Basque pelota blog in english – Dos paredes

Sunday 23^rd October, Eibar

MARTINEZ DE IRUJO beat BENGOETXEA VI 22-17

Juan Martinez de Irujo admitted himself that he had no idea how he beat Oinatz Bengoetxea on Sunday. Bengoetxea was up 12-5 and had the defending champion well and truly on the ropes and ‘out of options’. Even having let his opponent back into the game at 12-10, Bengoetxea marched on with ease, playing with pace and verve, to 16-11. Having once again opened a telling gap, it seemed as if Irujo was dead in the water. However, Irujo is the king of the improbable comeback, as he showed in the final last year when Barriola opened up a sizeable gap upon him but went on to lose. Playing with his chosen balls he made his serve count, using it to win six points outright. He moved ahead for the first time in the game at 17-16 and by this time, Bengoetxea was a different opponent, demoralised and unable to break the relentless streak of his rival.

Scoring sequence: 0-3, 6-3, 6-4, 7-4, 7-5, 12-5, 12-10, 13-10, 13-11, 16-11, 16-17, 17-17, 17-22.

Bengoetxea VI: winners (8) errors (7) service winners (2) service errors (0), 4 ½ line faults (0)

Martinez de Irujo: winners (9) errors (5) service winners (6) service errors (1), 4 ½ line faults (1)

Match time: 42:56, with 9:46 of actual play

Botilleros: Asier García with Bengoetxea VI and Patxi Eugi with Irujo

Irujo came from behind to qualify

Sunday 23^rd October, Longroño

XALA beat TITIN III 22-17

Titin had home advantage for this quarter final tie and the Riojan fans did everything they could to lift their hero. Well aware of the fact that this may be his last chance for Cuatro y Medio glory, his retirement possibly encroaching, the home favourite went at Xala hammer and tongs and put him seriously on the back foot. Falling to a 0-6 deficit, Xala appeared nervous and the crowds sensed blood. The Manomanista champion picked up points in ones and twos, moving from 1-7 to 5-7 and 6-10, but from 7-11 he found his feet in style, picking up seven points in a row to lead 14-11 and undo all of Titin’s early supremacy. Titin scrapped to stay in touch, but in reality no longer looked like a winner, his demeanour radically altered. Xala moved serenely towards the last four, wasting little time in closing the deal after establishing a five point lead at 20-15.

With Xala’s victory, the semi-final line up is complete and is in the eyes of most the dream quartet. Martinez de Irujo and Olaizola II kick off proceedings in Bilbao on Saturday, before Xala and Barriola meet on Sunday in Eibar in an effort to deal the opening blows of the elite round-robin stage.

Scoring sequence: 0-6, 1-6, 1-7, 5-7, 5-9, 6-10, 7-11, 14-11, 14-13, 16-13, 16-15, 20-15, 20-16, 21-16, 21-17, 22-17.

Xala: winners (9) errors (8) service winners (1) service errors (0) 4 ½ line faults (0)

Titin III: winners (8) errors (10) service winners (2) service errors (0) 4 ½ line faults (1)

Match time: 75:00

Balls hit: 391

Botilleros: Aitor Zubieta with Xala and Joaquín Plaza with Titín

Xala saw off the threat of Titin

The semi-final line up is also now complete in the Promocion Championship. On Friday in Beasain Mendizabal III thrashed Rico IV 22-6, In Pamplona on Saturday Ongay beat Tainta 22-16, in Logroño on Sunday Albisu triumphed 22-15 over Apezetxea while Lemuno beat Olazabal 22-12 in Eibar. The first semi-final is on Saturday in Balmaseda where Lemuno takes on Albisu. On Tuesday, Mendizabal III plays Ongay in Eibar.

Images from: Noticias de Navarra and Argia. Source: Diario Vasco

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Many apologies for the lack of recent updates; I have been in France and unable to post. I missed the San Mateo final as a result, but I can report that it was won by OLAIZOLA II -BEROIZ, comfortably beating MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – MERINO 22-13 at Adarraga. Quoted by Asegarce, Olaizola stated that they had been focussed from the start, with Beroiz playing a good game and himself taking the sting out of Irujo’s pace. Beroiz, for his part, expressed his delight at winning his first title for his new empresa. Olaizola was named the undisputed player of the tournament, continuing in the final where he had left off in his devastating hammering of Berasaluze VIII in the previous match.

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Sunday 18th September, Logrono

OLAIZOLA II – BEROIZ beat BERASALUZE VIII – BEGINO 22-5

Aimar Olaizola was in devastating form in the opening match of the San Mateo tournament, putting to the sword Pablo Berasaluze and champion defender Aritz Begino in staggering fashion. He amassed sixteen winners and nobody else managed a solitary one. The game started competitively, with the sides drawn at 3-3, but from there the floodgates opened. Berasaluze has been in fine form in recent weeks, but here he was taken apart as Aimar displayed the full range of his shot making, pulling off nine gantxos, two dejadas, four volleys and a beautiful dos paredes. By the closing stages, Berasaluze appeared to have given up, utterly outclassed and without a hope of stemming the tide. Begino did what he could to keep Olaizola out of the game, but it was to no avail. Beroiz was an excellent support from deep, making only one error and providing Olaizola with immaculate service with which to work his magic. The victors play Titin III and Zubieta on Friday; it remains to be seen whether the former can do anything about the Goizuetarra’s elemental force.

Scoring sequence: 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 3-2, 3-3, 3-11, 4-11, 4-14, 5-15 , 5-22

Match time: 38 minutes, with 16 minutes of actual play

Service winners: Olaizola 2, Berasaluze 1

Winners/errors: Olaizola 16/0, Berasaluze 0/2, Beroiz 0/1, Begino 0/3

In the San Mateo encounter on Saturday 17th, MARTINEZ DE IRUJO and MERINO I beat BENGOETXEA VI and PATXI RUIZ 22-13. The losers will have to defeat Xala and Laskurain on 2oth to stand any chance of progressing.

Berasaluze was taken apart by Aimar

Image: mine

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Saturday 11th June, Logrono

OLAETXEA beat MERINO I 22-18

Mikel Olaetxea Balerdi is the second tier Manomanista champion. The 26 year old defeated Miguel Merino 22-18, after a dramatic comeback at Adarraga, recovering from a 9-18 defecit. With the prize at his fingertips, the older Merino brother fell apart. He had swept all before him up until this point, basing his dominance in open play upon the base of a powerful serve, but a short sotomano, ceding the serve at 10-18 proved his undoing. Olaextea never looked back. He attacked fearlessly with both hands, especially his stronger left, and avoided being drawn into lengthy rallies, which he feared may be his undoing. Playing with speed and not a little risk, he reduced Merino to a shadow of his former self, hiding in disbelief behind his towel. The counselling he received from his botillero worked not at all, as the pre match favourite swept all before him.

Olaetxea took the title in 51 minutes and 187 balls, scoring 12 winners to the 8 of his rival. He has now won each of the second tier prizes, having added the Pairs and Manomanista to the Cuatro y Medio he collected in 2008. The top flight awaits.

Scoring sequence: 0-6, 2-6, 2-8, 5-8, 5-12, 8-12, 8-15, 9-15, 9-18, 22-18

Winners/Errors: Olaetxea 12/6, Merino 8/4

Service winners/service errors: Olaetxea 5/0, Merino 4/1

Mikel Olaetxea triumphant

Sources: Diario Vasco, El Correo Image from: La Rioja

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Friday 25th February, Azkaine

GONZALEZ – LASKURAIN beat ARRETXE II – IBAI ZABALA 22-19

Gonzalez and Laskruain were the overwhelming favourites for this game, which took place in front of a crowd of 700 in the former’s backyard. However, Iker Arretxe and Ibai Zabala caused them no end of worry, and pushed them all the way to the line, maintaining stalemate at 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17 and 18, before finally succumbing to the cool heads of their more seasoned rivals, after a whopping 1030 balls. Arretxe was the player of the match, resourceful and successful in attack, as the underdogs threw caution to the wind; as substitutes for Olaizola I and Beloki they had little to lose, and a gilt edged opportunity to make a name for themselves. In the end though, Gonzalez and Laskurain joined the group of five vying for the remaining three qualifying spots behind Xala and Barriola.

Scoring sequence: 0-1/1/4-1/4/4-6/6/9-6/10-7/10/11/12/14-12/14/14-16/16/17/18/20-18/20-19/22-19

Duration 106 minutes, with 53 minutes of playing time and 1030 balls struck

Sunday 27th February, Logrono

BENGOETXEA VI – PATXI RUIZ beat TITIN III – PASCUAL 22-19

This was as close as it gets to a crunch game: both pairs needed a victory to avoid the predicament of having to win both of their remaining matches to qualify. In a tense affair, full of emotion, it was the Asegarce pair who prevailed. Bengoetxea and Ruiz kept their noses in front for most of the match; they led 5-0, before their opponents came back and took over by eight points to five, but once they regained the lead, they never let it go. The Aspe duo gave the Titin tifosi something to cheer about when they came to within one point of parity at 19-20, but they lacked the killer punch of their opponents. All played with skill and passion, but Patxi Ruiz’ was the standout performance. Asegarce will no doubt be delighted that he controlled the game as he did, with no hint of discomfort from his lately rather troublesome hands.

Scoring sequence: 0-5 / 5 / 5-7 / 7 / 8 / 8-6 / 9-10 / 9-11 / 10-12 / 12 / 12-14 / 12-13 / 13-17 / 15-17 / 16-19 / 17-19 / 18-20 / 19-20 / 19-22

Duration 81 minutes, with 30 minutes of playing time, and 671 balls struck.

Iker Arretxe almost engineered an upset

Image from Deia, by Iban Aguinaga

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Sunday 9th January, Logrono

ARITZ LASA – MERINO II beat TITIN III – PASCUAL 22-21

Nobody in their right mind gave Aritz Lasa and David Merino much hope ahead of yesterday’s tie at Adarraga. Lasa, standing in for Martinez de Irujo and his injured hand, was reckoned a lowly substitute in comparison with the champion he replaced, and given that the original combination had received a mauling in their first game, their cause seemed hopeless. Neither could one stand by the contention that the pair would be better than the sum of their parts, as the two men had little or no track record as a combination. Facing them were local titan Titin, and Inigo Pascual, a seasoned pairing and wise heads on experienced shoulders. They, in contrast, had won their first match, against the effervescent Berasaluze VIII and Apraiz, and the second looked ripe for the taking. However, nobody could have written the script for what was to follow.

Lasa and Merino, full of blind hope, blitzed the first portion of the game with a little help from Pascual. Belying the future path of the encounter, Titin seized the opening point with a stunning airez, but the next seven points went the way of the underdogs. Amazingly, the first four of them came from Pascual errors; the usually solid defender had mislaid his radar with a vengeance, unable to find the frontis from any angle or distance. If the first four of their points were handed to them on a plate, the next two demonstrated that the reds were nobody’s fools, taken as they were by two Lasa gantxos, perfectly engineered by both players to leave Titin sprawling in desperation. When Lasa missed a ball flush with the side wall, it seemed as if the favourites might restore some order, but he and Merino marched on in continuing confidence. Lasa continued where he had left off and continued to give Titin the runaround, and an ever more assured Merino worked Pascual over until he crumbled yet again. The point on 9-2 demonstrated just how far Titin and Pascual had fallen, when the former left a ball for the latter, who was nowhere to be seen. A bad day morphed into a farce, and at 13-3 the game looked up; not only were the reds proving to be a well oiled partnership, but the inexperienced Merino’s awareness and reading of the game were exemplary when compared to Pascual’s catastrophic efforts.

However, Titin and Pascual had obviously read the proverb about the fat lady, for the game changed in the blinking of an eye; Lasa and Merino’s slide to 15-15 from a position of such dominance is testament in the main to the never-say-die attitude of Titin. The wily veteran served up individual brilliance to end the point scoring party of the reds, whipping a gantxo out wide to Lasa, whose creditable but shallow return left his partner high and dry. Lasa then succumbed to the same disease which had so afflicted Pascual and missed two simple balls, before Titin, dealing his preferred balls, produced two quickfire service winners and two matter-of-fact txokos. As the reds fell into disarray, miscuing at will and out of position, the blues raced to parity.

The result now seemed a foregone conclusion; the greener pair had had their moment in the sun and the correct order had been restored. However, this was to underestimate the sheer willpower and desire to succeed of Lasa and the youthfully determined Merino, who were in no mood to let their opponents’ momentum gather apace. Instead, they clung on, trading point for point in a grim battle. The favourites took a two point lead at 15-17 thanks to a third fluffed txoko from Lasa and the implosion of a bombarded Merino, but they fought from behind to 17-17 and then 18-18. Again, however, they let their guard slip, two errors from the young defender sending Titin and Pascual to the edge of triumph. Surely at 18-21 there was no way back for the game underdogs? But with Adarraga, filled almost equally with Titin’s tifosi and friends of the younger local boy Merino, in full cry, the game tipped into fever pitch as the red pair saved all three match points thanks to two errors from Titin and a terrifyingly tense exchange, brilliantly won with an overarm swipe by an ecstatic Lasa. In comparison with the point which took the game to 21-21, the final rally was something of an anti-climax in terms of quality, but when Titin, diving in despair, hit low, there was nothing muted about the reaction of the victors.

As a game of pelota, the Riojan faithful witnessed both the sublime and the ridiculous, a curate’s egg, but as a spectacle there will surely be few games in the 2011 championship to match it. Both pairs swung from one extreme both of quality and emotion to the other, but finished almost equal in rating. Lasa and Titin were both inspired and stilted in equal measure, and Titin managed more winners than Lasa but also committed more errors. In the back division, the distinction was clearer. Merino was by no means immune to failure, but he was easily the more potent of the two. Pascual demonstrated his superb ability at fielding the long ball on numerous occasions, but he was far too error prone for this to be a factor. Merino was the cooler, the more assured and the more tactically astute, a fact which will boost his confidence no end after the previous week’s drubbing. Many were quick to condemn the Irujo-Merino experiment then, but with the return of the champion when fully recovered, who is to say that greater heights may not be reached?

Scoring sequence: 0-1, 7-1, 7-2, 12-2, 12-3, 13-3, 13-10, 14-10, 14-14, 15-14, 15-15, 15-17, 17-17, 17-18, 18-18, 18-21, 22-21.

Winners: Lasa 9, Titin 13, Merino 1, Pascual 0

Errors: Lasa 4, Titin 6, Merino 4, Pascual 6

Merino II held his nerve

Image from La Rioja, by Jonathan Herreros

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Sunday 21st November, Logrono

GONZALEZ beat TITIN III 22-20

Cuatro y Medio Semi Final

The partisan home crowd which packed Adarraga on Sunday came prepared to cheer their hero Titin to victory over the defending champion, Gonzelez. The atmosphere was electric, as befitted a match of such great importance. For a while, it looked as if the fans would be satisfied in grand style, as Titin raced to an 8-0 lead, moving the ball excellently, and leaving Gonzalez with little room to operate. However, Gonzalez refused to be bowed and when he finally gathered himself for an assault brought his full armoury of weapons to the table. He pulled himself back into the contest point by point initially, but then hit a patch of brilliance, winning six points on the trot to come within one point of Titin at 10-11. From there, the protagonists could barely be split, tying at 12, 13, 15, 16, 18 and 20. Either could have produced the winning break, such was the closeness of the rallying, but in the end it was Gonzalez who held his nerve to take a scintillating victory, 22-20. The defending champion has now won one and lost one in the semi final league, and is still very much in the running for the final. Titin is, in contrast, all but out.

Scoring sequence: 1-0 / 8-0 / 8-3 / 10-3 / 11-4 / 11-10 / 12-10 / 12 / 13 / 15 / 16 / 18 / 20 / 20-22

Gonzalez's title defence continues

Image from: Sudouest, by P. Berniere

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Sunday 14^th November, Logrono

MARTINEZ DE IRUJO beat TITIN III 22-17

Cuatro y Medio Semi Final

Titin III took on Martinez de Irujo in the Riojan fortress of Adarraga yesterday, and must have hoped that the baying home fans would give him the vital edge he required over the tournament favourite. For a few fleeting moments of optimism, it looked as if victory might be on the cards for the tireless veteran, but Irujo, lethal when he comes from behind, put well and truly paid to any false hopes.

Irujo started as he meant to go on, with precision, speed and venom. The man from Ibero put eight points past the local favourite to only two in reply, showing the full range of his shot play and landing winners with incredible accuracy. Titin survived remarkably error free, but had little answer to the onslaught of Irujo. Titin slowly clawed his way back into the game however, taking advantage of seven errors in the match from Irujo, who allowed his rival to close to 7-10, 8-11 and 12-12. From parity at 14-14, Titin surged forward with new found confidence, to lead at 17-14. However, it was not to be, much to the chagrin of the crowd of over 1000, as Irujo showed why he is the best in the game. The Manomansita champion pulled seven straight winners out of the fire, relentless and devastating.

Irujo made significantly more mistakes than Titin across the match, seven to only one, but he also piled up an astonishing seventeen winners, eleven more than his opponent, and it was this which swayed the match. In the middle period, many shots which would earlier have curled inside the line, went out by millimetres, but he relocated his radar in the nick of time, and there was nothing Titin could do in reply. He will now meet Barriola at Labrit on Sunday, while Titin plays this week’s other loser, Gonzalez, back in the bear pit of Adarraga.

Scoring sequence: 0-1, 6-1, 6-2, 8-2, 8-5, 10-5, 10-7, 11-7, 11-8, 12-8, 12-12, 14-12, 14-17, 22-17.

Winners: Irujo 17, Titin 6

Errors: Irujo 7, Titin 1

Service winners: Irujo 2, Titin 3

Service errors: Irujo 0, Titin 0

4 ½ line errors: Irujo 1, Titin 0

Source: Diario de Navarra

Irujo marches on

Image from: Kiroljokoa

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Sunday 26th September, Logrono

BENGOETXEA VI – PATXI RUIZ beat MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – PASCUAL 22-20

In front of a large, enthusiastic audience at Adarraga, San Mateo’s two best pairs put on a show to remember on Sunday night. In a match full of drama, tension and emotion, the brilliant Oinatz Bengoetxea and his perfect foil Patxi Ruiz seized the prestigious tournament from favourites Irujo and Pascual to put the finishing touches to a wonderful summer. The Asegarce pair had already won at San Fermin and Zarautz (Oinatz also took the San Sebastian title with Barriola) but this was possibly their most satisfying win of all, coming as it did over Irujo, who battled like the champion that he is. Both forwards put on a show, striking eleven winners apiece, and attacking each other all out from the gun, each determined to impose his will on the match. The pace was feverish and there was nothing to chose between them. Despite the focus on the battle up front, it was the rejuvinated Patxi Ruiz, with his three winners from the back, who made the difference. Fittingly, it was he who sealed the win with a glorious forehand. The pair leapt with jubilation as Irujo and Pascual were left to rue their missed chances.

Oinatz and Patxi have been the partnership of the summer, but next time they meet on a fronton they will be opponents. The two have been drawn against each other in the second semi final of the Nitro Cuatro y Medio tournament in Zalla. The other semi involves Martinez de Irujo and Barriola, setting up the mouthwatering prospect of a possible rematch between Oinatz and Irujo in another final. Both games take place on Saturday with the final scheduled for 9th October.

Scoring sequence: 1-0, 1-2, 2-2, 2-3, 3-3, 3-4, 4-4, 4-6, 5-6, 5-8, 6-8, 6-9, 9-9, 9-12, 10-12, 10-13, 11-13, 11-14, 15-14, 15-16, 17-16, 17-19, 19-19, 19-21, 20-21, 20-22.

Winners: Bengoetxea VI 11 (plus 1 service winner), Irujo 11, Ruiz 3, Pascual 0

Errors: Bengoetxea VI 4, Irujo 2, Ruiz 5, Pascual 5

Balls hit: 776

Match time: 76 minutes, with 35:39 minutes of actual playing time

Source Diario Vasco

Oinatz on fire

Image from Deia

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Thursday 23^rd September, Logrono

MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – PASCUAL beat SARALEGI – BEGINO 22-4

The fans at Adarraga last night anticipated an exciting forward battle between the master Irujo and the in-form Saralegi, who had played perhaps his best ever match as a professional in putting Xala to the sword last week. However, they left disappointed as the Manomanista Champion swept all before him in a display of breathtaking virtuosity. Saralegi and Begino hoped to spring a surprise, but the forward from Amezketa looked tense and anxious, and was never afforded any space to act. Irujo bossed the game from start to finish, doing what he liked, when he liked. Pascual, his reliable partner, did not put a foot wrong, but was for the most part a bystander as the star of the show made hay. To make matters worse for Asegarce, Begino ended the match with stitches in his elbow after a collision with the wall.

Irujo and Pascual advance to Sunday’s final. The identity of their opponents hangs on tonight’s game between Bengoetxea VI – Patxi Ruiz and Olaizola I – Apraiz. If Bengoetxea and Ruiz win, they are through, thanks to the narrow victory over Titin and Barriola they already have in the bag. If they lose, Titin and Barriola may go through on points difference.

Scoring sequence: 0-1, 8-1, 8-2, 15-2, 15-3, 19-3, 19-4, 22-4

Winners: Irujo 13, Pascual 0, Saralegi 2, Begino 1

Service winners: Irujo 5

Errors: Irujo 1, Pascual 0, Saralegi 2, Begino 2

Match time: 43 minutes

Balls hit: 406

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