2013 Cali Couples | GER
Benedetto Ferruggia - Claudia Koehler
Sergej and Viktoria Tatarenko
Periklis „Aki“and Maria Kalaitzis
"DTV holds high aspirations with the nomination of the three top couples," reads the official press release.
There is a good reason for this! As the 6 DTV athletes join many others fielded by their respective federation, they not only seek a good placing for Germany in the overall medal table, they also enter into an important contest with their peers from 30 other sports.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) decides over the funding that will go to each national sport federation over the next four years based on the results that the latter achieves in The World Games 2013. A gold medal in either Standard, Latin or Salsa would qualify DTV for top- tier subsidies from DOSB.
For Benedetto and Claudia it is their second World Games participation. In 2009 Kaohsiung the couple was runner-up behind Paolo Bosco and Silvia Pitton, ITA, who, at the time, were in their first year as professionals.
At the age of 32 and now professionals themselves, Benedetto and Claudia will likely take their last shot at the only title that has eluded them so far. Three-time World Champions, four-time European Champions, six-time German Champions, a World Games title in Standard would certainly befit them too.
Last but not least, Periklis „Aki“and Maria Kalaitzis, a brother-and-sister couple, will go up against the strong South American, above all Colombian, competition in Salsa. But they hope to be on or at least near the podium as well.
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