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Thursday, September 29, 2016

Main Nue--Final Summary of spring and summer tournaments

Below you will find a summary of the winners of the major 2016 Main Nue late spring and summer tournaments in the North Basque Country. (Sources: Esku Pilota and  Federation Francaise de Pelote Basque) Links to full match videos of final matches (when available) are provided for your convenience. ** next to the match means part or all of the competition was covered in this blog. Search by title of competition or title of the final, or click on the label "Main Nue" on the right side of the blog page to find relevant blog posts, which may contain other full match videos and articles. Source for all match video, unless otherwise specifically stated, is Esku Pilota Youtube site.

* Players not listed on the Esku Pilota roster at present

Esku Pilota EP 2000

**Masters de Bayonne: Larralde-Guichandut

Esku Pilota EP 1000

Trophee Atharri (Itxassou): Larralde-Guichandut

**Challenge Elhina (Amendaritz): Larralde-Harismendy

**Tournoi Hoberenak (Arcangues) Waltary-Bilbao v Larralde-Ducassou  (W-B lead 16-13 when Larralde suffered an ankle injury that forced him to retire. The entire match will be replayed in October.

**Tournoi de Cambo les Bains: Ospital-Ducassou

**Tournoi Chilhar de Souraide: Larralde-Ducassou 

**Turnois de Larrau--Trophee Betzula: Ospital-Ducassou (note: at 1:09:26 move the slider bar to 1:22:39 for full sound replay)

**Trophee Puyodebat (Larressore): Ospital-de Ezcurra

**Trophee Paries (Sare): Larralde-de Ezcurra

**Tournoi de Mendionde: Larralde-de Ezcurra (final 3 points only)

**Tournoi de Garindein: Ospital-Ducassou

Esku Pilota EP 500:

**Trophee de la Rune (Ascain): Ducassou

**Trophee Intersports-(Saint-Jean-de-Luz): Monce-Guichandut

**Tournoi Intermarche Pays Basque (Medionde): Inchauspe-Bennesse*

**Tournoi De La Magdeleine (Saint Palais): Ospital-de Ezcurra

**Tournoi Espela d'Espelette: Elgart-Guichandut

**Tournoi d'Ascain: Inchauspé-de Ezcurra

Esku Pilota:

Trophee de Cize (Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port): Larralde-de Ezcurra

**Tournee de Commercants de Bayonne: Aguirre-Iturbe* (match joined early in progress)

**Meste du Marcat (Peyrehorade) Ospital  (1st 7 points and final 5 points of the match only)  (Source: Daniel du Peyrehorade Sport Facebook page via pelotelive.free.fr) Remember to click on "desactiver" below the video before viewing to turn off pfp's auto refresh feature.

Esku Pilota (Fronton Place Libre):

**Trophee Esku Pilota (Sare) Etxeto*-Cubiat*

FFPB:

**Grand Semaine: (Fronton Place Libre) National A Seniors Final--Irisartarrak--Irissarry (Red)

A selection of Mammoth points--through Feb. 22, 2017

Note: this page is now also available with the recurring results pages on the right side of the blog.

The  recent Tournoi de Garindein Main Nue final was amazing in the ferocity of the fight for points in the latter stage of the match that led to points with 43, 68, and 98 balls in play. Some may say that long points are boring, lets get on with it, etc. In my opinion these long points are one of the best things about Basque Pelota. That these players are able to keep a point going for so long is a testament to their talent, fitness, strength, and psychological toughness. Watching such points is like watching a match within a match.

In that spirit, I would like to present the longest points I have seen in the short time I have been watching these sports. These, of course, are not the longest points ever played. They are just the longest ones I have seen and counted. Note: for the EITB points below (Mano, Pala, Remonte, and Partido Jai Alai), you must use the slider bar below the video to move to the time given for the beginning of the point. For the other points, in theory, you should be taken directly to the point. If that doesn't work, use the times to move the slider bar to the beginning of  the points.

Some of the Youtube links in this post may return a "Youtube Page can't be found--reload message." If you hit the reload button, the video should resolve.

Main Nue:  Tournois de Garindein Final in September 2016. Ospital-Ducassou v Larralde-Amulet 35-34. 98 balls in play. (1:09:12-1:13:24). 36-34. O-D won 40-37.  (Source: Esku Pilota Youtube site).

Mano: Antiguako Pilota Txapleketa Amateur Finals played at Donastia (San Sebastian) in August 2016. Zubizarreta-Salaverry (red) v Salaberria-Eskiroz (blue). 1st point of the match. 91 balls in play. Z-S 1-0. (32:01-36:06 on the video) Z-S won 22-15. (Source: EITB).

1. Pala: The below listed longest point was surpassed twice in the same match, In the final of La Liga Kutzabank, played at Bilbo (Bilbao) in January 2017. (Added February 11, 2017).

A. Joko 1: Point beginning 4-3 Gaubeka--Ibai-Perez. 50 balls in play (11:42-13:50). 5-3 G--I-P. G--I-P won 3-0 (10-4, 10-7, 10-9).

B. Joko 2: Point beginning 0-0. 68 balls in play (20:22-23:16). 1-0 G--I-P (Source for both points: EITB) G--I-P won the match 3-0 (10-4, 10-7, 10-9).

2. Pala: Bizkaia Open Final played at Bilbo (Bilbao) in June of 2016. Necol--Ibai-Perez v Zubiri-Imanol. 3rd Joko (set). Point beginning at 2-0 N-I. 49 balls in play (1:36:14-1:38:20). 3-0 N-I. N-I won the match 3-1 (10-6, 5-10, 10-8, 10-9). (Source: EITB).

Palete Pelote de Gomme Pleine (Trinquet): Federation Francaise de Pelote Basque 2017 Championnat de France National A Final, February 2017. Luzean (Saint Jean de Luz) (Ramuntcho Amestoy-Stéphane Suzanne--red) v Section Paloise (Pau) (Olivier Laberdesque-Baptiste Hourçourigaray--white). Point beginning 15-20 Pau. 61 balls in play (16:12-18:33). 15-21. Luzean won the match, 40-37. (Source: Tout sur la Pelote Basque Youtube). (Added February 22, 2017).

Jai Alai/Cesta Punta (Quinella): Dania Jai/Alai, June 2016. Final point of an 8 team doubles match. Erik-Urbieta (white) v Iturbide-Leke (red). 39 balls in play (11:18-13:54). E-U won the point and match.

Jai Alai/Cesta Punta (Partido): Internationaux Cesta Punta SLAM final, played at Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Donibane Lohizune) in August 2016. Beaskoetxea-Irastorza v Olharan-Lekerika. 1st point of the match. 35 balls in play. (3:22-5:38) 1-0 B-I. B-I won the match 2-1 (15-7, 12-15, 5-3). (Source: ICP Youtube page).

Remonte:

1. I recently re-discovered a video of the winning point of the 2016 Casco Viejo de Pamplona tournament final in April 2016. Uterga-Barrenetxea IV v Urriza-Etxeberria III. Point beginning at 34-32 U-B. 32 balls in play. (0:02--1:14). U-B win 35-32. (Source: Youtube site of one of the spectators who recorded it) (Added October 2, 2016)

2. Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundiaren 2016ko Saria-VII Erremonte Kopa, played at Zumarraga in June 2016. Uterga-Aizpuru III v Urriza-Zaldua. Point beginning at 20-17 U-A. 22 balls in play. (1:36:44-1:37:33). 20-18. U-A won 35-25. (Source: EITB)

Pasaka (Glove): LPPB (Ligue Pelote Pays Basque) Premier Series Quarter-final, played at Urrugne in January 2017. Urrugne (Urrunarrak) (Ourquia-Ussaralde--white) v Saint Pierre d'Irube (Hiriburuko Ainhara 2) (Lapergue-Latxague--red). Point beginning at 0-15 Game 4. 22 balls in play.  (10:38--11:36) if your device doesn't parse this segment. 0-30. (Added January 20, 2017).

One interesting thing to notice is the time it took to play these points:

49 seconds for the 22 balls in play in the 2nd Remonte match (short court).

58 seconds for the 22 balls in play in the Pasaka (glove) match.

72 seconds (1:12) for the 32 balls in play in the 1st Remonte match (short court).

125 seconds (2:05) for 50 balls in play in the 1st Joko of he 1st Pala match (short court)

126 seconds (2:06) for the 49 balls in play in the 2nd Pala match (short court).

136 seconds (2:16) for the 35 balls in play in the Jai Alai Partido match.

141 seconds (2:21) for the 61 balls in play in the Palete Pelote de Gomme Pleine (Trinquet) match.

156 seconds (2:36) for the 39 balls in play in the Jai Alai Quinella match.

174 seconds (2:54) for the 68 balls in play in the 2nd Joko of the 2nd Pala match.

245 seconds (4:05) for the 91 balls in play amateur Mano match.

252 seconds (4:12) for the 98 balls in play in the Main Nue match.

Main Nue--Tournoi de Garindein

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.