Australians rule WDSF Open

CEBU, Philippines- The decorated Australian tandem of Brodie Barden and Lana Skrigic de Fonseka emerged as the biggest winner in the Cebu WDSF Open Dancesport Championship 2015 late Saturday night at the grand ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Barden and De Fonseka reigned supreme in modern standard spiced up with a runner-up finish in the Latin discipline of the premiere WDSF Open.

Barden and De Fonseka bested Poland champions Artur Kozun and Kamila Wierzynska in the modern standard with  sterling performances in Tango, slow Foxtrot and Quickstep. That lifted them to the coveted title despite ranking only second to Poland's bets in the Waltz and Viennese Waltz.

Spain's Edgar Marcos Borjas and Alina Sabalo topped the final battle of the night, the WDSF Open Latin to prevent Barden and De Fonseka from going home with a double victory.

In the final round, Borjas and Sabalo stood out in their solo performance in Samba down to the group dancing that  included another Samba, followed by Chachacha, Rhumba, Pasa-doble and ending with the upbeat tempo of Jive.

Barden and De Fonseka ranked second, while the third spot went to Philippine team members Gerald Jamili and Cherry Clarice Parcon. Cebu's top bets Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Cañeda placed fourth, a feat that is worth celebrating for.

Aside from Aunzo and Cañeda's achievement, the members of DanceSport-Team Cebu City had more reasons to celebrate after bagging 15 golds, 14 silvers and 13 bronzes to edge their archrivals from Manila by a mere eight silvers and seven bronzes.

 Dancesport-TCC's Mae Paracuelles and Lloyd Bartolini prevailed over teammates Zijane Troy and Zjiana Tracy Villarta to rule the amateur close competition in the standard event. The Villartas though were able to take home the youth 5 standard gold.

John Lloyd Leyson and Ouie Selene Rendon claimed a golden double in the juvenile 5 standard and latin, while Andrew Ysla and Noelyn Mie Pedrano lorded it over the youth 5 latin and youth 3 standard.

Mae Pabuaya and Jay Navarra won gold in the adult 3 event in latin. Pabuaya pocketed another gold in the teacher-student 1-3 event together with Romeo Jay Salve.

In the Latin American battle, John Paul Mocorro and Mary Joy Dumosdog grabbed gold in the youth 3 in latin as Jake Emmanuel Corro and Anndreah Kiem Capangpangan ruled in the junior 5; Bert Kevin Deluvio and Jam Flores in the adult 4; Reil Nikki Jones Mangmang and Isolde Mahilum in the corporate event; Charlie Camacho and Marisse Reyes in the senior II-2, Crispin Sato and Yeddah Castañares in the junior 3; and Nino Salve and Jannah Marie Valmoria in the juvenile 3 event. Several other foreign entries also fared well.

Singaporean Fengjiao Wu together with Patrick Suelto Jr. took the gold in the senior 1-3 standard and bronze in the TS II-3, Judy Pok Suat Hong and Ryan Molod got silver in the T-S II-3 and Rosalind Teo and John Rey Escartin in the senior 1-3 latin.

Indonesian Felicia Kasim and Pinoy partner Mark Perez won bronze in the TS 1-3, Brunei's Ming Nuo Goh and Davin Unabia snared silver in the senior II-2, Malaysian Alexis Hsiao Tding Jap and Randell Xiu Zhen Lim bagged silver in the adult 4, while Australia's Chris Boon and Brook Elise Matthew dominated the latin senior 1-5 event.  (FREEMAN)