On March 2, 2019 the FFPB (Federation Francaise de Pelota Basque) held the Finals of its Senior Cesta Punta Tournament in one day. I have been unable to ascertain how these 8 finalists got to this day. They each came from "Poule Play" according to the FFPB news release, but I have found no record of that play. No matter.
March 2, 2019
Biarritz (1) (2)
The players:
Poule 1
Laurent Garcia (substituting for the forfeiting Christophe Olha (Fronton Mexico, Internationaux Cesta Punta, Jai Alai World Tour), who actually finished ahead of him) (2nd place preliminary Poule 1)
Thibault Basque (winner Poule 4) (Internationaux Cesta Punta)
Alexis Zabaleta (winner Poule 5)
Andoni Laloo (winner Poule 8)
Poule 2
Patxi Tambourindeguy (winner Poule 2) (Fronton Mexico, Internatonaux Cesta Punta)
Christophe Dubourg (winner Poule 3)
Mickael Lesbats (winner Poule 6)
Ludovic Laduche (winner Poule 7) (Fronton Mexico, Internationaux Cesta Punta)
The tournament started at 10:00 am. There were 8 qualification matches until 12:20. One every 20 minutes, to 15 points. Then 4 more qualification matches starting at 2:30 and going until 3:30.
The 7th-8th place match (10 points) took place at 4:00.
Then the semi-finals (15 points) at 4:20 and 4:50.
Then the 5th-6th place match (10 points) at 5:20.
Then the 3rd-4th place match (10 points) at 5:40.
So the two finalists got a nice hour and 10 and hour and 40 minute break respectively.
Then the final (15 points) at 6:00
Final: Laduche 15 P. Tambourindeguy 12.
414 total points were scored during the day.
Here is the "scorecard" (FFPB, .pdf format, 1p.)
There is no video, but there are 20 photos from the final (FFPB).
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Final records for the day:
1. Laduche: 5-0 TXAPELDUN
2. Tambourindeguy: 3-2 (Runner-up) (both losses to Laduche)
3. Andoni: 4-1 (including a win over Basque--lost to Tambourindeguy in semi-finals)
4. Garcia: 2-3 (a win over Basque, lost to Laduche in semi-finals, and to Andoni in preliminaries and 3rd place match)
5. Zabaleta: 2-2 (a win over Basque and Lesbats)
6. Lesbats: 1-3 (tough losses to Tambourindeguy and Laduche by 15-12).
7. Basque 1-3 (poor day at the office).
8. Dubourg: 0-4
How's that for a day at the fronton? :)
