Main Nue: FFPB CDC Elite Pro par Equipe--Week 2--March 12-13

The Main Nue Elite Pro par Equipe (pairs) Championnat de France A and B competition is sponsored by the  Federation Francaise de Pelote Basque (FFPB). The competition began on March 3, 2017 and ends on May 7, 2017. You can follow its progress here (link to "resultats" from the FFPB home  page).  Pelotelive.free.fr also provides A and B coverage. The tournaments have a "poule" phase, a single round robin, followed by a playoff system which is so byzantine that I will make no attempt to explain it because I can't. It is the most complex playoff system I have seen in my short time following these fascinating BP tournaments. Go to the FFPB site listed above and read P. 3 of the "resultats" booklet. See how clear it is to you. For now, we will just follow along and deal with the playoff system when we get to it.

*  not listed on the Esku Pilota player pages at this time.

Groupe A

Peio Larralde-Bixintxo Bilbao; Agusti Waltary-Peio Guichandut; Mathieu Ospital-Baptiste Ducassou; Julien Etchegaray-Vincent Lazcano; Alexis Inchauspe-Anton Amulet; Philippe Bielle-Ximun Lambert

Groupe B:

Laurent.Lambert-Mickael Palomes; Vincent Elgart-Pascal de Ezcurra; Mattin Olcomendy*-Jean-Philippe Bennesse, Antton Monce-Cedric Lucu

Source for all match articles, unless otherwise specifically stated, is pilota-ttiki.com. Thus far, most Pilota Ttiki match articles are incorporated into the Pelotelive.free.fr match pages. I will link to them, for ease of access when they are.

Week 1: March 3-4, 2017

Week 2: March 12-13

March 12

Lohitzun (1) (2)

Preview article for both matches

A4: Ospital-Ducassou defeated Bielle-Lambert 40-34

Match Statistics (scoring, equalities, decade linescores--spreadsheet format) (Source: Esku Pilota) (Added March 17, 2017)

Selected linescore: (winners always listed 1st)

7-10: 10-13; 14-15; 15-20; 22-25; 28-28; 40-34

A5: Larralde-Bilbao defeated Inchauspe-Amulet 40-18

Selected linescore: (winners always listed 1st)

10-2; 20-5; 30-10; 40-18

Match statistics (scoring, equalities, decade linescores--spreadsheet format) (Source: Esku Pilota) (Added March 17, 2017)

Match article for both matches along with a link to full match video for the L-B v I-A match .

L-B v I-A full match video can also be accessed directly via Bixintxo Bilbao's Youtube site. The match video is a condensed full match video, with only the points. It runs less than 1/2 hour.

The matches were of contrasting difficulty but both the favorites ended up on top. O-D trailed during the first half of their match and didn't reach equality until 28. But from there they took over with a 12-6 run to seal the victory. L-B's victory was much easier on the scoreboard, but many of the points were hotly contested, as the match video shows. At each 10 points L-B increased their lead. Larralde's shot making was excellent, as usual. His hard deep right side serve earned many points for his team. Bilbao showed great mobility, roaming all over the court. I-A had a few bright moments, but were really never in contention.

March 13, 2017

Le Garat, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port  (1!)(2)

Preview article

A6: Waltary-Guichandut defeated Etchegaray-Lazcano 40-26

Match Statistics  (scoring, equlities, decade linescores--spreadsheet format) (Source: Esku Pilota) (Added March 17, 2017)

Match article

Brief match article (Garat Lundi Page). The match article will only be available until next week's "Lundi" match. Here is what it said.

Etchegaray et Lazcano ont été dominés par les puissants Waltary et Guichandut.
Belle partie avec des points remarquables : double fête du filet et du pan-coupé.
Assistance nombreuse.
Mention spéciale à Guichandut!

Loose English Google Translation:

Etchegaray and Lazcano were dominated by the powerful Waltary and Guichandut.
Nice match with remarkable points: double festival of the net and the pan-cut.
Numerous assistance.
Special mention to Guichandut!

Full table at the end of play March 13

For cumulative records of Main Nue elite professionals see the "Cumulative records of EP players" on the recurring results page on the right side of the blog.

For other match videos in other FFPB 2017 Championnat de France competitions see the FFPB CDF 2016-2017 National A and B match videos page on the right side of the blog.