First IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Cup to get underway

Hungary will enter their first competition being held in St. Petersburg alongside athletes from nearly 20 countries. 03 Sep 2015
Imagen
Man in wheelchair doing a dancing pose

Germany’s European men’s single class two champion Erik Machens

ⒸJacek Reda
By IPC

Continuing the high quality field from Asia, as the region looks to stage its first Asian Championships in 2016, are South Korean combi Latin class 2 world No.1 couple Eunji and Younho Lee.

Around 130 dancers from nearly 20 countries are set to descend on St. Petersburg, Russia, from Saturday (5 September), for the first IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Cup.

The competition, which has been known as the Continents Cup in previous seasons, is the penultimate event before the 2015 IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Championships take place in Rome, Italy, in November.

The proximity to Rome 2015 has meant that a large number of competitors have entered, including new athletes from Hungary. The competition will also see the return of Brazil after a brief hiatus from the sport.

Headlining the combi Latin class 1 is the Hong Kong pairing of world No.1 Hei Man Ho and Wah Keung Mah. Their teammates Holly Yau Sin Ting and Wo Chau Wah are also in St. Petersburg hoping to add to their points from this season.

Continuing the high quality field from Asia, as the region looks to stage its first Asian Championships in 2016, are South Korean combi Latin class 2 world No.1 couple Eunji and Younho Lee.

In the duo standard class 2, the hosts will be represented by Irina Gordeeva and Dmitry Torgunakov. They are just 22 points behind their absent compatriots Aleksandra Berdnik and Sergey Antonov as the season nears its climax.

European champion Galina Ryzhkova will be the favourite to take the first women’s single freestyle class 2 world title in November, and is in her home city as part of her preparations.

Hungary make their first foray into wheelchair dance with Rita Saria and Hajnalka Kaszane Stolcz, also in the women’s freestyle class 2.

Kazakhstan’s dancers have also made an impact in the world rankings, making into the top five more than once. That includes Nargiza Akhmetova in the women’s single freestyle class 2 and the women’s single class 2.

Ahmetova will face Austria’s Sanja Vukasinovic, the world No .2, in the single class, as well as Ryzhkova.

The 2015 IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Cup runs until Sunday (6 September). A full livestream will be available at IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport’s website.