Aufgusshow 2025 Wraps Up: Canada Crowns Its First National Sauna Performance Champions

WHITBY, Ontario, June 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada’s inaugural National Sauna Performance Championship, Aufgusshow 2025, concluded this week at Thermea Spa Village Whitby, marking a major milestone for Canadian wellness culture.

Hosted by Groupe Nordik, the three-day event welcomed more than 400 guests from across Canada and showcased 18 captivating performances by 20 talented Aufgussmeisters representing six spas across Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec. Each routine was a fully choreographed sensory experience combining scent, steam, heat, music, and storytelling to bring the traditional Aufguss ritual to life on a theatrical stage. The competitors were evaluated by a panel of four European-certified judges based on creativity, scent composition, wave technique, storytelling and the overall guest experience.

After an exciting lineup of solo and duo routines, the first place winners announced included:

• Jad Maalouf, Nordik Spa Village (Solo Category)
• Xavier Drouin-Hill & Zacharie Drouin-Hill (Duo Category)

The second place winners included:

• Abigail Gillies, Thermea Spa Village Whitby (Solo Category)
• Kasha Kostrezewa & Jacqueline Mason, Thermea Spa Village Whitby (Duo Category)

The third place winner included:

• Evens Dominique, Förena Cité thermale (Solo Category)
  

The winners will go on to represent Canada at the Aufguss World Master Championships at Aquardens in Verona, Italy from September 15 to 21, 2025. The second place winners will have the opportunity to compete in the Playoffs taking place at SATAMA Sauna Resort & Spa in Wendisch Rietz, Germany from August 28 to 31, 2025 offering a final chance to qualify for the World Championships.

“This was more than a wellness event, it was a historic cultural moment,” said Martin Paquette, CEO and Founder of Groupe Nordik. “We witnessed artistry, storytelling, and tradition come to life, and we’re incredibly proud of the performers who brought it to the stage for the first time in Canada. Aufgusshow marks the beginning of an exciting new tradition, and we’re thrilled to announce that Aufgusshow 2026 will return to Thermea Spa Village Whitby next year as we continue to grow and celebrate sauna culture here at home.”

All performances took place inside Logga, North America’s largest event sauna, which seated 90 guests per show. Attendees enjoyed not only the live performances but also full access to the Spa Village, including thermal baths, saunas, and outdoor relaxation spaces.

For More Information
To view event photos, competitor bios, and behind-the-scenes content, visit our media kit and enter the password: Aufgusshow2025.

For more information, visit the Aufgusshow website and subscribe to Thermea Spa Village Whitby’s newsletter to be the first to receive updates, dates, and early ticket access for Aufgusshow 2026.

Interview Requests
For media inquiries or to schedule interviews with the winners, please contact: 

Daisy Raudales
Media Relations for Thermea Spa Village Whitby
289-387-3185
daisy@drpr.ca

About Groupe Nordik
Groupe Nordik is proudly Canadian-owned and headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec. With nearly 20 years of experience in the wellness industry, the journey began in 2005 with the opening of Nordik Spa Village in Chelsea. Since then, two more Spa Villages have opened in Winnipeg (2015) and Whitby (2022). Today, Groupe Nordik employs over 800 people across its corporate office in Gatineau and spa locations throughout Canada. As a North American leader in wellness, the group is an innovator that brings entertainment to the spa experience — blending global traditions with a strong sense of home. Each of its Spa Villages offers the widest selection of wellness experiences for both body and mind, all in one place.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/afa02644-bb74-4e52-ae5e-86d8e384e6ba

Aufgusshow 2025 Winners

Left to right: Zacharie Drouin-Hill, Xavier Drouin-Hill, Evens Dominique,Jad Maalouf, Abigail Gillies, Kasha Kostrezewa & Jacqueline Mason

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