Andy Devaney
The Aufguss USA Nationals have wrapped in New York City after three days of heat, theatre, scent, towel work and competitive nerve, proving that sauna culture in the United States is no longer simply a matter of sitting quietly and pretending your eyebrows are not melting.
Held across two Bathhouse locations, the 2026 event brought together leading Sauna Masters from across the United States for Show Aufguss and the inaugural Modern Classic Cup, judged by an international panel from Aufguss WM.
The Show Aufguss competition took place on May 19–20 at Bathhouse Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn, before the Modern Classic Cup moved the action to Bathhouse Flatiron in Manhattan on May 21. Between them, the two contests offered a rather convincing reminder that the modern sauna has evolved into something far more theatrical than a hot wooden room and a brave face.
New York Turns Up The Heat For Competitive Sauna
Aufguss, at its best, is part wellness ritual, part performance art and part endurance test for anyone who has ever mistaken “relaxing heat” for “gentle warmth”. The 2026 Aufguss USA Nationals leaned fully into that world, blending aroma, music, atmosphere, choreography, storytelling and the sort of towel technique that makes an ordinary gym sauna look like a damp cupboard with ambition.
The event also reflected the continued rise of communal sauna culture in the United States. Competitor applications doubled year-on-year, while expanded qualification opportunities were granted to the U.S. by Aufguss WM — a notable sign that American Sauna Masters are no longer merely studying the European tradition from afar. They are stepping into the room, closing the door, and making a fair bit of steam themselves.
“This year’s competition showed just how quickly the level of Aufguss in the United States is evolving,” said Don Genders, Chair of Aufguss USA and CEO of organising sponsor Design for Leisure. “The creativity, professionalism, technical skill, and emotional connection we witnessed this week was extraordinary. We’re incredibly proud of every Sauna Master who stepped into the sauna.”
Show Aufguss Delivers Theatre, Heat And A Route To Germany
Show Aufguss was the more theatrical arm of the week, with performances built around choreography, lighting, costumes and immersive storytelling. It is not enough simply to move heat around the room. The best competitors have to control atmosphere, timing, emotion and intensity, all while operating in conditions that would make a theatre critic sweat through his notebook.
In the Team Show Aufguss competition, Alexi Irvine and Joli Irvine claimed first place, ahead of Tovi Wayne and Alonzo Solorzano in second. Breana Marshall and Muhammad “Mo” Hodge finished as runners-up.
The Solo Show Aufguss category saw Tovi Wayne take first place, with Travis Talmadge second and Alonzo Solorzano runner-up.
Those results carried international significance. First and second place finishers in the Show Aufguss categories secured direct qualification to the 2026 Aufguss WM Finals at Satama Sauna Resort & Spa in Germany, taking place from September 13–20. Third-place finishers earned entry into the Playoffs at Thermen Bussloo in the Netherlands, scheduled for August 27–30.
For the winners, that is a sizeable leap: from the heat of Brooklyn to the world stage in Germany, where technical precision and atmosphere are judged at the very highest level.
Modern Classic Cup Makes Its U.S. Nationals Debut
The 2026 Aufguss USA Nationals also introduced the Modern Classic Cup, held at Bathhouse Flatiron in Manhattan. Where Show Aufguss leans into theatre, Modern Classic places greater emphasis on the traditional art of Aufguss: heat, essential oils, atmosphere and towel technique.
In the Modern Classic Cup, Travis Talmadge finished first, TJ Lupo took second, and Tovi Wayne earned runner-up honours.
Modern Classic Cup competitors now continue along the international Modern Classic competition pathway, which culminates at the Modern Classic Cup Finals from October 1–4, 2026, at Farris Bad in Larvik, Norway.
It gives the American sauna scene another competitive route into Europe’s established Aufguss culture, and adds a second layer of credibility to a movement that is clearly growing beyond novelty.
Bathhouse, Design For Leisure And Harvia Back A Growing Movement
The event was supported by organising sponsor Design for Leisure, venue partner Bathhouse, Platinum Sponsor and Official Sauna Partner Harvia, Gold Sponsor Aufguss Roots USA, and event partners Aromen and Romana.
That backing matters because Aufguss in the United States is still in the process of building its own identity. The European sauna ritual has history, structure and competition pathways already in place. The American version is now developing its own performers, audiences, venues and standards — with New York City providing a suitably intense stage for the latest step forward.
As the official U.S. member organisation of Aufguss WM, Aufguss USA continues to promote European sauna ritual culture across the United States while helping develop a new generation of Sauna Masters capable of competing internationally.
A Sauna Scene With Steam Behind It
There is something pleasingly unlikely about a national championship built around heat, aroma and towel choreography. Yet the 2026 Aufguss USA Nationals made a strong case that this is not some odd wellness sideshow drifting through the steam.
It is structured, judged, increasingly competitive and, judging by the rise in applications, gathering momentum.
For America’s leading Sauna Masters, the room has become a stage. The towels are moving faster. The standards are rising. And somewhere in Germany, the international field may soon discover that the Americans have learned how to bring the heat without merely turning up the thermostat.