Italians, Russians rule WDSF Cebu Open

CEBU, Philippines - The Italians reigned supreme in Latin competition, while the Russians lorded it over the modern standard in the World DanceSport Federation  (WDSF)-sanctioned Cebu Open and 9th DanceSport sa Sugbu, which ended  late Saturday night at the Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Ilya Kornev and Daria Zhukova of Russia dethroned Australians Brodie Barden and Lana Skrgic-de Fonseka in the modern standard as the Manila-based German Enriquez and Maria Danella Renee Publico settled for bronze.

In the Latin contest, the Italians had a 1-2 finish, with Laura Marras and Simone Casula’s dominant performance from the initial heat down to the final five-dance contest involving samba, chachacha, rumba, paso-doble and jive vaulting them to a golden finish. They fellow countrymen Vito Coppola and Kristina Garifullina took the silver.

Spain’s David Diaz Falcon and Mereia Balara Sancez got the bronze after edging Cebu’s hometown bets Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Caneda, whose fourth-place finish was already an achievement.

Aunzo and Caneda dropped their entry in the closed Latin battle, but Bert Kevin Diluvio and Jame Flores came to win the gold. Another Team Cebu City bet in Jeffrey Ruben Benarao and Therese Andre Quilaton bagged the silver.

Benarao and Quilaton, however, got what they missed in the Latin closed action through the adult 4-dance event.

Aside from the closed Latin and adult-4 dance, TCC got six other golds in the American Latin battle with Inoue Roi Rendon and Maria Gabriela Maglahus handing two gilts through the teacher-student 1-3 and adult 3 battle.

The other TCC bets  who won golds in the Latin tiff were Dino Meras and Cynthia Chin (senior II-1), Lloyd Simon Asuque and Raylyn Jhea Romeo (junior 3),  Jake Emmanuel Corro and Anndreah Capangpangan (junior 5), and Andrew Ysla and Noelyn Mie Pedrano (youth 5).

TCC hauled seven more golds in the modern standard courtesy of with Ysla and Pedrano (youth 5), Marlon Alino and Hanae Mori (senior II-2), Crispin Sato Jr. and Yeddah Marie Catanarez (youth 3), Lloyd Simon Asugue and Raylyn Romeo (junior 3), Jaydel Fresh Pat and Angel Therese Epe (juvenile 3) and Jim Jocson and Mitchloni Dinauanao (juvenile 5 ).

 Overall, TCC finished with 15 golds, 11 silvers and 13 bronzes. The entries from Manila placed second with10 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals.

A corporate event also took place under the Latin discipline, with Samsung’s Ivan Kent Taboada and Jade Destacamento winning the gold after outsmarting IPI’s Troy Rizon and Jeza Gonzalez and Juniel Bruno Ramos and Marianne Amon, who ended up with the silver and bronze, respectively. (FREEMAN)