We saw something old, something new, something special and something emotional during the 2018 GrandSlam Series Final weekend in Shanghai.
The one feature that can already be called as a tradition had a new twist as the Red Carpet event had been transferred inside the New World Mall. It was snowing outside but it didn’t matter as the athletes were presented to the local press, media and residents on the center stage in the middle of a busy Friday evening rush hour. They were all looking their best and downtown Shanghai had a few minutes of glamour with these DanceSport SuperStars.
After the Red Carpet event, the couples and the officials were invited to the Science Hall for the Welcome Party. The athletes were enjoying and having fun, taking pictures and mingling as one DanceSport family. As the evening proceeded the serving dishes were emptied and the pre-competition event came to an end.
On Saturday the GrandSlam Series Finals started with Latin. There were twelve couples on the starting list of which ten proceeded to second round and six to the final. The final was organized in a new duel format which meant that each of the dances were danced in three heats, two couples in each. In that way all couples faced each other once during the final. Both couples on the floor did their everything to gain the full attention of the crowd.
The 2018 GrandSlam Series Latin winners were Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno (RUS), who remained undefeated in all their competitions in 2018. The two German couples, Marius-Andrei Balan – Khrystyna Moshenska and Timur Imametdinov – Nina Bezzubova ranked second and third respectively. Andrey Gusev – Vera Bondareva (RUS) were fourth, Charles-Guillaume Schmitt – Elena Salikhova (FRA) fifth and Andrea Silvestri – Martina Varadi (HUN) sixth.
On Sunday the GrandSlam Series Finals continued with Standard. All thirteen couples were on the starting list of which ten ranked in semifinal and six proceeded to final. There was a special moment in the final when teachers and students faced each other in one of the duels. Dmitry Zharkov – Olga Kulikova (RUS) finalized their amateur career by winning the 2018 GrandSlam Series Standard, and their students Evgeny Nikitin – Anastasia Miliutina (RUS) ranked sixth. Evaldas Sodeika – Ieva Zukauskaite (LTU) and Evgeny Moshenin – Dana Spitsyna (RUS) were the runners-up and ranked second and third respectively. Alexey Glukhov – Anastasia Glazunova (RUS) ranked fourth and Madis Abel – Aleksandra Galkina (EST) finished fifth.
The emotions were flooding as the weekend ended with tears of joy and sadness by the quadruple World Champions and their celebration of the past, present, and the future.
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