Tournoi de Garindein, (1) (2), an EP 1000 tournament, was played September 23, 25, 2016.
Source for semi-final Scores: Esku Pilota Results page. Scroll to date. Match article source: Esku Pilota. Match video source: Esku Pilota Youtube page.
September 23:
Semi Finals
Ospital-Ducassou defeated Etchegaray-Guichandut 40-23
Larralde-Amulet defeated Waltary-Bilbao 40-32
September 25:
Final
Ospital-Ducassou defeated Larralde-Amulet 40-37.
Match article, including audio interviews with Ducassou and Amulet
Full match video
Selected linescore (winner always listed first)
6-6; 7-7; 8-8; 9-9; 11-11; 14-14; 32-20; 35-34; 36-34; 40-37
For the third time in less than 2 weeks, the final of an EP 1000 tournament was decided within the last 3 points of the match. As the selected linescore shows, the early part of the match was very competive before O-D took command. The first turning point came at the 31-20 to 32-20 point (48:39--49:02)
At the end of the point Amulet painfully turned his ankle (his response is clearly audible). He was off the trinquet receiving treatment for 10 minutes before he came back. His return coincided with a tremendous comeback by L-A, a 14-3 run that brought his team to within one point of equality.
What followed was not only the second turning point of the match, but the longest Basque Pelota point I have seen (1:09:12-1:13:24). The point beginning at 35-34 consumed 98 balls in play. In the course of the point, the following excellent plays were made to keep the point going,
21st ball--Amulet
30--Ospital
43--Larralde
51--Amulet
53--Larralde
62--Ospital--a diving play that was probably the best play of the point
65--Larralde
72--Ospital
90--Ospital
98--Ospital shoots a cross court winner
A point like that should have broken the backs of the team that lost it. Not so with L-A. From that point they fought back to 38-37. The next point consumed 68 balls and over 3 minutes (1:18:24-1:21:38). Interestingly, it was fairly routine until the latter stages when the following great plays saved the point
51st ball--Amulet
59--Larralde
66--Ducassou
67--Amulet
68--Ducassou shoots a perfect low shot to the right side for the winner that did finally settle the match.
But not before a final point that consumed 43 balls (1:22:15-1:24:23) and was concluded by a great long filet shot by Ducassou.
Those three points (70, 76, 77) alone consumed 209 balls in play. All of them were won by D-O.
