at festivals and camps and teaches people to make friends with cold water – he is a passionate winter swimmer and gladly shares his experiences with others. In Kaupo’s everyday life, yoga and mental and physical balance hold an important place. He draws inspiration from trips to warm, distant places where he discovers local cultures and sauna traditions. Kaupo’s competition story is inspired by the TV show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”.

The 28-year-old sauna master Hanna-Lisett Koppel has worked as a sauna master since 2019. Alongside her sauna work she also works as a barmaid and waitress, having previously worked as a barista, a project manager’s assistant, a bookseller and a freelancer. Hanna-Lisett is a great reading enthusiast who always has a book at hand, and at the moment she is writing her first novel. In addition to the sauna, reading and writing, Hanna-Lisett also enjoys 80s horror films and spending time with her cats, friends and loved ones. Her competition story “Dollhouse” is about freedom and the courage to break out of the frames created by society and live by your own rules.

The 26-year-old Sander Lõhmus has worked as a sauna master for 2.5 years. Before arriving at the profession of sauna master he worked as an auditor of all things. When Sander is not in the sauna, he enjoys board and video games – it is precisely these hobbies that give him joy and variety. Sander’s competition story carries an important message: when you sometimes feel lonely and cannot find companions, you have to take the reins into your own hands and solve the situation yourself.

The 24-year-old Kaur Erik Pääsuke is an Elamus Spa sauna master who has held the profession of sauna master for 8 months. Alongside his sauna work Kaur Erik makes music and writes songs, and in his free time he enjoys fishing, disc golf and video games. Kaur Erik’s competition story tells of the deep bond between a human and a dog – a relationship that is special and unrepeatable, though unfortunately too short. The message of the story is to learn to value the moments that have been and to look with gratitude towards those still ahead.

The 25-year-old Frederik Vilms-Jamsa has worked as an Elamus Spa sauna master since autumn 2024. Alongside his sauna work he is involved in entrepreneurship, web design and game design. In his free time Frederik enjoys watching and playing basketball, reading, running, computer games and discovering new places. His competition story tells of a shipwrecked man drifting on a raft towards hopelessness.

The 30-year-old Karl-Peeter Kangur has worked as a sauna master for almost 5 years already. Before discovering the sauna world he has worked in a bar, as a courier, a waiter, a berry seller and a stand builder at the Estonian Fairs Centre. Karl-Peeter’s interests also include basketball, drawing, travelling and enjoying life. His competition story is on an Estonian theme and looks at the sauna world through the eyes of dark forces.

The 22-year-old Ksenia Kolkina is the head of Elamus Spa’s sauna masters and has worked as a sauna master for a year and a half already. Before becoming a sauna master she worked for a year as a nurse at the North Estonia Medical Centre. What gives Ksenia the most joy is cooking and culinary art, and it is in the kitchen that she feels truly alive. Her competition story tells of working at the hospital – of the hard moments, the tension and the trials there, and of her own determination that helped her get through those moments.

The 26-year-old Oliver Raus has worked as a sauna master for over 2.5 years already. Before becoming a sauna master Oliver was a home-brewing enthusiast, running a small shop, selling home-brewing supplies, giving advice and also making beer and cider himself. Oliver’s greatest passion is music – he sings, does throat singing and overtone singing, plays guitar and enjoys everything that gladdens the ear. In addition, Oliver reads science fiction, plays computer games and D&D. This year’s competition story is dedicated to the people’s amusement – the story is simpler and more playful than last year’s, when he wanted to make people think more deeply. He drew inspiration from hours of listening to pirate and sailor songs, thanks to which a story was born that offers the audience a truly adventurous experience.

The 39-year-old Ivan Hudik has worked as a sauna master since September 2024. In addition to the sauna world he already has years of experience in small business – Ivan is the founder of the well-known Vaala Kohvik and Kodused Pirukad in Rakvere, and he is also developing the brand Poke Paus, which offers poke bowls. Although sauna work may seem a slightly unexpected choice, Ivan has a great interest in saunas and different sauna traditions. He is fascinated by the sauna’s effect on a person’s physical, mental and emotional health. In his free time Ivan enjoys watching basketball, reading books, watching films and travelling with his family. His competition story is a fairy tale with a deep message, telling of goodness and of the choice we often face – whether to help others while losing something valuable yourself, or to stand aside. Ivan believes that goodness always comes back around and that without goodness the world becomes colder and crueller.

In the team standings the winners announced were Ksenia Kolkina and Frederik Vilms-Jamsa, whose masterful teamwork and professional performance gathered 519.000 points from the jury and brought the team first place. Ksenia and Frederik’s show brought a playful story of the relationship between a police officer and a criminal to the sauna stage. “It is a classic cops-and-robbers chase story, but with a little twist and the turns of love,” Vilms-Jamsa explains.

Hanna-Lisett Koppel and Oliver Raus take the audience with their team programme “Puzzlebox” under the Egyptian sun, where a world traveller finds a mysterious puzzle box. Opening the box unleashes a rain of gold and abundance, but along with it a cursed demon is set free as well. Enchanting visuals of riches and dense darkness remind us that no treasure lasts forever.

Karl-Peeter Kangur’s and Timmu Viilup’s team performance “Chase of the Chaplin” hurls the audience into the golden age of silent film, where an everlasting chase is on after the elusive Chaplin. Classic and exuberant tricks take the spectators on an absurdly funny journey.