Blackpool History – Amateur Latin

PHILIP & JAN NICHOLAS (QLD)

On our records here at Outside Change, we believe that Australia’s first finalists in the Amateur Latin at Blackpool were Philip & Jan Nicholas from Queensland in 1974, and were also finalists again in both 1975 and 1976.  On their first attempt at the British they placed 18th in 1971 and then straight in to the semi final in 1972.  Philip & Jan went on to become finalists in 1974, 1975 & 1976.  In 1973, Philip & Jan with New Zealand Champions, Peter Smith & Wendy Johnson tied for 6th place, only 5 couples were called back to the Amateur final that year making both couples miss the chance to feature in their first British Open final.  Peter & Wendy have been the highest placed New Zealand couple in the Amateur Latin event. 

PETER SMITH & WENDY JOHNSON (NEW ZEALAND)

 The Amateur Latin championship was dominated by the British and European couples from 1964 right up to 1989 when the famous Australian couple of Jason Gilkison & Peta Roby from WA claimed the British Open Title for Australia for the first time. The next Australians to take the title were Paul Green & Karren Rufus from Sydney in 1994, they have been the last Australian couple to become the champions.  Former Australian dancers John Byrnes with Jane Lyttleton dancing for England featured in the final for 3 years from 1992 – 1994 placing 3rd in 1993. 

In 2005, former South Australian dancer Joanne Wilkinson won the title for Italy with her then partner Riccardo Cocchi, who went on to win the Professional Latin Championship with Yulia Zanguroychenko representing the USA.  Interesting to note that Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne placed 3rd in 1977, this was the same year they won the Amateur Ballroom Title at Blackpool and also the World Amateur Ballroom Championship.  The first official Championship winners of this event in 1964 were Robert Taylor & Anita Agent from England.

CHAMPIONS

  • 1989 – Jason Gilkison & Peta Roby (WA)
  • 1994 – Paul Green & Karren Rufus (NSW)
  • 2005 – Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson (Italy)

RUNNER UP

  • 1988 – Jason Gilkison & Peta Roby (WA)
  • 1993 – Paul Green & Karren Rufus (NSW)
  • 2004 – Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson (Italy)

3RD PLACE

  • 1977 – Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne (NSW)
  • 1993 – John Byrnes & Jane Lyttleton (UK)
  • 2003 – Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson (Italy)

4TH PLACE

  • 1974 – Philip & Jan Nicholas (QLD)
  • 1987 – Jason Gilkison & Peta Roby (WA)
  • 1992 – Paul Green & Karren Rufus (NSW)
  • 2002 – Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson (Italy)

5TH PLACE

  • 1976 – Philip & Jan Nicholas (QLD)
  • 1980 – Tony Gauci & Dianne Wills-Johnson (NSW)
  • 1992 – John Byrnes & Jane Lyttleton (UK)
  • 2001 – Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson (Italy)

6TH PLACE

  • 1973 – Tie Between Philip & Jan Nicholas (QLD) and Peter Smith & Wendy Johnson (New Zealand) (semi final)
  • 1975 – Philip & Jan Nicholas (QLD)
  • 1976 – Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne (NSW)
  • 1991 – Paul Green & Karren Rufus (NSW)
  • 1994 – John Byrnes & Jane Lyttleton (UK)
  • 1995 – Paul Richardson & Lorna Dawson (UK)
  • 2000 – Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson (Italy)

SEMI FINAL

  • 1967 – Neil & Jenny Rosenfeld (VIC) 9th place
  • 1972 – Philip & Jan Nicholas (QLD) 9th place
  • 1974 – Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne (NSW) 9th place
  • 1978 – Michael Baker & Jill Waters (VIC)
  • 1985 – Dan Buric & Joanne Boden (QLD)
  • 1986 – Dan Buric & Joanne Boden (QLD)
  • 1987 – Dan Buric & Joanne Boden (QLD)
  • 1988 – Dan Buric & Joanne Boden (QLD)
  • 1989 – Dan Buric & Joanne Boden (QLD)
  • 1991 – Neale Byrnes & Lesley Thom (Scotland)
  • 1992 – Neale Byrnes & Lesley Thom (Scotland)
  • 1993 – Neale Byrnes & Lesley Thom (Scotland)
  • 1994 – Neale Byrnes & Lesley Thom (Scotland)
  • 2007 – Mirco Sciolan & Nuria Santalucia (VIC) 8th place
  • 2010 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (UK) 11th place
  • 2011 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (UK) 12th place
  • 2012 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (UK) 13th place
  • 2013 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (UK) 8th place
  • 2014 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (UK) 9th place
  • 2015 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (UK) 9th place

QUARTER FINAL TOP 24

  • 1971 – Philip & Jan Nicholas (QLD) 18th place
  • 1982 – Stephen & Katrina Pulbrook (SA)
  • 1983 – Stephen & Katrina Pulbrook (SA)
  • 1984 – Stephen & Carinne Octigan (VIC) 16th place
  • 1997 – Brendan Cole & Camilla Dallerup (New Zealand)
  • 1997 – Alan Davis & Sherrie-Lea McGrath (NSW)
  • 1999 – Brendan Cole & Camilla Dallerup (New Zealand)
  • 2004 – Arsen Kishishian & Alarna Donovan (VIC) 20th place
  • 2004 – Robin Sewell & Nuria Santalucia (VIC) 26th place
  • 2005 – Arsen Kishishian & Alarna Donovan (VIC) 13th place
  • 2007 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (WA) Equal 26th
  • 2007 – Joshua Keefe & Annalisa Zoanetti (WA) Equal 32nd
  • 2007 – Michael Miziner & Anastasia Belykh (NSW) Equal 38th
  • 2008 – Mirco Sciolan & Nuria Santalucia (VIC) 17th place
  • 2008 – Michael Miziner & Anastasia Belykh (NSW) 18th place
  • 2009 – Mirco Sciolan & Nuria Santalucia (VIC) 22nd place
  • 2010 – Michael Hemera & Lauren McFarlane-Hemera (UK) Equal 25th
  • 2014 – Michael Hemera & Lauren McFarlane-Hemera (UK) Equal 14th
  • 2014 – Denys Samson & Yulia Nikitenko (UK) Equal 14th
  • 2015 – Denys Samson & Yulia Nikitenko (UK) Equal 17th
  • 2016 – Denys Samson & Yulia Nikitenko (UK) Equal 14th
  • 2017 – Denys Samson & Yulia Nikitenko (UK) Equal 16th
  • 2021 – Darren Morrissey & Zoe Woodhall (UK) 18th place

TOP 48

  • 1988 – Paul Wilson & Donna Reeve (NSW)
  • 1997 – David Fest & Tamara Cranswick (WA)
  • 1997 – Adam Reeve & Rebecca Allen (NSW)
  • 1997 – Jason Coram & Jenny Affleck (NSW)
  • 1997 – Adam Blakey & Corinna Walker (VIC)
  • 1998 – Brendan Cole & Camilla Dallerup (New Zealand)
  • 1999 – Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson (Italy)
  • 2000 – Sandro Catalano & Sherrie-Lea McGrath (NSW) 47th place
  • 2004 – Michael Miziner & Valeriya Kozharinova (NSW) Equal 36th
  • 2005 – Robin Sewell & Nuria Santalucia (VIC) Equal 43rd
  • 2005 – Joshua Keefe & Annalisa Zoanetti (WA) Equal 49th
  • 2006 – Joshua Keefe & Annalisa Zoanetti (WA) Equal 46th
  • 2006 – Michael Miziner & Anastasia Belykh (NSW) 51st
  • 2008 – Arsen Kishishian & Yulia Nikitenko (VIC) 27th place
  • 2008 – Joshua Keefe & Sara Magnanelli (WA) Equal 30th
  • 2008 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (New Zealand) Equal 43rd
  • 2009 – Arkady Bakenov & Rosa Filippello (New Zealand) Equal 29th
  • 2009 – Arsen Kishishian & Yulia Nikitenko (VIC) Equal 33rd
  • 2009 – Jeremy Basile & Megan Wragg (VIC) Equal 41st
  • 2009 – Joshua Keefe & Sara Magnanelli (WA) Equal 44th
  • 2010 – Craig Monley & Sriani Argaet (VIC) Equal 34th
  • 2010 – Manuel Favilla & Yulia Nikitenko (WA) 52nd place (Withdrew)
  • 2011 – Vladimir Litvinov & Yulia Nikitenko (Russia) 43rd place
  • 2011 – Julian Tocker & Annalisa Zoanetti (SA) Equal 46th
  • 2012 – Denys Samson & Yulia Nikitenko (UK) Equal 26th
  • 2012 – Julian Tocker & Annalisa Zoanetti (SA) Equal 40th
  • 2013 – Denys Samson & Yulia Nikitenko (UK) Equal 31st
  • 2013 – Michael Hemera & Lauren McFarlane-Hemera (UK) Equal 43rd
  • 2013 – Sigurdur Sigurdsson & Annalisa Zoanetti (SA) Equal 47th
  • 2014 – Sigurdur Sigurdsson & Annalisa Zoanetti (SA) Equal 43rd
  • 2015 – Michael Hemera & Lauren McFarlane-Hemera (UK) Equal 25th
  • 2019 – Nikolai Tarsov & Sarah Nolan (USA) 32nd place
  • 2021 – Brian Dibnah & Georgiana Muja (New Zealand) 32nd place
NEIL & JENNY ROSENFELD (VIC)
9th Place 1967
MICHAEL BAKER & JILL WATERS (VIC)
Semi Final 1978
STEPHEN & CARINNE OCTIGAN (VIC)
16th place 1984
MIRCO SCIOLAN & NURIA SANTALUCIA (VIC)
8th Place 2007