Ksenia Komarov crowned winner of Estonia's first Sauna Herbal Cup with bakery-inspired ritual

On 12-13 June 2026, Estonia hosted its first international sauna competition, Sauna Herbal Cup Estonia, which was won by Ksenia Komarov, sauna master at Elamus Spa. Her unconventional bakery-themed ritual impressed both the international jury and guests, featuring lemon zest, bread, cocoa and vanilla. As the winner, Komarov will represent Estonia at the Baltic competition in Latvia and subsequently at the world championship in the Czech Republic.

On 12-13 June 2026, Estonia hosted for the first time an international sauna competition, Sauna Herbal Cup Estonia 2026, where five sauna masters competed in the realm of natural herbs, aromas and holistic rituals. The winner was Ksenia Komarov, sauna master at Elamus Spa, whose unconventional bakery-themed ritual captivated both the international jury panel and those present.

The heart of a bakery in a sauna

Komarov's ritual was rooted in childhood memories. "I chose such an unconventional concept as the heart of a bakery. That heart was myself, and my childhood memories guided me on this journey. I wanted to take people there to taste and experience different aromas, not just from herbs, but also from cocoa and vanilla," Komarov said after the competition.

In the ritual, she used lemon zest, bread, cocoa and vanilla. The idea came from earlier experience-the use of lemons in the sauna had elicited a very strong positive reaction from the audience, and the jury's desire to see something even more special inspired the creation of the new ritual. Bread was an important symbol for Komarov, connecting home warmth and Estonian traditions. "We all love bread, and it is also part of our Estonian tradition. The aroma of lemon, the aroma of cocoa and vanilla brought so much love and warmth there," she described.

A three-part experience

Herbal Cup consists of three parts: introduction of a body scrub and ritual concept, a body care procedure in a steam sauna, and a herbal ritual in an Aufguss sauna. For Komarov, it was important that all three parts formed a unified whole. "People got to experience it, apply it, try it, and even taste it, because it's all edible," she said.

The international jury panel included, among others, Lienite Vitina and Igors Stepanovs from Latvia and Saskia Peslarova from the Czech Republic. According to Vitina, she was impressed by how diversely the sauna masters managed to bring nature into the sauna. "There were wonderful scenarios and very different shows, you could see how nature can be brought into a sauna in very different ways, ranging from space-related themes and snakes to insects," she described. The judges paid attention to the whole experience: preparation, dress, story, music, light and aromas, and chaga and peppermint stood out particularly.

Estonia's strong sauna tradition as a foundation

Margit Kurn, director of Elamus Spa, explained that the reason for organising the competition was a desire to bring nature back into the sauna. "In today's fast world, where AI is pushing in, e-commerce is pushing in and people are incredibly busy, it is important that we do not forget the pleasant real scents of nature, the aromas of various flavour herbs and spices," she said.

Kurn values the level of Estonian sauna masters highly and emphasised that sauna tradition is deeply rooted in Estonia. The high standard was not a surprise, according to her-all five competitors had worked hard and the rituals were wonderful. Czech judge Saskia Peslarova, who was in Estonia for the first time, thanked the organisers for the warm welcome and praised the competitors' friendliness and openness.

Next steps towards the world championship

As the winner of Sauna Herbal Cup Estonia 2026, Ksenia Komarov advances to the Baltic competition, which will take place in Latvia this year. From there, the best will be selected for the world championship in the Czech Republic. In 2027, Estonia will host the Baltic stage.