The competition begins with a round robin League in both groups. The fifth place finishers in each group are eliminated. Then the 1st place finisher in Group B plays against the 4th place finisher in Group A. The winner plays in the Group A Semi-finals as the #4 team. The loser plays in the Group B Semi-finals as the #2 team. This is a twist that makes the competition very interesting. A Group B team has a chance to be promoted within the space of one competition. The semi-finals will be #1-#4 and #2-#3 in each group. The winners meet in Finals on April 28 (Group A) and May 5 (Group B).
Player profiles at Esku Pilota
Player profiles at Pilota Ttiki
Group A:
Augusti Waltary-Peio Guichandut (defending Champions)
Peio Larralde-Bixintxo Bilbao
Mathieu Ospital-Baptiste Ducassou (runner up and Champion respectively of recently concluded FFPB Main Nue Individuel Competition)
Julien Etchegaray-Ximun Lambert
Antton Monce-Thierry Harismendy
Group B:
Phillipe Bielle-Bixentxe Cubiat
Alexis Inchauspe (winner of Group B Main Nue Individuel)-Antton Amulet
Laurent Lambert (runner up of Group B Main Nue Individuel)-Cedric Lucu
Vincent Elgart-Mickael Palomes
Mattin-Olcomendy-Ion Iturbe
Note: Elgart and Iturbe were Group A players in the Individuel competition. Harismendy and Amulet did not play in the Individuel competition. Pascal de Ezcurra, Gregory Aguirre, and Mikael Darmendrail (all Group B Indviduel) are not playing in this championship.
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NOTE: RECORD OF PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIPS (2007-2018) IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.
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Qualification Round: Week 1; Week 2; Week 3; Week 4; Week 5 and Barrage: April 13, 2019: Group B #1 v Group A #4
Semi-Finals
Finals: Group A; Group B
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INJURY REPORT: Mathieu Ospital (avant-front court) missed the March 24 Group A qualification match between Ospital-Ducassou and Larralde-Bilbao. He was replaced by Mattin Olcomendy. He has, according to Pilota Ttiki, "mal aux mains" (sore hands). When he will return is unknown at this time.
March 24, 2019
Group A
(Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed match video)
Selected linescore (winners always listed first) (Pilota Ttiki and FFPB)
2-2; 3-3; 6-6; 7-7; 9-9; 17-9; 20-10; 22-11; 23-14; 40-20
Partial scoring (Pilota Ttiki and FFPB)
Larralde 2 service aces, Olcomendy 3
This was the greatest disappointment of the weekend. The much anticipated duel between L-B and Ospital-Ducassou never materialized. Ospital was unable to play due to sore hands. When he will return is unknown at this time. He was replaced by Mattin Olcomendy, who is playing in Group B (see below). According to the Pilota Ttiki match article, Olcomendy took a while to get acclimated to the speed of the game at the top of the A level, but did fairly well when he did. But he is still a B player. O-D were able to stay in the match for the first decade but then an 8-0 run by L-B put them on the back foot to stay. At the halfway mark it was 20-10. The match ended 40-20. Larralde did not have his best match, as he admitted in the PT article. Ducassou did what he could, he was literally all over the court, trying to play offense and defense, but it was, in the end, a bridge too far. It is unfortunate, because with a healthy Ospital, this could have been a foreshadow of the final. Hopefully he will recover quickly.
Group B
(Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed match video)
Selected linescore (winners always listed first)
0-2; 3-8; 9-9; 11-11; 12-12; 15-12; 25-14; 27-23; 33-29; 40-31
Partial scoring (FFPB)
Inchauspe 10 service aces, L. Lambert 6
Match article for both matches (Pilota Ttiki)
Led by 10 service aces from Inchauspe, I-A got into the win column after their close loss last week, beating foot of the table L-L. L-L got off to a fast start, leading 8-3 before being outscored 22-6. From there they stayed in touch with the leaders but couldn't get the lead under 4. A 7-2 run finished things off. According to the PT match article, Lucu had a poor day. After their devastating 40-39 loss to Bielle-Cubiat two weeks ago, L-L have yet to recover and have been outscored in their last two matches 80-51. They have one match left (with Olcomendy-Iturbe) to try to get into the win column.
March 23, 2019
Group A
(Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed match video)
Selected linescore (winners always listed first)
0-3; 10-3; 18-8; 20-9; 22-10; 25-10; 25-11; 26-11; 26-12; 27-12; 27-13 28-13 (48 balls, 2 minutes 7 seconds) 40-13
Partial scoring (FFPB)
Waltary 9 service aces, Etchegaray 1
Time of the match: about 50 minutes
The defending champions were too much and then some for struggling E-L. But the match, well into the second half, was more difficult than the final score indicated. After E-L got off to a quick 3-0 lead, W-G quickly passed them with a 10 point run. From there W-G built the lead to 15, but in the middle of the third decade E-L showed some resilience and from 25-10--27-13 they played very well. Then came the backbreaking point, a 48 ball point won by W-G. At that point E-L completely collapsed and didn't score again. With one match to go, E-L are pretty much out of contention for any post League play. Their League campaign has been a disaster, with Etchegaray missing the first game with the flu, and still wobbly after recovering in the second match. W-G then put the hammer down on them, and they are hoping, in their final match to at least increase their point differential, above the average 40-22 score they are losing by at present. Group A is a very talented and competitive grouping and does not need any help. It is unfortunate that E-L were, for all practical purposes, knocked out of this championship before it even began.
Group B
(Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed match video)
Selected linescore (winners always listed first) (all match statistics, Pilota Ttiki and FFPB)
3-3; 15-7; 16-13; 25-17; 25-28; 28-28; 29-29; 36-36; 37-37; 40-37
Partial scoring
Bielle 9 service aces, Elgart 3
Time of the match: about 1 hour 40 minutes.
Match articles for both matches (Pilota Ttiki)
This was the best and most competitive match of the weekend. B-C have so far shown a knack for winning close matches, with a +4 point differential that has yielded two wins. E-P brought a gaudy 2-0 record and +27 point differential (average wins of 40-26) into the match but B-C pounced with a 22-14 run. They seemed to be cruising to an easy victory. However, an 11-0 run by E-P gave them a short run lead. B-C immediately came back to equality and the late part of the match featured 3 more equal scores before B-C finished out the scoring to win. Bielle's +9 service aces helped the cause. The fact that B-C held the prolific Elgart (21 service aces in his first two matches) to three in this match was also a factor. The prize for winning the B Group is a "barrage" match against the 4th place A team, with the winner moving into the Group A Semi-finals. B-C are in the driver's seat for that position at present, with control over their own fate. E-P must win out and get help. B-C have a tough encounter with Inchauspe-Amulet this week. Both teams are playing well. It should be an interesting encounter.
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Table as of March 24, 2019
Group A:
Larralde-Bilbao (2-0 +41)
Ospital-Ducassou (2-1 -5)
Waltary-Guichandut (1-1 +25)
Monce-Harrismendy (1-1 -5)
Etchegaray-X. Lambert (0-3 -56)
Group B:
Bielle-Cubiat (2-0 +4)
Elgart-Palomes (2-1 +25)
Inchauspe-Amulet (1-1 +4)
Olcomendy-Iturbe (1-1 -3)
L. Lambert-Lucu (0-3 -30)
Available cumulative scoring. Partial data is available for service aces. Service aces for Olcomendy and Inchauspe are provided for both A and B as they were substitutes in the A group. Source is FFPB match articles.
Group A:
Waltary: 8; 9= 17
Larralde: 10; 2= 12
Ospital: 8; 4; Did Not Play= 12
Etchegaray: DNP; 2; 1= 3
Olcomendy (sub for Ospital): 3
Monce: Not Available; 2= 2
Inchauspe: (sub for Etchegaray) NA
Group B:
Elgart: 12, 9, 3= 24
Inchauspe: 8, 10= 18
Olcomendy: 5, 6= 11
Bielle: NA, 9= 9
L.Lambert: 1, 6= 7
UPCOMING:
WEEK 4
MARCH 30, 2019
HASPARREN
GROUP A:
LARRALDE-BILBAO (2-0 +41) v WALTERY-GUICHANDUT (1-1 +25)
GROUP B:
BIELLE-CUBIAT (2-0 +4) v (INCHAUSPE-AMULET (1-1 +4)
MARCH 31, 2019
GARINDEIN
GROUP A
OSPITAL-DUCASSOU (2-1 -5) v MONCE-HARISMENDY (1-1 -5)
GROUP B
OLCOMENDY-ITURBE (1-1 -3) v L. LAMBERT-LUCU (0-3 -30)
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Previous Championships:
2018:
Group A:
Waltary-Guichandut 40 Larralde-Iturbe 36
Full match video (Audiense Audiovisuel via FFPB)
Match article (FFPB)
"Dossier" (FFPB--.pdf format, 9p., which contains all competition match scores).
Pilota Ttiki also covered the entire competition, with match articles and condensed match videos Their coverage begins March 19. At the bottom of the article click on "precedent" and page through articles about the competition, using the "dossier" as your guide to dates of matches. When there are match videos, Pilota Ttiki links to them from the bottom of the match articles. They are also available at Pilota Ttiki Youtube (CTRL-F Championnat elite pro par equipes 2018).
Group B:
Bielle-Palomes 40 Elgart-Cubiat 22
Full match video (condensed) (Pilota Ttiki)
Match article (Pilota Ttiki)
2017:
Group A: Larralde-Bilbao 40 Waltary-Guichandut 38
Full match video (Audiense Audiovisuel via FFPB)
Match article (FFPB)
"Dossier" (FFPB--.pdf format, 12p. ,which contains all competition match scores)
Full competition context, with final linescore graph and linescore (pelotelive.free.fr)
Group B: Inchauspe-Amulet 40 L. Lambert-Palomes 29
Competition context (pelotelive.free.fr) (no match video available)
Match article (Pilota Ttiki)
2016:
Group A: Waltary-Bilbao 40 Bielle-Ducassou 23
Full match video (Audiense Indivduel)
Match article (FFPB)
Competition context (pelotelive.free.fr)
Annotated linescore: (pelotelive.free.fr)
Group B: Inchauspe-Amulet 40 L. Lambert-de Ezcurra 23
Full match video (Esku Pilota)
Match article (FFPB)
Competition context: (pelotelive.free.fr)
2015:
Group A: Larralde-Bilbao 40 Etcheverry-Ducassou 10
Full match video (Bixintxo Bilbao Youtube)
Match article (FFPB)
Competition Context (pelotelive.free.fr)
Group B: Inchauspe-Saldubehere 40 Elgart-Bonetbelche 37 (no match video)
Match article (FFPB)
Competition context (pelotelive.free.fr)
2014: Larrechea-Harismendy 40 Sorhuet-Ducassou (substituting for T. Etxeto) 19 (no match video)
Match article (FFPB)
2013: Waltary-Harismendy 40 Larrechea-X. Lambert 25 (no match video)
Match article (FFPB)
2012: Ibarola-Harismendy 40 Bielle-Ocafrain 37 (no match video) Source: FFPB 2013 Assemblee Generale Ordinaire Exercice 2012 (P. 9)
2011: Waltary-X. Lambert 40 Ibarola-Jeannots 21 (no match video) Source: FFPB 2012 Assemblee Generale Ordinaire Exercice 2011 (P. 9) Match article (Naiz--Basque--note: Naiz has score 40-20.
2010: Ibarola-Ocafrain 40 Waltary-Etxeto 39 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque)
2009: Ibarola-Ocafrain 40 Sorhuet-Etxeto 34 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque)
2008: Ibarola-Ocafrain 40 Sorhuet-Ezkurra 32 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque)
2007: Waltary-Etxeto 40 Sorhuet-Ocafrain 19 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque). Agusti Waltary becomes the first non-native Basque to win this competition.
Ibarola (av) played in 5 finals and won 4 (3 consecutive wins from 2008-2010). Ocafrain (ar) played in 5 Finals and won 3.
Iturbe (av), Etcheverry (av), and Jeannots (ar) have all played in 1 Final without a win.
2010: Ibarola-Ocafrain 40 Waltary-Etxeto 39 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque)
2009: Ibarola-Ocafrain 40 Sorhuet-Etxeto 34 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque)
2008: Ibarola-Ocafrain 40 Sorhuet-Ezkurra 32 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque)
2007: Waltary-Etxeto 40 Sorhuet-Ocafrain 19 (no match video) Match article (Naiz--Basque). Agusti Waltary becomes the first non-native Basque to win this competition.
Since 2007: (avant-front; arriere-back)
Waltary (av) has played in 7 Finals and has won 5.
Ibarola (av) played in 5 finals and won 4 (3 consecutive wins from 2008-2010). Ocafrain (ar) played in 5 Finals and won 3.
Sorhuet (av) played in 4 Finals without a win.
Harismendy (ar) won 3 consecutive Finals (2012-2014).
Larralde (av) has played in 3 Finals and won 2.
Etxeto (ar) played in 3 Finals and won 1.
Ducassou (ar) has played in 3 Finals without a win.
Bilbao (ar) has won 2 Finals.
Larrechea (av) played in 2 Finals and won 1.
X. Lambert (ar) has played in 2 Finals and won 1.
X. Lambert (ar) has played in 2 Finals and won 1.
Guichandut (ar) has played in 2 Finals and won 1
Bielle (av) has played in 2 Finals without a win.Iturbe (av), Etcheverry (av), and Jeannots (ar) have all played in 1 Final without a win.
