All matches will be played at Mungia, (1)(2) the "Cathedral" of long court Pala (Pala Larga (1)(2)).
Complete tournament information (.pdf format, 12p), including match schedule and partnerships, rules of the tournament, and a listing of past winners going back to 2007. (Source: Munduko Pilota Batzarra).
The players:
Delanteros (Front): Pablo Fusto; Ibon Garate; Esteban Gaubeka; Dan Necol
Zagueros (Back): Iker Gordon; Xabier Ibargarai; Ibai Perez; Inaki Urrutia
Note: Garate won a 2 match play-in v Ander Landeta for the 4th front court position (see below).
InnPala Player pages
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Previous Tournament Winners (since 2007)
2007: Urkia-Imanol 45 Gaubeka-Velilla 33 Match article (Naiz)
2008: Fusto-Larrinaga 45 Ziskar II-Galan 35 Match article (Naiz)
2009: Gaubeka-Beldarrain 45 Urkia-Lujan 33 Match article (Naiz)
2010: Ziskar II-Imanol 40 Fusto-Ayerbe 24 Match article (EITB)
2011: No Competition
2012: Gaubeka-Ayerbe 3 Altadill-Lujan 1 (12-8, 6-12, 12-11, 12-8) (42-39)
Match article (InnPala)
2013: Fusto-Larrinaga 3 Gaubeka-Ayerbe 0 (10-8, 10-7, 10-6) Match article (Diario Vasco) Complete Results (InnPala)
2014: Zubiri-Imanol 3 Fusto-Urkijo 2 (3-10, 6-10, 10-6, 10-8, 10-7) (39-41) Match article (Munduko Pilota Batzarra) video of final point (EITB) Complete Results (InnPala)
2015: Fusto-Ibargarai 3 Gaubeka-Ibai Perez 1 (10-8, 10-9, 2-10, 10-8) (32-35) Match article (Munduko Pilota Batzarra)
2016: Fusto-Brefel 3 Gaubeka-Imanol 2 (10-8, 8-10, 10-6, 7-10, 10-7) (45-41) Match article (Deia) BLOG POST (scroll to Pala) (unfortunately, EITB has removed the full match video)
2017: Fusto-Ibai Perez 3 Gaubeka-Imanol 2 (4-10, 9-10, 10-8, 10-8, 10-8) (43-44) BLOG POSTS THAT COVER ENTIRE TOURNAMENT; Munduko Pilota Batzarra Tournament coverage; video of final point and closing ceremony (EITB); (unfortunately, EITB has removed the full match video
2018: Fusto-Ibargarai 3 Landeta-Gordon 1 (10-9, 9-10, 10-5, 10-8) Munduko Pilota Batzarra Tournament coverage; Full match video (EITB)
Since 2007 in Finals
Fusto (d front) 6-2 (4 in a row from 2015-2018, and 5 of the last 6)
Gaubeka (d front) 2-5
Imanol (z back) 3-2
Ayerbe (z back) 1-2
Larrinaga (z back) 2-0
Ibargarai (z back) 2-0
Urkia (d front) 1-1
Ziskar II (d front) 1-1
Ibai Perez (z back) 1-1
Lujan (z back) 0-2
Belderain (d front) 1-0
Zubiri (d front) 1-0
Brefel (z back) 1-0
Velilla (z back) 0-1
Galan (z back) 0-1
Urkijo (z back) 0-1
Altadill (d front) 0-1
Landeta (d front) 0-1
Gordon (z back) 0-1
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Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 22-23 and Jornada (Day) 1, March 1, 2019 ; Jornada 2, March 8 ; Jornada 3, March 15 ; Jornada 4, March 22 ; Jornada 5, March 29; Jornada 6, April 5
Final and 3rd Place Match: April 13
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Tournament preview article (Deia). Also has a feature on Ibon Garate.
Preview article (El Correo)
March 1, 2019
Jornada (Day) 1
Garate-Urrutia 3 (60) Gaubeka-Gordon 2 (40)
(10-9, 10-5; 9-10; 8-10; 10-9) (47-43)
Time of match: 80 minutes (Source: Innpala Fronton Facebook--see below)
Necol-Ibai Perez 3 (60) Fusto-Ibargarai 2 (40)
(10-9, 10-5, 9-10, 3-10, 10-9) (42-43)
Note: Source on joko scores for both matches (Mundo Deportivo); Diario Vasco Cartelera had 2nd match 4th Joko listed as 4-10); Dan Necol Facebook had it (10-9, 10-4, 9-10, 4-10, 10-9) Munduko Batzarra confirms Mundo Deportivo scores.
Time of match: 85 minutes (Source: Innpala Fronton Facebook--see below)
The premier doubles Championship got off to the best possible start with two breathtaking matches that were won by the minimum (1 point) in the 5th joko (set). The losers will be disappointed, of course, but the 2 jokos they each won puts them in good standing in the larger context of the competition. It is unfortunate that there was no video of these matches, because they both must have been classics. The times of the two matches alone tells the story of a tense and entertaining evening for the Mungia fans. Garate, who barely got past the play-in stage (see below), and Urrutia, the two "new kids" on the InnPala block, played with great poise. After losing a 2-0 joko lead, they went into the fifth joko with all the momentum against them. They played their game and stayed with the old pro Gaubeka and Gordon (each of whom have been finalists in the competition in the last two years). According to the Munduko Batzarra match article, the match ended on a missed Gaubeka two wall shot. Both match articles mentioned how well Urrutia played.
In the other match, last year's Champions had much the same motivation. Since 2007 no pair has won the championship in consecutive years (although Fusto has won it two times with the same partner on two occasions (see previous winners above). While this Tournament is unique in that partnerships change every week, eliminating the idea of a chemistry developing or partners getting into an unbeatable rhythm, it must be in the back of the minds of both Fusto and Ibargarai that they can both achieve a unique status by winning this tournament together. For Fusto, it would be his 5th consecutive championship (an amazing achievement considering the circumstances), and 7th overall. For Ibargarai, it would be his 2nd consecutive championship, something only Fusto has achieved in the last 12 years. It would also be Ibargarai's 3rd championship without a loss, something no one else has done, and would equal him with Imanol for 3rd most championships.
So they had a lot of incentive. But for the first two jokos, Necol-Ibai Perez, who have one championship between them, dominated. Then F-I won a close joko and then dominated another. With all the momentum in their favor, the same thing happened in the second match as happened in the first. N-I won. The InnPala Fronton match story summed up the match:
"It was played at the speed of vertigo with so many points that brought the fans out of their seats."
So in the first round, the fans were treated to about as exciting a "double header" as can be imagined. We can hardly wait for Friday! For Jornada 2 matchups, see below.
Table: Journada 1
Key: Player (wins-losses; jokos won-lost; points)
Key: Player (wins-losses; jokos won-lost; points)
Delanteros (Front)
Garate.....(1-0, 3-2, 60)
Necol.......(1-0, 3-2, 60)
Fusto.......(0-1, 2-3, 40)
Gaubeka..(0-1, 2-3, 40)
Zagueros (Back)
Ibai Perez.(1-0, 3-2, 60)
Urrutia.....(1-0, 3-2, 60)
Gordon.....(0-1, 2-3, 40)
Ibargarai...(0-1, 2-3, 40)
Play in matches
February 23, 2019
Garate-Urrutia 3 Landeta-Ibai Perez 0 (10-6, 10-4, 10-8) (30-18) (InnPala Twitter) Twitter has the scores correct but the back court partners reversed. See the promotional poster at Innpala Fronton Facebook for verification.
Total Garate 4 Landeta 3: Garate advances
InnPala: "The Sopela striker (Garate) qualifies for the World Doubles Championship by beating Landeta 3-0 on Saturday, after losing 3-1 on Friday" (google translate)
Second match, exhibition between Gaubeka-Gordon and Necol-Ibargarai, was canceled.
February 22, 2019
Landeta-Urrutia 3 Garate-Ibai Perez 1 (10-8, 9-10, 10-8, 10-9) (39-35) (Diario Vasco Cartelera)
Match photo (Innpala Twitter)
We have little information about these two matches. Both had one sided results, but if you look at the joko linescores rather than the final outcomes, you will see that they were very competitive. 5 of the 7 jokos were decided by 2 or less points. In the Deia article above, Garate said he was very disappointed after the first match, but came back determined to play his best game and hope it would be enough. By 1 joko, it was. And, if you are looking for a possible story line, Urrutia might be the place to start. He was the real winner of this two match set. He is 25 and has been with the company for 16 months. In that time he has already won a major championship and been runner-up in two others. He was on the winning side in both the play-in matches, winning 6 of 7 jokos with two different partners. He might be a real "wild card" in this competition. Time will tell.
We have little information about these two matches. Both had one sided results, but if you look at the joko linescores rather than the final outcomes, you will see that they were very competitive. 5 of the 7 jokos were decided by 2 or less points. In the Deia article above, Garate said he was very disappointed after the first match, but came back determined to play his best game and hope it would be enough. By 1 joko, it was. And, if you are looking for a possible story line, Urrutia might be the place to start. He was the real winner of this two match set. He is 25 and has been with the company for 16 months. In that time he has already won a major championship and been runner-up in two others. He was on the winning side in both the play-in matches, winning 6 of 7 jokos with two different partners. He might be a real "wild card" in this competition. Time will tell.
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SCHEDULE FOR THE 6 WEEK ROUND ROBIN LEAGUE PHASE (InnPala)
March 1, 2019:
Gaubeka-Gordon v Garate-Urrutia
Fusto-Ibargarai v Necol-Ibai Perez
March 8:
Garate-Ibargarai v Fusto Urrutia
Gaubeka-Ibai Perez v Necol-Gordon
March 15:
Necol-Ibargarai v Garate-Gordon
Gaubeka-Urrutia v Fusto-Ibai Perez
March 22:
Garate-Gordon v Gaubeka-Urrutia
Fusto-Ibai Perez v Necol-Ibargari
March 29:
Garate-Urrutia v Fusto-Ibargarai
Gaubeka-Gordon v Necol-Ibai Perez
April 5:
Garate-Ibargarai v Necol-Gordon
Gaubeka-Ibai Perez v Fusto-Urrutia
League pairs that will not play together:
Fusto-Gordon
Garate-Ibai Perez
Gaubeka-Ibargarai
Necol-Urrutia
April 13: Final
#1 delantero (front)-#1 zaguero (back) v #2 (d)-#2 (z)
Source: Munduko Pilota Batzarra "dossier"
For an up to date accounting of the win-loss records of the InnPala players, and a cumulative accounting of their rankings, see the "InnPala Players win-loss records and independent matches" Page on the right side of the blog.
For an up to date accounting of the win-loss records of the InnPala players, and a cumulative accounting of their rankings, see the "InnPala Players win-loss records and independent matches" Page on the right side of the blog.
