Latest news with #WorldFinal
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Beats & bold moves on a barge: Kolkata's dance scene makes waves at a one-of-a-kind battle
Kolkata recently got a taste of high-octane street dance with a splash of the unexpected this weekend as the Red Bull Dance Your Style Kolkata Regional Qualifiers set sail – on a boat, at the Bengal Paddle . In a spectacular first for India's street dance scene, 16 of Kolkata's most dynamic dancers battled it out one-on-one aboard a barge floating on the Hooghly, hosted by Bengal Padle. With an open sky, river breeze, and a lively crowd cheering them on from deck and dock, the event brought the underground to the waterline, proving that dance—and culture—need no fixed stage. This floating showdown wasn't just about the stunning backdrop. It marked a bold, experimental leap in urban performance spaces, redefining what it means to take the stage. The unpredictable format of Red Bull Dance Your Style—where music changes on the spot and the crowd decides the winner—was taken to new heights (and depths) aboard this unconventional dancefloor. After a series of electrifying, all-style duels, four dancers emerged as the undisputed crowd favourites: Boogie, Nextion, Majin Boo, and Smooth Boog. These four will now represent the East at the Red Bull Dance Your Style India Final in Delhi, where they'll face off against finalists from the North, South, and West. And it doesn't end there—whoever clinches the national crown in Delhi will go on to represent India at the World Final in Los Angeles later this year. 'Dancing on water? That was next level!' said finalist Boogie, catching his breath after back-to-back battles. 'You don't just have to move to the beat—you have to hold your ground on a rocking boat while doing it!' The Kolkata regionals were part of a broader structure rolled out by Red Bull Dance Your Style India 2025, which began with online auditions. Dancers from across the country submitted entries digitally, out of which 16 were selected for each regional qualifier—North, South, East, and West. The concept is as unique as it is thrilling: there are no judges, no set playlists, and no choreographed routines. Just pure freestyle, raw energy, and crowd verdicts. As Majin Boo, another finalist, put it, 'You've got just a few seconds to connect with the beat—and the audience. It's the most honest dance battle you'll ever do.' Kolkata's top four are now ready to take the energy of the Hooghly to the national stage. One city, four dancers, and a dream to dance their way to Los Angeles. From boat decks to global spotlights, Red Bull Dance Your Style is changing the rhythm of the street—one battle at a time.
The Irish Sun
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘It's a business' – Darts icon backs plan to move World Championship from Alexandra Palace and hand £2MILLION to winner
A Darts icon has backed a proposed venue change for the PDC World Darts Championships. Alexandra Palace has been the tournament's home since its 2008 move from the Circus Tavern in Essex . 4 Alexandra Palace has been the home of the World Darts Championship since 2008 Credit: AFP 4 There has been talk that the tournament could leave the hallowed walls of Ally Pally Credit: PA 4 Iconic referee Russ Bray believes a change of venue could make sense Credit: GETTY But the iconic venue's future hosting the annual competition is in doubt as And retired referee Russ Bray believes a change of venue could make sense given the recent growth of the sport and the potential increase of prize money. During an appearance on business , like you say, it is a business. "Barry and Eddie [Hearn, respective chairman and ex-chairman] and Matt [Porter, CEO of PDC], these guys, they'll sit down and talk. READ MORE DARTS NEWS "Obviously, if they can pay the players £2million for winning the World Final because we've got to go somewhere else, then I'm pretty certain that's what they will do. It makes sense." Matchroom supremo Barry Hearn has already been approached by the Saudis about bringing the competition to The Kingdom. But he knocked them back after they informed him fans wouldn't be able to drink alcohol at events. The 76-year-old said: "The Saudis asked me for [the] darts about a couple of months ago. Most read in Darts JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS List of all-time Darts World Champions BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year. The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions. That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once - Barney also won four BDO titles - and none of Eric Bristow's five BDO titles are included. 1994 - Dennis Priestley 1995 - Phil Taylor 1996 - Phil Taylor (2) 1997 - Phil Taylor (3) 1998 - Phil Taylor (4) 1999 - Phil Taylor (5) 2000 - Phil Taylor (6) 2001 - Phil Taylor (7) 2002 - Phil Taylor (8) 2003 - John Part 2004 - Phil Taylor (9) 2005 - Phil Taylor (10) 2006 - Phil Taylor (11) 2007 - Raymond van Barneveld 2008 - John Part (2) 2009 - Phil Taylor (12) 2010 - Phil Taylor (13) 2011 - Adrian Lewis 2012 - Adrian Lewis (2) 2013 - Phil Taylor (14) 2014 - Michael van Gerwen 2015 - Gary Anderson 2016 - Gary Anderson (2) 2017 - Michael van Gerwen (2) 2018 - Rob Cross 2019 - Michael van Gerwen (3) 2020 - Peter Wright 2021 - Gerwyn Price 2022 - Peter Wright (2) 2023 - Michael Smith 2024 - Luke Humphries 2025 - Luke Littler Most World Titles 14 - Phil Taylor 3 - Michael van Gerwen 2 - John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright 1 - Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler "I asked them a simple question. 'Can we have alcohol?' "And they said no. I said, 'Well then you can't have the darts.'" Luke Littler taunts fans with 'crying' gesture after Man Utd fan suffers abuse at Premier League Darts in Leeds Hearn, however, does believe The Kingdom could make a good home for the World Snooker Championships. The veteran promoter has recently threatened to take the competition away from the Crucible unless the iconic venue is given a major revamp. When asked if snooker's biggest tournament will stay put, Hearn told "So much of professional sport is about money . "And as much as we want to stay here desperately, it's got to be something that fits into the overall picture of where the game is going. "This is a huge game. We mustn't be parochial in our attitude. "As long as everyone understands that and comes to the party in a reasonable and respectful way, I'm hopeful we can stay here. "We must know by the end of the year. The clock is ticking." 4 Saudi chiefs have approached Barry Hearn about bringing the World Darts Championship to The Kingdom Credit: REX
Wales Online
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Snooker ref Desislava Bozhilova ends social media silence for Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong
Snooker ref Desislava Bozhilova ends social media silence for Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong Desislava Bozhilova took charge of the World Snooker Championship final as Zhao Xintong beat Mark Williams 18-12 to become the first amateur and Asian to win the title Desislava Bozhilova was in charge of officiating the World Snooker Championship final (Image: OLI SCARFF, AFP via Getty Images ) Desislava Bozhilova broke her social media silence after overseeing Zhao Xintong and Mark Williams in the final of the World Snooker Championship. The 18-12 triumph in Zhao's favour was unprecedented as it saw an amateur and an Asian competitor lift the world title for the first time. And Bulgarian referee Bozhilova shared her joy on X. She posted a photo of a trophy presented to her by the Bulgarian Snooker Federation in recognition of her efforts. It was captioned: "Thank you so much for the kind words regarding refereeing the World Final. "I loved every second of it. It was a pleasure to be involved in a game like that. Congratulations to Zhao Xintong on an amazing win, and also to Mark Williams for making it to his fifth World Final." It comes as Bozhilova's first post on the platform since she uploaded images from her birthday festivities in Vietnam in October 2023. Hailing from Silven, she has built a significant reputation in the snooker world since her first refereeing appearance at the 2012 Bulgarian Open, reports the Express. Bozhilova took charge of her first Triple Crown event at the 2016 UK Championship and made her debut at the World Snooker Championship in 2019. She officiated her first Triple Crown final at the 2022 Masters and followed up with another at the UK Championship later the same year. Article continues below She's become only the second woman to referee a World Championship final, following Michaela Tabb, and in doing so, she also made history as the first female to officiate the finals of all three Triple Crown events. Zhao Xintong defeated Mark Williams for the World Snooker Championship (Image: (Image: Getty) ) Zhao, meanwhile, navigated through tough competition, including Ronnie O'Sullivan, to secure his maiden World Championship. He spent 29 days at the Crucible, winning 111 frames across nine matches (including qualifiers). Article continues below After getting the better of Cheung Ka Wai, Long Zehuang, Lyu Haotian, and Elliot Slessor in his qualifiers, Zhao defeated Jak Jones 10-4 in his tournament opener. A 13-10 win over Lei Peifan ensued in the second round, before a 13-5 clinic over Chris Wakelin. Zhao dashed O'Sullivan's hopes of an eighth world title in the semi-finals with a 17-7 win, before dispatching of Welshman Williams in the final. The 28-year-old pocketed the top prize of £500,000 for his tournament win, which also catapulted him to 11th in the world rankings ahead of his return to professional status for the 2025/26 season.
The Sun
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Zhao Xintong's classy act towards Ronnie O'Sullivan revealed after knocking legend out of World Snooker Championship
ZHAO XINTONG made a beeline for Ronnie O'Sullivan's dressing room after his epic win at the Crucible. The Chinese star reached the final of the World Championship after beating The Rocket 17-7 in Sheffield. 3 3 Zhao, 28, is playing his first Worlds since returning from a 20-month ban. Xintong did not fix a match himself, but was one of 10 Chinese stars suspended in the sport's biggest corruption scandal in 2023. O'Sullivan has been a mentor to the 28-year-old, who cites The Rocket among his snooker heroes. Straight after the match, Xintong went directly to Ronnie's dressing room. He reportedly thanked O'Sullivan for his help and support in helping him reach first World Final, before the pair shared a hug. The Cyclone later wrote on social media alongside a snap of O'Sullivan: "Because of you". Despite starting again as an amateur this season, Zhao has stormed up the rankings. The Chinese star was already set to rejoin the pro ranks with a two-year tour card earned on the Q Tour. He will now retain his ranking points after a memorable run in Sheffield - and has already guaranteed a cheque for £200,000. Zhao said: "In the past, when I played Ronnie, I'd get nervous because I really wanted to win. Ronnie O'Sullivan makes rare blunder in first break of World Snooker Championship semi-final "But I didn't put too much pressure on myself this time. "Today I felt a lot more relaxed and enjoyed it, and I ended up playing pretty well. He gave me a few chances, and I took them. "Tonight I could feel that the whole crowd was cheering for Ronnie. But honestly, I think he deserves it. "He's won here seven times already, and he absolutely has the ability to win an eighth. "That's why I told myself not to relax, because I know he's someone who can come back from almost any scoreline. "I just tried to focus on one shot at a time and make the most of every chance he gave me." No Chinese player has ever become world champion - but Zhao does not feel weighed down by history. He continued: "This tournament feels totally unique. "For Chinese and Asian players, no one has won it yet.
Khaleej Times
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Road to Jeju Island: UAE golfers chase the dream in thrilling Race to Korea finale
With the season's end looming and pressure mounting, the Race to Korea is entering its most electric chapter yet — a dramatic final sprint where dreams will be made or dashed on the fairways of the UAE. From Dubai's glistening desert courses to Abu Dhabi's coastal greens, this year's edition of the Race to Korea, presented by DUGASTA, has already rewritten the script. Participation numbers have soared to record-breaking heights, with 17 qualifiers across the Emirates bringing together the nation's most passionate amateur golfers, all chasing the same goal: a coveted spot at the World Amateur Golfers Championship (WAGC) World Final in South Korea's breathtaking Jeju Island. Now, with only three qualifiers remaining, the tension is palpable. Three Events, One Last Shot For those yet to punch their ticket to the UAE National Final, the window is closing fast. But the opportunity still exists — if they can keep their nerve. Three events remain: Yas Links Abu Dhabi – Saturday, 3rd May Abu Dhabi City Golf Club – Sunday, 4th May Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Dubai – Saturday, 10th May These final qualifiers promise high-stakes drama, with pressure mounting on every tee box and putt. The top five finishers in each division at these events will join the elite field at the UAE National Final, set for Saturday, 17th May at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa — the final battleground before the journey shifts to international soil. Jeju Island Beckons For five standout champions, victory in Abu Dhabi will mean more than a trophy — it will mean donning the UAE colours and boarding a flight to one of golf's most awe-inspiring destinations. Jeju Island, a volcanic gem off South Korea's southern coast, will host players from 47 countries at the WAGC World Final this October. It's a chance to compete globally, all expenses paid, and to experience the camaraderie, culture, and competition that make the WAGC unlike anything else in amateur golf. The Spirit of the Game Russell Yeomans of Sport2Business, the driving force behind the Race to Korea, is buzzing with pride. 'This season has been extraordinary. We've seen more players than ever before, and the standard of play has been phenomenal. It's a testament to the strength of UAE's amateur golf community," he said. He also had a message for those still sitting on the sidelines: 'There's still time to join. If you're over 18 and have a handicap of 25 or lower, this is your moment. The prizes are spectacular, but the memories — especially for our five national champions — will last a lifetime.' With the fairways narrowing and the finish line in sight, the Race to Korea is no longer just a tournament. It's a test of nerve, a showcase of emerging talent, and a celebration of what's possible when passion meets opportunity.
