ITALIAN pair Vito Coppola and Kristina Garifullina conquered the Cebu dancesport as they topped the 2016 World DanceSports Federation (WDSF) Cebu Open Latin Competition and 9th DanceSports sa Sugbo title last Saturday night at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
Coppola and Garifullina’s win came as a surprise as they unseated the heavily-favored Brodie Barden and Lana Skrgic-de Fonseka of Australia, who only finished fifth in the competition that they ruled last year.
It was actually a 1-2 finish for the Italian dance athletes as Simone Casula and Laura Marras won the silver medal in the competition participated by 18 world class couples.
Spain’s David Diaz Falcon and Mireia Balasa Sanchez rounded up the podium finish as they finished third, while Cebuano couples Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Cañeda placed fourth.
In the equally compelling Standard Open competition – Russian pair Ilya Kornev and Daria Zhukova won this year’s event denying Barden and Skrgic-de Fonseka once more.
The Australia pair was poised to conquer the title. However, the Russian couple proved to be the best dance athletes in the competition.
Finishing behind Barden-Skrgic-de Fonseka pair were German Enriquez and Ma. Danella Renee Publico of Team Philippines-Manila who won the bronze medal, while Artem Popov and Violeta Kiselea of Kazakhstan finished four, Sean Mischa Aranar and Ana Leonila Nualla and Tristan John and Willane Rose Ducay also of Manila finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
Meanwhile, Gylle Niño and Julia Paz Branzuela of the University of Cebu won the Cesafi-Standard Secondary gold; Jake Emmanuel Corro and Therese Andre Quilaton also of UC won the Cesafi-Latin Secondary; while Inoue Roi Rendon and Jam Flores of the University of San Jose-Recoletos won the Cesafi-Latin College competition.
Rendon then paired with Maria Gabriela Maglahus to win the TS 1-3 gold for DanceSports Team Cebu City. Reid Baradas and Rina Sakakura of Team Visayas won the Lain TS II-3 and the Latin TS II-4; while Ronie Trinidad Jr. and Arjannah Margarette Brua of Koronadal City bagged the Latin Juvenile 3 and Latin Juv. 5 golds.
DTCC athletes Lloyd Simon Asuque and Raylyn Jhea Romeo won the Latin Juniors 3; Jake Emmanuel Corro and Anndreah Kier Capangpangan topped the Latin Jr. 5; Gen. Santos City’s Harold Caparos and Lovely Princess Ungui topped the Latin Youth 3; while Manila’s Gilbert Amio and Rosario Araneta won the Latin Sr. I-3.