Tournoi de Bidart (1) (2), an EP 1000 tournament, was played on October 13 and 15, 2016.
Sources for all scores and stories: Esku Pilota. Source for match video: Esku Pilota Youtube page.
October 13, 2016:
Semi-finals
Larralde-Guichandut defeated Etchegaray-Bilbao 40-19
Ospital-Ducassou defeated Bielle-de Ezcurra 40-18
Match article for both matches
Though the article maintains that B-E played better than the score indicates, a quick look at the decade scores of each match shows that they were decided early and emphatically.
October 15, 2016:
Final
Larralde-Guichandut defeated Ospital-Ducassou 40-32.
Match article, including audio interviews with Larralde and Michael Palomes, and full match video
Full match video: (Esku Pilota Youtube site)
One of the more interesting facets of this match was that it was played on a "half-trinquet," a very small mur a gauche with a drop in side and back dugout. In some ways it was reminiscent of Trophee Atharee, played last May. In fact three of the four contestants in the final were the same (Ospital instead of Etchegaray being the only difference). That tournament was also played on a mur a gauche with a drop in back and side dugout. Watching the two matches emphasizes the small size of the Bidart court. And just as with the Atharee final, having the right side of the court open encourages quite a different game from the typical trinquet venue. This match was closely contested, with L-G always ahead, but O-D able to close to 31-34 before L-G finally finished it off. It featured the best front and back courter in Main Nue, along with arguably the best young front and back courters. Ospital and Guichandut have made great strides recently, and fans can only look forward in anticipation to future matchups, as these four attempt to separate themselves from the rest.
