It has truly been a stellar year for the Russian Federation as athletes of various divisions took numerous WDSF World Titles. Here is a quick overview of a few of the Champion couples of 2018:

• Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova: WDSF Adult Standard World Champions. 
• Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno: WDSF Adult Latin World Champions
• Fedor Poliansky and Dina Akhmetgareeva: WDSF Adult Latin World Show Dance Champions 
• Dmitry Pleshkov and Anastasia Kulbeda: WDSF Adult Standard World Show Dance Champions
• Alexandr Shmonin and Maria Shmonina: WDSF Professional Latin Show Dance World Champions

To add to the list above comes a couple that ended their year with the Gold: Egor Kulikov and Maria Goroshko became the Youth Latin World Champions here in Riga, Latvia! It was a true battle this weekend between the couples in terms of fighting tooth and nail for each round, but the heat was on the very first moment all of the competitors stepped onto the dance floor.

The Endless Support of the Spectators

From a total of 79 couples, 6 made the final. It was evident from the very first round the ability to differentiate the highest level of dancers because they just tore up the competition, in the true sense! Various representing countries had entire bands of cheering spectators fighting for their couples on the dance floor. Lithuania was the strongest and loudest of the cheering groups as they fought for Augustinas Trinkus and Neda Elena Salugaite until their placement in the quarter-final. They were 16^th. From Italy, as soon as Gianmarco Sposato and Aurora Ranvestel were revealed into making the semi-finals, their cheering squad was heard throughout the entire hall! The couple ended up placing in 7^th, just one spot from making the final! 

All in all, the atmosphere of hearing such support not only motivates but drives competitors to feel honored to have the chance to represent their country in the world arena. It’s an unexplainable sight filled with tears, laughter, worry, and anticipation, but it is a feeling like no other to witness and experience.

Moldova VS Russia

The fight this weekend rested between Russia and Moldova, the latter taken the Silver. Vladislav Untu and Polina Baryshnikova were one of the brightest couples on the dance floor this weekend, a couple trained by 3-time Adult Amateur Latin World Champions and current WDSF Professional Latin World Champions, Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus. Vladislav and Polina attained a World Title just recently, exactly one week before this Latin Championship here in Riga. On the 8^th of December 2018, they became the Youth Ten Dance World Champions in Guadalajara, Spain! 

Looking at the scoresheets, Moldova was well above third place Bronze Medalists Tian Wang and Jieruo He of China, a couple that took 4^th in the final in this very exact World Championship last year. While Vladislav and Polina were 5.461 points ahead of China, they only lost first place by 1.79 points. 

Russia Wins Again

The evening concluded with Egor and Maria taking the win. It was only three years ago that the couple took the Junior II World Title in this very same competition, the Baltic Grand Prix. With their return, they secured the Youth title under their belts.

The Best is Yet to Come

The year is winding down and for many athletes, this was their last competition of 2018. Many will take a few days off for the holidays, and yet begin preparations for the year to come their way. We congratulate all of the World Championship participants that competed here in Riga. You are our future and we hope to see you bloom even further and be a part of your journeys to the very top.