Santa Claus World Championship

Best of ClauWau

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The ClauWau and the Winter Opening Concert on 28 November 2020 have been cancelled due to the current situation. Instead, small live concerts will take place during the day under the name «Samnaun Opening Unplugged».

Samnaun Opening Unplugged

On Saturday 28 November 2020 «Samnaun Opening Unplugged» will take place with cosy live concerts in the ski area. Further information and the program will follow.

Preview season opening 2021

On 26 November 2021 the «Best of ClauWau» will take place, where the ClauWau teams of the past 20 years can once again prove their skills in the best ClauWau disciplines. We will choose the 20th ClauWau World Champion Team. On Saturday, 27 November 2021 we will start with the new opening event «Smuggler Trophy». Thanks to a combined evaluation of «Best of ClauWau» and «Smuggler Trophy», participation in both events is even more attractive. The winter opening concert on Saturday evening will take place in the tried and tested form.

Registration «Best of ClauWau» and «Smuggler Trophy» 2021

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Review ClauWau

Moderator Lupo looks back in interview

One person who knows ClauWau and the teams better than anyone else is ClauWau moderator Lupo. Lupo has been with us since the first ClauWau and it is impossible to imagine ClauWau without him.

How do you look back on the ClauWau years?

19 years as a presenter of this event speak for themselves. It is a pleasant review that I can do. I have been through sunshine and blizzards with ClauWau, so it has become a matter of the heart. Not to mention the fact that this cool event takes place in the most attractive ski area in the Alps.

What was your personal highlight in all the ClauWau years?

There are a few: for sure the events in the village until 2011 with the Christmas market and the parade are highlights. Another highlight for me is when the teams each say goodbye on Sunday with «until next year» and I go home with a good feeling.

What was your favourite discipline, which the teams were allowed to master at ClauWau?

There are some unforgettable disciplines: In donkey trekking (2004 to 2008) the donkeys lived up to their reputation and behaved very stubbornly, which almost drove some teams to despair. In the hay sledge race, the teams of four sat on a hay sledge, the ride down the Musella slope was racy. At the XXL caps the whole team was under the cap and collected the parcels in the course without sight. At last year's snow sculpture construction, amazing works of art were created within 20 minutes. The ladies' teams and the Guggenmusik are always wonderful spots of colour.

What differences do you see when you compare the early years of ClauWau with the last years?

ClauWau has gone through wild times, where the party idea had more priority and on and off stage the behaviour of some teams was close to the limit. The philosophy of St. Nicholas was already strained. Today, however, competition and coming together is fortunately the main focus of most teams. The party is part of it, but please only after the competition and in «civilian clothes». The demands on the disciplines have grown. The original marketing idea has remained successful until today - 20 years after its launch.

What is your wish for the anniversary-ClauWau?

Since it is usually the loyal and returning teams that create the atmosphere and can infect the new teams with enthusiasm, I would be very happy if as many former teams as possible were to participate, especially the world champions from 2001 to 2019. Then it will be a worthy anniversary ClawWau. And of course I would like to have what Father Christmas also wishes for: lots of snow!