Laureus Charity Night: Adrenaline rush for a good cause

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Shortly before midnight on Saturday, the time had come: the magical barrier of one million francs was broken in the Zurich conference center. Donations to support underprivileged children in Switzerland through sports. A large part of this amount ended up in the donation pot of the Laureus Foundation through auctions. This year the foundation has once again put together unique experiences that cannot be purchased anywhere. Only at the Laureus Charity Night – and only with the necessary change.

All kinds of experiences were auctioned: from a pleasant brunch with singer Baschi (who almost achieved the highest bid of the evening with 65,000 francs) to a 100-kilometer walk in New Zealand with triathlete Jan van Berkel. For football fan Yves Geiger, it was clear from the start which auction he wanted to try his luck at: a trip to Dortmund to watch the Bundesliga classic Borussia Dortmund versus Bayern Munich, accompanied by the two Swiss football legends Stéphane Chapuisat (54) and Alain Sutter (55).

“Experiencing the atmosphere in this stadium is a childhood dream come true,” said beaming buyer Geiger after the auction. Laureus ambassador Alain Sutter knows this atmosphere all too well: “When you play in this stadium, with this Dortmund fan wall behind you, it is absolutely unique. As a player, of course, but also as a spectator.”

The ultimate adrenaline rush

The experience of extreme surfer Garrett McNamara (56) is not for the faint of heart. The Hawaiian is one of the pioneers of big wave surfers – the very wild breed of surfers – riding the biggest waves in the world. Breaker the size of an apartment building, in extreme cases up to thirty meters high. In Nazaré, Portugal, the professionals gather every winter for these wave rides, attracting thousands of spectators who usually watch the spectacle from the beach and through binoculars.

But McNamara takes the winner of the Laureus auction into the waves: “We go out to sea with the jet ski and experience the monster waves up close. Of course with all possible safety measures.” For Fabia Grüebler, who gained the experience at the auction, this is a dream come true: “I’m still very shaky and can hardly believe that I can ride into probably the most infamous waves in the world with one of the best players. surfers ever!”

Eiger north side up close

The auction of extreme mountain climber Stephan Siegrist (40) also increases the adrenaline of buyers. The Bernese Oberlander takes his guests to the legendary north face of the Eiger. «This wall has an incredible appeal. And it is very accessible if you know how.”

At the Stollenloch, a hidden side passage of the Jungfrau Railway, access to the legendary wall is possible – even for people who don’t climb all the walls of the Alps for a living like Beat Siegrist. He bought the unique experience: “Thanks to the Laureus auctions I have already experienced many incredible things, including being on the Theodul Glacier in Valais with the extreme mountaineer Evelyne Binsack. But this is the next thrill, a step out of the comfort zone for a good cause.”

Source : Blick