After three years on places of honour, Davide Corrodi/Maja Kucharczyk reclaimed the Swiss Standard Championships title and thus ended their dry spell. They beat the defending champions Vova Kasilov/Yulia Dreier in an impressive final field in front of 300 spectators in Uitikon. Six of the eight championship titles were won by the two Zurich clubs TTZ and DUZ, two titles went to the organising Tanzsportclub Zug.
One remembers - already the last two Standard Championships were a thrilling thriller between Corrodi/Kucharczyk and Kasilov/Dreier. While the decision in 2021 and 2022 was made in the last dance, the Quickstep, in favour of the DUZ pairing, the five Jugdes saw it a bit clearer this time. Even though the spectators in the very well-filled Uediker-Huus could not see any major differences visually, they put the younger Zug couple in first place five times. Kasilov/Dreier were just as convincing with a technically flawless performance and classic presentation - nuances must have made the difference.
The final field as a whole was an eye-catcher. The audience got carried away and was also amazed by the possibly new challengers to the two Swiss top couples. The Ukrainians Shypilin/Alieksieieva, who have been training at the TTZ for over a year, earned bronze with their positive, energetic performance. So the oldest final pair, the Ticinese Büchel/Landolfi, were left with the ungrateful 4th place in this strong competition this time. And the Pikulin siblings from TTZ rounded off the final field with their dynamic dance style.
Six times Zurich, twice Zug
Eight new Swiss champions were crowned in Uitikon. Strikingly, six titles remained in the canton of Zurich, but the Tanzsportclub Zug (TSCZ) won two prestigious titles; in addition to Corrodi/Kucharczyk in the main category, Razvan-Dorin Galban/Anna Drukarova dominated the Seniors I. A nice reward for the organising club under the leadership of OC President Jasmin Corrodi.
Dance Unlimited Zurich (DUZ) established itself as the most successful club of the SM Standard 2023, providing the winners in four categories; Mihail Novikov/Taisiia Vasileva won in the pupils and are a promise for the future, continuing in the juniors in 2024. The youth class became the prey of Vladislav Davydiuk/Nikki Lia Keller, in the senior IV Kurt Rechsteiner/Heide-Maria Schäfer won their third title. And the indestructible Jürg Briner/Katarina Egli secured their 14th SM gold medal in the Seniors III - a collection of medals that no other couple can currently boast.
The Turniertanzsportklub Zürich (TTZ) completed the Zurich dominance with the titles of Lev Reznik/Kamila Adahanova in the Juniors and the superior triumph of Helge Uhrig/Désirée Hilbring in the Seniors II.
The triple for Corrodi/Kucharcyzk?
For Corrodi/Kucharczyk, the 2023 season has gone like clockwork so far. They have already won the championship titles in standard and ten-dance, and on 17 November they could achieve the triple at the SM Latin in Felben-Wellhausen and thus copy the feat of Bergant/Valentino from 2020.
Before that, two national STSV tournaments will take place, where the Swiss couples can present themselves and position themselves once again. On 7 October they will meet at the Glattal Cup in Wallisellen, and on 22 October at the TRAFO Cup in Baden.
Text: Martin Zinser Pictures: Reini Egli
