Jaak Vainomaa and Taina Savikurki

Jaak Vainomaa and Taina Savikurki, the winners of the 2016 World Championship Ten Dance in Vienna, AUT, were on the ballot for the Finnish "Sports Personalities of the Year" award when the voting by the television audience started during a spectacular Gala last night in Helsinki. For the first time ever, DanceSport athletes were represented in the Urheilugaala, the Finnish name for the award. Aside from the recognition by sports journalists including them on the ballot, Jaak and Tania received close to 10% of the popular vote and finished in a fine fifth place. Congratulations!

Legends in nordic skiing and in track and field, even Formula 1 pilots and rally drivers, make up most of the Urheilugaala winners since 1947, the year when the first "Sport Personality of the Year" was honoured. The 2016 vote was marked by another first: the winner, Leo-Pekka Tähti, is the first Paralympic athlete who gets the title.

When will we see Jaak and Taina dance their next competition? Rumour has it that they skip the Finnish Nationals this year. Will they be dancing in the 2017 GrandSlam during the Finland Open in March? Will they dance the GrandSlam Standard and Latin in Helsinki? Another rumour has it that they will quit doing Latin! Or will they go into the Professional Division? Quite a few questions! But once your on top of your game ... You start having different options!

Published on 18 January 2017