Can Zharkov & Kulikova Extend GrandSlam Streak To 8 Straight In Standard?
Can Zharkov & Kulikova Extend GrandSlam Streak To 8 Straight In Standard?
Here’s a look at some of the Standard division favorites heading into this weekend’s event in Taipei, Taiwan.
The WDSF GrandSlam Series returns to action this weekend, and there’s no shortage of star power on tap for the worldwide tour’s second leg in Taipei, Taiwan.
One look down the entry list reveals some of the biggest names in DanceSport, including 16 of the top 20-ranked Latin couples in the world and 11 out of the top 20 Standard pairings.
Watch the 2018 WDSF GrandSlam Taipei City LIVE on FloDance!
Latin (June 30) | Standard (July 1)
Taking place over two days, the GrandSlam Taipei City gets underway Saturday with the Latin division and wraps up one day later with the Standard hitting the dancefloor.
Here’s a look at some of the Standard division favorites heading into this weekend’s event.
STANDARD
Dmitry Zharkov & Olga Kulikova (RUS)
GrandSlam: No. 1 (Points: 1,140) | World: No. 1 (Points: 6,216)
The most dominant couple in Standard can extend its GrandSlam Series winning streak to eight straight events with a victory in Taipei. The Russian duo’s string of consecutive gold medals in the series stretches back to March 2017. So far this year, Zharkov and Kulikova have racked up six victories, including the GrandSlam Series opener in Helsinki, Finland, on March 3.
GrandSlam Helsinki: 1st Place
Final Score
| WALTZ | TANGO | VIENNESE WALTZ | SLOW FOXTROT | QUICKSTEP | TOTAL |
| 39 | 39.167 | 39.292 | 39 | 39.267 | 195.726 |
Evaldas Sodeika & Ieva Zukauskaite (LTU)
GrandSlam: No. 2 (Points: 1,083) | World: No. 2 (Points: 5,701)
The Lithuanian couple enters the Taipei City leg of the 2018 GrandSlam Series with a firm grip on second place the overall world rankings and will look to make up ground on Zharkov and Kulikova in the GrandSlam Series. Sodeika and Zukauskaite.
GrandSlam Helsinki: 2nd Place
Final Score
| WALTZ | TANGO | VIENNESE WALTZ | SLOW FOXTROT | QUICKSTEP | TOTAL |
| 38.418 | 38.292 | 38.5 | 38.582 | 38.75 | 192.542 |
Francesco Galuppo & Debora Pacini (ITA)
GrandSlam: No. 3 (Points: 1,026) | World: No. 6 (Points: 4,822)
A couple since 2003, Galuppo and Pacini have won five events so far this year, with their most recent triumph coming at the International Open in Faenza, Italy, on June 3. The Italian duo was able to find separation from Vaidotas Lacitis and Veronika Golodneva for a top-three finish at the GrandSlam Helsinki thanks to an impressive quickstep.
GrandSlam Helsinki: 3rd Place
Final Score
| WALTZ | TANGO | VIENNESE WALTZ | SLOW FOXTROT | QUICKSTEP | TOTAL |
| 36.666 | 37.25 | 37.043 | 36.95 | 37.5 | 185.409 |
Vaidotas Lacitis & Veronika Golodneva (LTU)
GrandSlam: No. 4 (Points: 969) | World: No. 3 (Points: 5,078)
Back in March, Lacitis and Golodneva finished just 0.368 of a point shy of reaching the GrandSlam podium for the first time August 2016. The Lithuanian couple counts an International Open victory in Kedainiai on Feb. 11 among its most recent wins.
GrandSlam Helsinki: 4th Place
Final Score
| WALTZ | TANGO | VIENNESE WALTZ | SLOW FOXTROT | QUICKSTEP | TOTAL |
| 37 | 37.25 | 36.958 | 36.666 | 37.167 | 185.041 |
Evgeny Moshenin & Dana Spitsyna (RUS)
GrandSlam: No. 5 (Points: 912) | World: No. 4 (Points: 4,993)
Ranked fourth overall in the world, Moshenin and Spitsyna have finished on the podium in five straight WDSF events, with wins in three of their last four competition stops. The Russian couple finished fifth overall in Helsinki but had the third-highest score in the Viennese waltz of any couple.
GrandSlam Helsinki: 5th Place
Final Score
| WALTZ | TANGO | VIENNESE WALTZ | SLOW FOXTROT | QUICKSTEP | TOTAL |
| 36.75 | 36.875 | 37.083 | 36.918 | 36.875 | 184.501 |