All matches were played at Mungia, (1)(2) the "Cathedral" of long court Pala (Pala Larga (1)(2)).
Complete tournament information (.pdf format, 11p), including match schedule and partnerships, rules of the tournament, and a listing of past winners going back to 2007. (Source: Munduko Pilota Batzarra).
Player table and information (Source: Munduko Pilota Batzarra). Note: the "dossier" link on this page connects to the above tournament information pamphlet.
InnPala Tournament page
Preview article: (mundodeportivo.com)
Preview article: (Deia)
2016 Final full match video: Fusto-Brefel defeated Gaubeka-Imanol 3-2 (10-8, 8-10, 10-6, 7-10, 10-7) (EITB). For those who are unfamiliar with the traditional long court game, this is a great example of it. For those who know and love the form, last year's final was, quite simply, a superb match.
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Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 17-18 ; Jornada 1: February 24, 2017 ; Jornada 2: March 3, 2017 (J2 links to full match video of both matches); Jornada 3 and 4 ; Jornada 5: March 17, 2017 ; Jornada 6: March 24, 2017; Final and 3rd Place Match: April 1, 2017 (Final and 3rd place links to full match videos of both matches).
Note: Source for all article links, unless otherwise specifically stated, is Munduko Pilota Batzarra (World Pilota Council). Usually MPB match articles are presented in both Basque and Castilian, using the same link. The articles appear first in Basque, and then below that in Castilian.
Individual joko scores source: InnPala Twitter feed, EITB, or Deia.
April 1, 2017
Mungia, (1)(2)
Final:
Fusto-Ibai Perez defeated Gaubeka-Imanol 3-2 (4-10, 9-10, 10-8, 10-8, 10-8) (43-44)
Video: final point and closing ceremony (EITB)
Full match video (EITB)
Preview article (Deia)
Match article (Deia)
Match article (mundodeportivo.com)
Match article (Munduko Pilota Batzarra)
Individual Joko Linescores (winners always listed 1st) (EITB)
J1: 0-1; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 4-2; 4-3; 4-4; 4-5; 4-6; 4-7; 4-8; 4-9; 4-10 (0-1) (121 balls in play)
J2: 0-1; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 2-3; 3-3; 4-3; 5-3; 5-4; 6-4; 6-5; 6-6; 7-6; 7-7; 8-7; 8-8; 9-8; 9-9; 9-10 (0-2) (184 bip)
J3: 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 3-1; 3-2; 3-3; 4-3; 5-3; 5-4; 6-4; 6-5; 7-5; 8-5; 9-5; 9-6; 9-7; 9-8; 10-8 (1-2) (146 bip)
J4: 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 3-3; 3-4; 4-4; 5-4; 6-4; 6-5; 6-6; 7-6; 8-6; 8-7; 9-7; 9-8; 10-8 (2-2) (110 bip)
J5: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 1-3; 1-4; 2-4; 2-5; 2-6; 3-6; 4-6; 5-6; 5-7; 5-8; 6-8 (F+); 7-8(F+); 8-8(F+); 9-8(IP service ace); 10-8(F+) (3-2) (177 bip)
Total balls in play (my count) 738.
balls in play: number of points
0-9: 54
10-19: 24
20-29: 8
41: 1
Scoring (Deia)
Fusto +18 -11; Ibai Perez +7 (including 4 service aces) -6 (including 1 service fault)
Gaubeka +16 -5; Imanol +11 (including 6 service aces) -12 (including 4 service faults)
Time of the match 1 hour and 27 minutes.
After last year's scintillating Final (scroll to the "Pala" painting), a 5 set battle that consumed over 550 balls in play and was not decided until the last 3 points of the last joko, one could have only hoped for something nearly as intense in this year's final. Well, we got more than we hoped for. Another 5 set battle with 3 of the same contestants (Ibai Perez replacing Brefel as Fusto's partner was the only change); a match in which 87 of a possible 95 points were contested (1 more than last year); a match which consumed (by my count) 738 balls in play as opposed to last year's 564 (EITB) and lasted nearly an hour and a half; a match in which 4 of the 5 jokos were decided by 2 points or less; a match in which 33 points consumed 10 or more balls in play, and 9 consumed more than 20 (compared to last year's 19 and 3 points respectively), and so on. It was a better match than last year's final, in my opinion, but watch them both and you will see some of the finest Pala you'll ever see.
At the heart of it all was Fusto. Ably supported by Ibai Perez (who has now won all three major Pala championships this season), Fusto simply would not be beaten "down the stretch." Down 5-8 in the last joko (beginning at 1:25:55 on the match video) he scored with a beautiful low left wall shot to end a 24 ball point, a two wall to the inside shot from the apron, a low and outside smash that was "too hot" for Gaubeka to handle to end a 21 ball point, and a high perfectly placed shot that Imanol couldn't quite get to. It was great play from a great player at the most important moment in the match. Fusto at his best, in my opinion.
The final joko was a microcosm of the whole match. It was dominated by G-I early, then brought back almost to equality, followed by a spurt by G-I that almost won the match, followed by the fireworks at the end. After G-I dominated the 1st joko with an 8-0 run to win 10-4 (successfully keeping Ibai Perez as far back as possible), and fought back from 8-9 to win the second joko, it seemed like this match was over. But over the course of the next two jokos, G-I found themselves in the lead only once over the course of 36 very hard fought points. During those 36 points, the biggest lead established was 4, once.
Everyone played well and the large crowd was "into" the match from start to finish. If you could see just one Pala match, this might be it. Both Fusto and Ibai Perez finished this tournament with 5 match wins and 2 losses. Both Gaubeka and Imanol finished at 4-3. Fusto won his 5th championship in this tournament and his 3rd in succession. It was Ibai Perez' 1st.
Third place match
Landeta-Gordon defeated Necol-Brefel 3-2 (10-6, 4-10, 6-10, 10-5, 10-9) (40-40)
Full match video (EITB) Match begins at 1:41:42 on the video.
Individual Joko Linescores (winners always listed 1st) (EITB)
J1: 1-0; 2-0; 2-1; 3-1; 4-1; 5-1; 6-1; 7-1; 8-1; 8-2; 8-3; 8-4; 9-4; 9-5; 9-6; 10-6 (1-0) (79 balls in play)
J2: 0-1; 0-2; 1-2; 1-3; 1-4; 2-4; 2-5; 3-5; 3-6; 4-6; 4-7; 4-8; 4-9; 4-10 (1-1) (60 bip)
J3: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 1-3; 2-3; 2-4; 3-4; 3-5; 3-6; 4-6; 5-6; 5-7; 6-7; 6-8; 6-9; 6-10 (1-2) (99 bip)
J4: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 1-3; 1-4; 1-5; 2-5; 3-5; 4-5; 5-5; 6-5; 7-5; 8-5; 9-5; 10-5; (2-2) (120 bip)
J5: 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 4-2; 5-2; 5-3; 5-4; 5-5; 5-6; 6-6; 6-7; 6-8; 7-8; 8-8; 9-8; 9-9; 10-9 (3-2) (122 bip)
480 balls in play
0-9: 66
10-19: 12
20-29: 2
Longest point: 26
Scoring (my judgments, yours may be different). Any serve not returned was considered a service ace. 3 Brefel service aces appeared to me to be return errors (2 by Gordon and 1 by Landeta). 2 Gordon service aces appeared to me to be return errors (both by Brefel).
Landeta +11 -6; Gordon +10 (including 3 service aces) -7 (including 3 service faults)
Necol +17 -11; Brefel +10 (including 6 service aces); -8
Brefel had the only 2 back wall rebotes in the match.
Time of the match: 1:02:42
This match was one that was dominated at different times by both teams. Then came the final joko. Each team seemed to pick up its intensity. At 8-6 N-B were almost home, but three great winners by Gordon and a beautiful smash by Landeta that Necol couldn't quite handle, sandwiched around a powerful Necol winner, gave both Landeta and Gordon their first win against 6 losses in the tournament. Both Necol and Brefel finished 4-3.
All in all, it was a wonderful day's play to end this traditional long court tournament.
===========================
Key: Player, W-win, L-loss, Joko Scores, Tournament points, Match record
Delanteros (Front Court)
Gaubeka (3-0, 0-3, 3-0, 3-2, 3-0, 2-3), 400 pts, 4-2
Fusto (3-0, 3-0, 0-3, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2), 380 pts, 4-2
Necol (0-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-2, 0-3, 3-2), 320 pts, 4-2
Landeta (0-3, 0-3, 0-3, 2-3, 1-3, 2-3), 100 pts, 0-6
Zagueros (Back Court)
Imanol (3-0, 3-0, 0-3, 2-3, 3-0, 3-2), 400pts, 4-2
Ibai Perez (3-0, 0-3, 3-0, 3-2, 3-1, 2-3), 380pts, 4-2
Brefel (0-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-2, 1-3, 3-2), 340pts, 4-2
Gordon (0-3, 0-3, 0-3, 2-3, 0-3, 2-3), 80pts. 0-6
===========================
Table of wins and losses for the 2016-2017 season.
Key: Player; Position (d=delantero (front court), z=zaguero (back court)); match wins-losses; joko (set) wins-losses; winning-losing streak; championships won. Matches that are single partidos will be noted. Table will be according to match winning percentage. 1st tie breaker will be number of wins. 2nd tie breaker will be joko win-loss differential. We begin the season with La Liga Kutxabank, starting October 29, 2016.
April 1, 2017--End of the Mundial Parejas
Championships: L=La Liga; MI-Mundial Individual; MP-Mundial Parejas
Gaubeka(d)......11-7....41-32...-2*....1(L)
Fusto(d)............12-8....43-37..+3.......1(MP)
Zubiri(d)...........8-8.....31-29...-3*
Necol(d)...........10-12...43-47...-1
Landeta(d)........6-13...31-46..+1
Ibai-Perez(z).....16-5....54-32..+1*....3(L, MI, MP)
Brefel(z)..............9-8....35-32...-1
Ibargari(z)..........8-8....32-31..+1
Imanol(z)...........7-11...33-39..-.1*
Gordon(z)..........7-14...32-50..+1
*Does not include the result of Nov.25, 2016 independent match Gaubeka--Ibai-Perez v Zubiri-Imanol. The result is unknown at this time. I will add it when I find it.
For cumulative accounting of this player table see the InnPala Player win-loss table under the Pala page on the right side of the blog.
Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 17-18 ; Jornada 1: February 24, 2017 ; Jornada 2: March 3, 2017 (J2 links to full match video of both matches); Jornada 3 and 4 ; Jornada 5: March 17, 2017 ; Jornada 6: March 24, 2017; Final and 3rd Place Match: April 1, 2017 (Final and 3rd place links to full match videos of both matches).
Individual joko scores source: InnPala Twitter feed, EITB, or Deia.
April 1, 2017
Mungia, (1)(2)
Final:
Fusto-Ibai Perez defeated Gaubeka-Imanol 3-2 (4-10, 9-10, 10-8, 10-8, 10-8) (43-44)
Video: final point and closing ceremony (EITB)
Full match video (EITB)
Preview article (Deia)
Match article (Deia)
Match article (mundodeportivo.com)
Match article (Munduko Pilota Batzarra)
Individual Joko Linescores (winners always listed 1st) (EITB)
J1: 0-1; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 4-2; 4-3; 4-4; 4-5; 4-6; 4-7; 4-8; 4-9; 4-10 (0-1) (121 balls in play)
J2: 0-1; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 2-3; 3-3; 4-3; 5-3; 5-4; 6-4; 6-5; 6-6; 7-6; 7-7; 8-7; 8-8; 9-8; 9-9; 9-10 (0-2) (184 bip)
J3: 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 3-1; 3-2; 3-3; 4-3; 5-3; 5-4; 6-4; 6-5; 7-5; 8-5; 9-5; 9-6; 9-7; 9-8; 10-8 (1-2) (146 bip)
J4: 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 3-3; 3-4; 4-4; 5-4; 6-4; 6-5; 6-6; 7-6; 8-6; 8-7; 9-7; 9-8; 10-8 (2-2) (110 bip)
J5: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 1-3; 1-4; 2-4; 2-5; 2-6; 3-6; 4-6; 5-6; 5-7; 5-8; 6-8 (F+); 7-8(F+); 8-8(F+); 9-8(IP service ace); 10-8(F+) (3-2) (177 bip)
Total balls in play (my count) 738.
balls in play: number of points
0-9: 54
10-19: 24
20-29: 8
41: 1
Scoring (Deia)
Fusto +18 -11; Ibai Perez +7 (including 4 service aces) -6 (including 1 service fault)
Gaubeka +16 -5; Imanol +11 (including 6 service aces) -12 (including 4 service faults)
Time of the match 1 hour and 27 minutes.
After last year's scintillating Final (scroll to the "Pala" painting), a 5 set battle that consumed over 550 balls in play and was not decided until the last 3 points of the last joko, one could have only hoped for something nearly as intense in this year's final. Well, we got more than we hoped for. Another 5 set battle with 3 of the same contestants (Ibai Perez replacing Brefel as Fusto's partner was the only change); a match in which 87 of a possible 95 points were contested (1 more than last year); a match which consumed (by my count) 738 balls in play as opposed to last year's 564 (EITB) and lasted nearly an hour and a half; a match in which 4 of the 5 jokos were decided by 2 points or less; a match in which 33 points consumed 10 or more balls in play, and 9 consumed more than 20 (compared to last year's 19 and 3 points respectively), and so on. It was a better match than last year's final, in my opinion, but watch them both and you will see some of the finest Pala you'll ever see.
At the heart of it all was Fusto. Ably supported by Ibai Perez (who has now won all three major Pala championships this season), Fusto simply would not be beaten "down the stretch." Down 5-8 in the last joko (beginning at 1:25:55 on the match video) he scored with a beautiful low left wall shot to end a 24 ball point, a two wall to the inside shot from the apron, a low and outside smash that was "too hot" for Gaubeka to handle to end a 21 ball point, and a high perfectly placed shot that Imanol couldn't quite get to. It was great play from a great player at the most important moment in the match. Fusto at his best, in my opinion.
The final joko was a microcosm of the whole match. It was dominated by G-I early, then brought back almost to equality, followed by a spurt by G-I that almost won the match, followed by the fireworks at the end. After G-I dominated the 1st joko with an 8-0 run to win 10-4 (successfully keeping Ibai Perez as far back as possible), and fought back from 8-9 to win the second joko, it seemed like this match was over. But over the course of the next two jokos, G-I found themselves in the lead only once over the course of 36 very hard fought points. During those 36 points, the biggest lead established was 4, once.
Everyone played well and the large crowd was "into" the match from start to finish. If you could see just one Pala match, this might be it. Both Fusto and Ibai Perez finished this tournament with 5 match wins and 2 losses. Both Gaubeka and Imanol finished at 4-3. Fusto won his 5th championship in this tournament and his 3rd in succession. It was Ibai Perez' 1st.
Third place match
Landeta-Gordon defeated Necol-Brefel 3-2 (10-6, 4-10, 6-10, 10-5, 10-9) (40-40)
Full match video (EITB) Match begins at 1:41:42 on the video.
Individual Joko Linescores (winners always listed 1st) (EITB)
J1: 1-0; 2-0; 2-1; 3-1; 4-1; 5-1; 6-1; 7-1; 8-1; 8-2; 8-3; 8-4; 9-4; 9-5; 9-6; 10-6 (1-0) (79 balls in play)
J2: 0-1; 0-2; 1-2; 1-3; 1-4; 2-4; 2-5; 3-5; 3-6; 4-6; 4-7; 4-8; 4-9; 4-10 (1-1) (60 bip)
J3: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 1-3; 2-3; 2-4; 3-4; 3-5; 3-6; 4-6; 5-6; 5-7; 6-7; 6-8; 6-9; 6-10 (1-2) (99 bip)
J4: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 1-3; 1-4; 1-5; 2-5; 3-5; 4-5; 5-5; 6-5; 7-5; 8-5; 9-5; 10-5; (2-2) (120 bip)
J5: 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 4-2; 5-2; 5-3; 5-4; 5-5; 5-6; 6-6; 6-7; 6-8; 7-8; 8-8; 9-8; 9-9; 10-9 (3-2) (122 bip)
480 balls in play
0-9: 66
10-19: 12
20-29: 2
Longest point: 26
Scoring (my judgments, yours may be different). Any serve not returned was considered a service ace. 3 Brefel service aces appeared to me to be return errors (2 by Gordon and 1 by Landeta). 2 Gordon service aces appeared to me to be return errors (both by Brefel).
Landeta +11 -6; Gordon +10 (including 3 service aces) -7 (including 3 service faults)
Necol +17 -11; Brefel +10 (including 6 service aces); -8
Brefel had the only 2 back wall rebotes in the match.
Time of the match: 1:02:42
This match was one that was dominated at different times by both teams. Then came the final joko. Each team seemed to pick up its intensity. At 8-6 N-B were almost home, but three great winners by Gordon and a beautiful smash by Landeta that Necol couldn't quite handle, sandwiched around a powerful Necol winner, gave both Landeta and Gordon their first win against 6 losses in the tournament. Both Necol and Brefel finished 4-3.
All in all, it was a wonderful day's play to end this traditional long court tournament.
===========================
Final League Table:
Key: Player, W-win, L-loss, Joko Scores, Tournament points, Match record
Delanteros (Front Court)
Gaubeka (3-0, 0-3, 3-0, 3-2, 3-0, 2-3), 400 pts, 4-2
Fusto (3-0, 3-0, 0-3, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2), 380 pts, 4-2
Necol (0-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-2, 0-3, 3-2), 320 pts, 4-2
Landeta (0-3, 0-3, 0-3, 2-3, 1-3, 2-3), 100 pts, 0-6
Zagueros (Back Court)
Imanol (3-0, 3-0, 0-3, 2-3, 3-0, 3-2), 400pts, 4-2
Ibai Perez (3-0, 0-3, 3-0, 3-2, 3-1, 2-3), 380pts, 4-2
Brefel (0-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-2, 1-3, 3-2), 340pts, 4-2
Gordon (0-3, 0-3, 0-3, 2-3, 0-3, 2-3), 80pts. 0-6
===========================
Table of wins and losses for the 2016-2017 season.
Key: Player; Position (d=delantero (front court), z=zaguero (back court)); match wins-losses; joko (set) wins-losses; winning-losing streak; championships won. Matches that are single partidos will be noted. Table will be according to match winning percentage. 1st tie breaker will be number of wins. 2nd tie breaker will be joko win-loss differential. We begin the season with La Liga Kutxabank, starting October 29, 2016.
April 1, 2017--End of the Mundial Parejas
Championships: L=La Liga; MI-Mundial Individual; MP-Mundial Parejas
Gaubeka(d)......11-7....41-32...-2*....1(L)
Fusto(d)............12-8....43-37..+3.......1(MP)
Zubiri(d)...........8-8.....31-29...-3*
Necol(d)...........10-12...43-47...-1
Landeta(d)........6-13...31-46..+1
Ibai-Perez(z).....16-5....54-32..+1*....3(L, MI, MP)
Brefel(z)..............9-8....35-32...-1
Ibargari(z)..........8-8....32-31..+1
Imanol(z)...........7-11...33-39..-.1*
Gordon(z)..........7-14...32-50..+1
*Does not include the result of Nov.25, 2016 independent match Gaubeka--Ibai-Perez v Zubiri-Imanol. The result is unknown at this time. I will add it when I find it.
For cumulative accounting of this player table see the InnPala Player win-loss table under the Pala page on the right side of the blog.
Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 17-18 ; Jornada 1: February 24, 2017 ; Jornada 2: March 3, 2017 (J2 links to full match video of both matches); Jornada 3 and 4 ; Jornada 5: March 17, 2017 ; Jornada 6: March 24, 2017; Final and 3rd Place Match: April 1, 2017 (Final and 3rd place links to full match videos of both matches).
