Filed under: Pelota Mano
As is usual, there are matches on ETB-Sat (http://www.eitb.com/etb-sat) on both Friday and Sunday this weekend. We kick off with a 2nd tier Cuatro y Medio semi final tonight before indulging in three intriguing doubles encounters.
Friday 27th November, Zaldibar
22:30 (CET) MENDIZABAL v MERINO I (2nd tier 4 ½ semi final)
23:50 (CET) TITIN – LASKURAIN v BERASALUZE IX – ZUBIETA
Sunday 29th November, Remontival, Estella
17:25 (CET) AGIRRE – IBAI ZABALA v DIAZ – URRIZELKI
18:30 (CET) OLAIZOLA II – PATXI RUIZ v BENGOETXEA VI – BEGINO
For live updates and results, visit http://www.pelotalive.com. I will write a review of the 2nd tier Cuatro y Medio tournament so far and preview the final next week. Suffice to say that for the moment, Merino is out of the running meaning that two of Argote (played 2/won 2), Mendizabal (2/1) or Urrutikoetxea (2/1) will contest the final on 5th December. This weekend’s untelevised semi final will be between Argote and Urrutikoetxea in Pamplona tomorrow (Saturday).
Aratz Mendizabal
Image from: http://www.goierrikohitza.info/argazkiak/egunekoak/2008-11-30/p00006009.jpg
Six pelotaris will dispute the BBK Masters in December. Representing ASPE will be Juan Martinez de Irujo, Sebastian Gonzalez and Yves Salaberry (Xala). Asegarce have nominated Aimar Olaizola and Oinatz Bengoetxea; their third player will be decided in a play-off between Patxi Ruiz and Aritz Begino on 7th December. The prize for the winner will be 18,000 Euros, with 12,000 Euros going to the losing finalist. Last year’s winner was Martinez de Irujo, who beat Abel Barriola to take the top prize.
Source: Asegarce
Filed under: Pelota Mano | Tags: 4 1/2, Astelena, Cuatro y Medio, Eibar, Martinez de Irujo, Titin III
Sunday 22nd November, Astelena, Eibar
MARTINEZ DE IRUJO beat TITIN III 22-11
Sebastian Gonzalez must have girded up his loins for a tense afternoon on Sunday, as the result of the match between Titin III and Juan Martinez de Irujo had a direct bearing on whether he himself would reach the final. As things turned out, by game’s mid point, he may well have been relaxing contentedly with a cup of tea as Irujo’s dominance was never in doubt. For Titin it was victory or quits and the latter was, emphatically, his destiny.
Astelena was packed to the rafters for what many believed would be one of the matches of the championship. Irujo and Titin are both renowned for the intensity both of their play and of their demeanour and with so much at stake matters seemed set to be white hot. The crowd, who bedecked the arena in banners and Riojan flags, were primed for a fight but were left unfulfilled, for there was nothing Titin could do to quench Irujo’s fire. For at least the first four points, affairs were close as the players traded both blows and errors to find themselves locked at 2-2. From that point on however, Irujo located the accelerator and went. The man from Ibero moved from 5-4 to 17-4 with seamless ease. This period of play was peppered with errors by Titin, including a moment of clouded judgement when he left a ball he thought was long. Irujo for his part hit winners at will, mixing powerful hooks and deft drops in a display of breathtaking pace and utter confidence. Titin, who usually appears furious and incredulous when under the cosh, could muster only disbelief and resignation.
However, Titin would not be Titin without the stomach for a battle and the Riojan mustered a fightback of sorts. He broke Irujo’s incredible run of points when the latter could not scoop up a dipping ball close to the frontis, and won the next two in quick time with a dosparedes and a long service return from Irujo. Irujo took back the initiative and advanced to 19-7, almost within touching distance of the final, but his opponent was not yet done and reacted with four points in a row courtesy of a string of uncharacteristic errors from his opponent. But any doubts about Irujo’s ability to close out the match were swiftly dispelled. Titin rallied impressively but in reality the die was cast; two more errors from Titin followed by a signature hook and the game was up.
This was an impressively clinical display from Irujo who knew precisely what he had to do and did the job without a flicker of self doubt. While Gonzalez must be delighted with his final ticket, part of him must be quaking at the thought of playing an Irujo in such rampant form. Irujo finds himself in his third major final of the year and Gonzalez is the only man between him and a clean sweep. The two will meet at Atano III on 8th December.
Scoring sequence: 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 5-2, 5-4, 17-4, 17-7, 19-7, 19-11 and 22-11.
Irujo: clinical
Image from: El Correo Digital
Filed under: Pelota Mano | Tags: 4 1/2, Cuatro y Medio, Gonzalez, Labrit, Pamplona, Retegi Bi
Saturday 21st November, Labrit, Pamplona
GONZALEZ beat RETEGI BI 22-12
This weekend was a tense affair for at least three of the pelotaris involved in the Cuatro y Medio semi finals, for the two tickets to the final depended on a series of outcomes. Sebastian Gonzalez, having lost to Titin III last week, had to beat Retegi Bi at Labrit on Saturday to progress. However, even victory there was not a guarantee, for if Titin were to beat Martinez de Irujo a day later, the cause would be lost. Retegi Bi, for his part, had a mathematical chance of qualification but it would have taken the miracle of a 22-2 victory for this to come to pass. Realistically he knew this was a task beyond the herculean, but he was understandably determined to have at least one victory to show for his time in the semi finals.
Gonzalez delivered on his side of the bargain and there was nothing Julen Retegi could do to stop the rot. Within two minutes, Gonzalez had raced to a 3-0 lead and condemned his young opponent to a winless exit. The result was never in serious doubt as the man from Donibane struck cleanly and dominated with his well practised combination of deep serve followed by hook winner. The match suffered from predictability and only seriously caught fire when a collision between the two players sparked a three way protest between the two players and Julen’s father and botillero, Julian Retegi, leading to a replay of the point. But this was of transient importance as Gonzalez took the victory 22-12.
Gonzalez therefore was left in limbo, having done all he could. An Irujo victory on Sunday would put him through to the coveted final but a win for Titin would send him packing. Retegi must surely be disappointed at his performance in the semi finals but must take heart from the way he got there, beating a bafflingly off colour Aimar Olaizola with play worthy of his eventual position. There is surely more to come from the promising son of the famous father.
Scoring sequence: 3-0, 3-2, 8-2, 8-4, 11-4, 11-5, 14-5, 14-7, 16-7, 16-9, 19-9, 19-12 and 22-12.
Written with the partial help of Noticias de Alava
Gonzalez won but was forced to wait
Image from Diario Vasco
Filed under: Pelota Mano
This weekend there is a veritable feast of pelota mano on ETB-Sat (http://www.eitb.com/etb-sat) with tonight’s 2nd tier Cuatro y Medio semi final in Muskiz and both matches in the 1st tier contest being shown on the web channel. Details are below.
Friday 20th November, Muskiz
22:30 (CET) MERINO v URRUTIKOETXEA 2nd tier Cuatro y Medio semi final
23:35 (CET) BERASALUZE VIII – BELOKI v OLAIZOLA II – OTXANDORENA
Saturday 21st November, Labrit, Pamplona
18:00 (CET) BERASALUZE VIII – PENAGARIKANO v SARALEGI – MENDIZABAL II
17:05 (CET) GONZALEZ v RETEGI BI Cuatro y Medio semi final
Sunday 22nd November, Astelena, Eibar
16:55 (CET) ARITZ LASA – PASCUAL v BERASALUZE IX – LASKURAIN
18:05 (CET) MARTINEZ DE IRUJO v TITIN III Cuatro y Medio semi final
Neo pro Urrutikoetxea plays tonight in Muskiz
Image from: El Correo Digital
Filed under: Pelota Mano | Tags: 4 1/2, Astelena, Cuatro y Medio, Eibar, Gonzalez, Titin III
Sunday 15th November, Astelena, Eibar
TITIN III beat GONZALEZ 22-17
Astelena was full to the rafters on Sunday evening for a game of high intensity between Augusto Ibanez and Sebastian Gonzalez. It was an encounter which had far reaching ramifications for the makeup of the championship final; had Gonzalez won, his place would have been assured, but it is Titin who now finds himself in the box seat in the fight to reach the endgame. Gonzalez and Irujo are squarely in the battle while Retegi Bi is all but out.
The game hung on a knife edge for the first eighteen points, after which the protagonists were tied at nine apiece. Both had appeared nervous in the opening plays, the first three points being won through rather unecessary errors. However, both found their stride and the crowd, many of whom had made the trip from Rioja to support Titin, was treated to some scintillating shot making. As befits a match where the stakes are so high, the tussle had its fair share of controversy as the players twice collided, sparking protests of obstruction from each in turn. The drama increased when Titin was forced to leave the fronton following a blow to the head as he dived. Far from knocking his confidence, the incident seemed to spur him on to greater things as he immediately pulled a crosscourt winner right out of the top drawer. For the rest of the encounter, Titin managed to keep his nose fractionally in front of Gonzalez, who missed some key chances to take control.
Titin, as is his wont, played with seething controlled aggression and will surely trouble Juan Martinez de Irujo when they meet on Sunday in the same arena. Expect a white hot evening.
Scoring sequence: 0-1/ 1-1/ 1-2/ 2-2/ 3-2/ 3-3/ 3-7/ 8-7/ 8-8/ 8-9/ 9-9/ 13-9/ 13-11/ 14-11/ 15-11/ 15-12/ 17-12/ 17-14/ 18-14/ 18-17/ 19-17/ 22-17
Titin rampant
Image from: Diario Vasco
Filed under: Pelota Mano
The following fixtures are all available to watch via http://www.eitb.com/television/etb-sat
Friday 13th November, Amorebieta
22:30 (CET) XALA – LASA III v OLAZABAL – ZUBIETA
23:45 (CET) MENDIZABAL v URRUTIKOETXEA Second Division 4 1/2 Semi Final
Sunday 15th November, Astelena, Eibar
16:50 (CET) BERASALUZE IX – BEROIZ v ARITZ LASA – PASCUAL
18:00 (CET) GONZALEZ v TITIN III 4 1/2 Semi Final
The other 4 1/2 semi final will take place tomorrow, Saturday 14th November, at Labrit and will be between MARTINEZ DE IRUJO and RETEGI BI. Go to http://www.pelotalive.com for live updates.
Filed under: Pelota Mano | Tags: 4 1/2, Cuatro y Medio, Gonzalez, Martinez de Irujo, Zarautz
Saturday 7th November, Zarautz: GONZALEZ beat MARTINEZ DE IRUJO 22-19
The first encounter of the Cuatro y Medio semi-finals went against the head in Zarautz last Friday as Sebastian Gonzalez got the better of tournament favourite Juan Martinez de Irujo. It was a thrilling match, played in front of an enthusiastic and vociferous crowd. Both participants moved the ball with speed and power and played excellently in defence. Gonzalez, against expectations, managed to keep his nose ahead for the whole match, building up an excellent start which saw him take a 7-1 lead. Irujo ran him closer as the game progressed and played many excellent shots, but in the final analysis it was Gonzalez who showed the greater finesse.
Scoring sequence: 1-7/3-7/3-8/ 5-10/ 12-13/ 13-14/ 14-18/ 15-20/ 19-20/ 19-22
Source: ASPE
Irujo and Gonzalez did battle in Zarautz
Image from: Diario Vasco
Filed under: Pelota Mano
Tonight on http://www.eitb.com/television/etb-sat there is a tie from the quarter finals of the 2nd tier Cuatro y Medio championship. For overall standings see here. This is preceeded by a doubles game. Timings are as follows:
Friday 6th November, Urretxu
22.30 (CET) XALA – LASKURAIN v ARITZ LASA – PASCUAL
23.45 (CET) ARGOTE v CABRERIZO II
On Sunday there is a Cuatro y Medio Championship semi final on etb-sat, preceeded by a doubles match:
Sunday 8th November, Astelena, Eibar
16:55 (CET) BERASALUZE IX – ZUBIETA v OLAZABAL – EULATE
18:00 (CET) TITIN III – RETEGI BI
The other Cuatro y Medio semi final tie, which will not be broadcast on the web, is on Saturday (c. 19:00 CET) in Zarautz, and is between MARTINEZ DE IRUJO and GONZALEZ. For live updates, visit http://www.pelotalive.com/en/index.php
