Basque pelota blog in english – Dos paredes

Saturday 26th February, Pamplona

MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – MERINO II beat OLAIZOLA II – BEGINO 22-13

At the start of the competition, this scoreline would have seemed inconceivable, so ill at ease did the Irujo-Merino II partnership seem. However, they are coming into their own, just as Aimar and Begino appear to have, temporarily they hope, lost the plot. The former leaders have now lost three matches in a row, although there is no need to panic just yet, as they maintain second place on their own. The always well anticipated Irujo-Aimar duel failed to spark, as Aimar played at a level below his exalted best. Both forwards made early errors, but when they found their range mid way through the game, it was Irujo who came of slightly the better. He was ably supported by a Merino growing in confidence, who conceded only one error to Begino’s five. Irujo and Merino now sit in 5th, but are tied on points with Gonzalez and Laskurain in 3rd.

Scoring sequence: 0-1 1-1 2-2 4-4 9-6 10-9 11-1 17-11 17-13 22-13

Friday 25th February, Gernika

XALA – BARRIOLA beat BERASALUZE VIII – APRAIZ 22-14

There were no surprises in Gernika, as Xala and Barriola took their seventh victory to cement their place at the top of the standings. The favourites did not have it all their own way in the early exchanges, being forced to come back from 1-6 and 8-12, but they pulled level at 14-14 and lit the afterburners, employing the extra gear which they so often have at their disposal. Berasaluze and Apraiz failed to add to their score, as Barriola in particular underlined the Aspe partnership’s superiority. The victors are assured of a place in the last four, but it is over and out for their opponents, who despite a mid tournament flourish, have now lost six of their nine games.

Scoring sequence: 1-0 1-6 3-8 7-10 8-12 13-12 13-14 22-14.

Merino II and Irujo continue to grow as a pair

Image from Rioja2.com

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Saturday 8th January, Pamplona

OLAIZOLA II – BEGINO beat BENGOETXEA VI – PATXI RUIZ 22-16

In a tough encounter of 72 minutes and 692 balls, Aimar Olaizola and Aritz Begino battled their way past Oinatz Bengoetxea and Patxi Ruiz. On paper, this was a hard match to call, and was indeed close in the opening stages. The difference between the pairs lay in the backs, where Begino was far superior to Ruiz, who left Bengoetxea with little room for attack. Given the disparity behind him, a solid Olaizola was rarely forced into top gear as he and Begino moved beyond their opponents with eventual ease. Next week they face Irujo, assuming he is fit, and Merino II, serving up the always tantilising prospect of a clash between the two greatest forwards of our day.

Begino: pick of the bunch at Labrit

Image from Gara (Imanol OTEGI/ARGAZKI PRESS)

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Both Masters semi-finals took place this weekend and we now know the identity of the two pelotaris who will battle for the prestigious prize on Christmas day at Labrit. OINATZ BENGOETXEA progressed thanks AITOR ZUBIETA’s serious knee injury, which occurred during their match in Pamplona on Saturday. The Asegarce forward was 9-4 to the good when the accident happened, and had dominated the early stages, despite some expert defensive efforts from Zubieta, who was in the process of working his way into the game when his effort was cut short.

Scoring sequence: 6-0, 6-2, 9-2, 9-4. Service winners: Bengoetxea 0, Zubieta 2. Service faults: Bengoetxea 0, Zubieta 1. Winners: Bengoetxea 4, Zubieta 2. Errors: Bengoetxea 0, Zubieta 4. Match time: 22:12, with 6:21 of actual play.

Newly crowned Cuatro y Medio champion JUAN MARTINEZ DE IRUJO beat PATXI RUIZ 22-15 in Eibar on Sunday. Ruiz made by far the better start, going ahead 5-0 before his rival had had a chance to breathe. However, Irujo was unfazed, and staged the sort of comeback to which we have become used, taking the next five points to draw level. From this juncture, he never allowed himself to be headed, outdoing Ruiz for speed and invention. It was an uninspiring encounter, but Irujo met his objective with ease, and advances to another final.

Scoring sequence: 0-5, 7-5, 7-6, 13-6, 13-10, 20-10, 20-15, 22-15. Service winners: Irujo 7, Patxi Ruiz 3. Service faults: Irujo 0, Patxi Ruiz 0. Winners: Irujo 10, Patxi Ruiz 7. Errors: Irujo 5, Patxi Ruiz 4. Match time: 35:18, with 7:00 of actual play.

Bengoetxea and Irujo meet on Christmas Day

Image from Noticias de Navarra

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Saturday 11^th December, Pamplona

IDOATE beat MERINO II 22-7

Second Tier Cuatro y Medio Final

The second tier championships, which mirror their elite counterparts, aim to provide a stage for the brightest up and coming players, and this year’s Cuatro y Medio final achieved just that, pitting against each other two young men in their first year of professionalism. Both have turned heads since making their debuts, but here, 21 year old Mikel Idoate proved himself the pick of the crop with a thumping win. Law student Idoate juggles his time on the fronton with his studies, and has been in the top flight of pelota for a mere eight months.

20 year old Riojan David Merino found himself on the receiving end of Idoate’s dominance, and never found his stride, appearing as a duck out of water.  He started the match erratically and by the end was broken by his inability to make any inroads into the Idoate game, which was bolstered by an excellent serve and a potent volley, especially off the left. Merino, in probable desperation, entered into two arguments with the judges as well as a disagreement with his opponent, on his way to nine errors. His talent is undeniable and he will see better days, but on Saturday, Labrit was in the palm of Idoate’s hand.

Scoring sequence: 7-0, 7-2, 9-2, 9-3, 13-3, 13-4, 14-4, 14-6, 18-6, 18-7, 22-7.

Mikel Idoate: bursting with potential

Image from Diario de Navarra

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Saturday 27^th November, Pamplona

BARRIOLA beat TITIN III 22-15

Cuatro y Medio Semi Final

Barriola ended all hopes for Titin by winning the penultimate semi final game on Saturday, and in doing so made himself the favourite to face Irujo in the last two. The versatile defender from Leitza took the game by the scruff of the neck from the outset, and left Titin reeling at 4-15 down. Barriola played at a staggering pace, in a different league to his opponent both in the serve and in the rally, and whipped balls past Titin from all angles. The Riojan was wounded, but is a dangerous beast when afflicted, and he fought back into the game with incredible tenacity. He found a new gear against the odds, and pegged the gap back to 10-15. But Barriola, like an expensive car, purred back into action and moved relentlessly towards 22, racing to 18-10 and 19-13. Titin again came within five points at 15-20 but the gulf was simply too wide to overcome, and Barriola ended his run in the competition with a ruthless flourish, racking up his thirteenth winner to Titin’s seven.

Although Titin must leave, having lost all three of his semi final games, he put on a impressive fighting display here, and can hold his head high. Barriola was classy in the extreme and on this showing could worry Irujo, by whom he was beaten last week. First however, he had to wait for the outcome of the game between Gonzalez and Irujo on Sunday, as a win for the former by a margin of six points or more, would mean curtains for Barriola as well.

Match time: 52.40 (actual playing time: 11.43)

Balls hit: 251

Service winners: Titin: 1, Barriola: 4

Winners: Titin: 6, Barriola: 9

4 ½ line errors: Titin:1, Barriola: 1

Errors: Titin: 7, Barriola: 6

Victory for Abel Barriola

Image from Gara

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Saturday 20^th November, Pamplona

MARTINEZ DE IRUJO beat BARRIOLA 22-16

Cuatro y Medio Semi Final

Juan Martinez de Irujo has one foot in the final after a pulsating match against Abel Barriola at Labrit on Saturday. The game had been eagerly anticipated all week by press and fans alike, and the two players did not disappoint, launching into a game oozing with star quality. Barriola, the marginal underdog, dominated the early part of the match, sweeping to a 10-2 lead, and playing like a brick wall through which nothing could pass. Many times in his career, Irujo has found a way back from dire straits, but here the task looked near impossible, with the magisterial defender utterly on top. However, Irujo is a phenomenon, and come back he did, to break the hearts of travelling fans from Leitza. Irujo swamped him in a whirlwind of virtuosity and raced, improbably, to his second win of the semi final stage. All is not lost for Barriola, who defeated Gonzalez last week. He plays Titin, who is out, this weekend, with a final berth there for the taking, though its ultimate destination will depend on how Gonzalez fares against Irujo; the odds are against him, but he has of course done it before, in last year’s final.

Irujo can never be counted out, even when eight points down

Image from: Forex

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Saturday 13th November, Pamplona

BARRIOLA beat GONZALEZ 22-17

Cuatro y Medio Semi Final

Abel Barriola is going like a proverbial train in this year’s Cuatro y Medio. Of the four semi finalists, he is the only one who has had to reach the last four by coming through the rounds, the other three having entered at the quarter final stage. He had recorded easy wins over Saralegi, Bengoetxea VI and Retegi Bi in the previous weeks, but this was the biggest scalp of all, for the man from Leitza wore the defending champion down on Saturday, striking from behind with the determination of a possible champion elect. Gonzalez must now win both of his remaining semi final matches, while Barriola has the luxury of rather more leeway.

Although Barriola was clearly the best player in the end, the win did not come easily, and indeed he was behind and ailing in the first portion of the match. Gonzalez dominated the fronton in the early stages, and Barriola looked ill at ease, going behind 3-7 and 4-9. He scrapped hard to close the deficit to three points at 7-10, and then hit the afterburners, adding seven points with no reply to reach 13-10. From there on in, there was no escape route for Gonzalez, who although he came within one point on two occasions, was shut down by Barriola. The majority of Barriola’s six errors came in the first part of the game, but from the mid point on, he was transformed, hitting winners at will, while Gonzalez made ever more mistakes.

Barriola is a peerless competitor, a player who is never vanquished even when in serious arrears. It was his determination to succeed which put him on top here, and although Irujo is still the favourite for the crown, ones feels that Barriola is gathering a head of steam. There will be an early chance to see how they match up, as they play each other in Eibar on Sunday.

Scoring sequence: 0-1, 3-1, 3-7, 4-7, 4-9, 7-9, 7-10, 13-10, 13-12, 14-12, 14-13, 18-13, 18-16, 21-16, 21-17, 22-17.

Winners: Barriola 7, Gonzalez 10

Errors: Barriola 6, Gonzalez 9

Service winners: Barriola 4, Gonzalez 1

Service faults: Barrriola 0, Gonzalez 1

4 ½ errors: Barriola 0, Gonzalez 1

Source: Diario Vasco

Barriola: down but never out

Image from: El Correo, by Eduardo Argote

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My blog was out of action for a while, and then there was a Tour de France related hiatus on my part, so my report of the San Fermin Pairs Final rather fell by the wayside. However, belatedly, I can report that the showpiece was won by Asegarce pair Oinatz Bengoetxea and Patxi Ruiz, who defeated Titin and Inigo Pascual in a surprisingly one sided final. The 22-12 scoreline was an accurate reflection of a game in which the Aspe duo never really gained a foothold, in the face of some quick-witted, inventive and brutally accurate play from Bengoetxea, who looked better than he has all year. Ruiz too appeared a pelotari reborn, offering sterling support to his forward partner, who struck nine winners on the way to a compherensive win. The pair looked justly delighted, revelling in their success and also no doubt the party atmosphere of the final night of the great Pamplona festival.

EiTB has a video summary of the match here

Success for Oinatz and Patxi

Image from: Noticias de Alava, by Patxi Cascante

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22:25 (CEST) TITIN III – PASCUAL v BENGOETXEA VI – PATXI RUIZ

Tonight sees not only the culmination of the world famous San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, but the climax of the prestigious pelota tournament which accompanies it. Labrit, the city’s historic fronton, will be packed with fans and revellers alike tonight, as Augusto Ibanez (Titin III) and Inigo Pascual take on Oinatz Bengoetxea and Patxi Ruiz for the prize, in one of the biggest tournaments outside of the three major championships.

Titin came through Group B playing alongside Abel Barriola, but he is forced to miss the final with sore hands. Pascual should prove an able substitute, though that will be no comfort to Barriola, who appears to be regaining his form after his long injury layoff. They reached the final thanks to a tense 22-21 win over Martinez de Irujo and Beroiz on Monday, in sweltering conditions. They had previously defeated Saralegi and Apraiz 22-9.

Bengoetxea and Patxi Ruiz experienced a tough ride through Group A, and showed great character to remain unbeaten. Both their matches, first against Berasaluze VIII and Begino (22-20) and then against Gonzalez and Zubieta (22-19) were tight.

Logic suggests Titin and Pascual will be favourites. Despite coming in at short notice, Pascual is a regular partner of Titin so there will be no problems of coordination. Titin is clearly in form, and few have beaten Irujo in recent months. However, although Bengoetxea has not been at his best this year, this run suggests a growing confidence, and Titin will have to overcome his never say die attitude and scrapping defence to reach 22. A grand occasion is on the cards.

To watch, visit http://www.eitb.com/television/etb-sat

Inigo Pascual steps in for Barriola at San Fermin

Image from: Diario de Navarra

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Friday 9th July, Pamplona

22:30 (CEST) DIAZ – ESKUDERO v APEZETXEA – LARRINAGA

23:40 (CEST) BERASALUZE VII – BEGINO v BENGOETXEA VI – PATXI RUIZ Torneo San Fermin

Sunday 11th July, Pamplona

17:30 (CEST) IBAI PEREZ – CECILIO v RICO IV – ESKUDERO

18:35 (CEST) GONZALEZ – ZUBIETA v BENGOETXEA VI – PATXI RUIZ Torneo San Fermin

All these matches can be viewed at http://www.eitb.com/television/etb-sat

Pamplona turns white and red this week, and there is action on the fronton as well as in the streets

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