Wear Sneakers and Collect one Million – Laureus Charity Night 2019

Beatrice Lessi

The New Laureus

When each pair of photographed sneakers make Mercedes-Benz Switzerland pay CHF 200 to the Laureus foundation,  guests become really motivated to pair their elegant clothes with sporty shoes. So last night at the Air Force Center in Düberdorf, during the annual Laureus Charity Night, the atmosphere was new. New team, new design and new fashion, and above all a fresh, informal spirit that made the (usually serious) Zurich crowd perform a ritual Haka, dance to hardrock music, and auction for the charity in a very relaxed way.

Sean Fitzpatrick performing the Haka ritual last night in Zurich

Sport Stars

But let’s start from the beginning of the evening.

My red carpet favourite was Nicola Spirig, the inspiring mom and triathlete I had wanted to meet for a while. She was perhaps the big star of the evening, even though eight times world champion Nino Schurter,  tennis legend Martina Hingis and “Schwingen King” Christian Stucki also had all eyes (and media) on them. Other sport guests included Fabian Cancellara, Mario Gyr, Sarah Meier and husband Jan van Berkel .

With Nicola Spirig

The Auction

The evening went on in the newly designed hall with LED lights illuminated tables and stage. Food was served, the charity auction started, music and entertainment on stage kept us guests amused, and keen to bid for some of the prizes. Many sportsmen offered a day training, and even cooking and singing as a package designed to raise money for Laureus.

One of the best auctioned pieces, as usual, was an IWC watch, a single piece especially created for the event. It was sold for 120’000 CHF amid the cheering of the crowd.

Music was performed by Gotthard and I basically went almost on stage, to be closer and see the band well. It was so funny to observe all those serious businessmen and CEOs, often in a tie or bow-tie and really formal, dance like rockstars or film the guys in ripped denim and hardrock t-shirts. This is something I observe in Switzerland all the time: people work hard, behave, pay their tax and then need to really do something different and let go – often show business offers them a way to balance their busy daily life.

A great evening as usual, and very inspiring to me: seeing all the sport stars meeting just to give something positive to Swiss kids is always uplifting, and makes me want to keep fit and…be a bit like them.

Christian Stucki, Nino Schurter and Rainer Maria Salzgeber