All matches were 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 Hernan "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.
InnPala Player pages
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NOTE: PREVIOUS WINNERS SINCE 2007 LISTING HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST
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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)
FINAL:
April 13, 2019
Fusto (4-2, 14-12, 320)-Ibargarai (2-4, 12-14, 280) 1 (EITB added this to its on demand library May 15, 2019--Muchos Gracias EITB) Match begins at 0:00-1:09:35 and is followed by 3rd place match (1:39:06-end) (see below) (Updated May 16, 2019).
Promotion Poster: (Haixeder Blog)
Scoring (Deia): Note: it is unclear whether aces are included in the total winners or not. Same for faults and errors. I was unable to come up with any combination that added to the final score, but this was the only scoring I was able to find. It is presented exactly as Deia gave it.
Gaubeka +10 -3 Ibai Perez 1 service ace, 4 service faults +4 -8
Fusto +9 -12 Ibargarai 1 service fault +1 -10
Match preview article (Deia)
Match article (Mundo Deportivo)
Match article (Deia)
Match article (Naiz)
Match feature article (Deia)
Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any video of these matches. I do not know if they were televised or not, but if they weren't it is unfortunate. In any event, all of the match articles stressed the same thing. G-IP knew they couldn't go toe to toe with the power of F-Ib, so they played stout defense, defense, and more defense. Eventually, the lack of production from the two power hitters frustrated them and they made mistakes. A lot of mistakes. Ibai Perez was not as precise as he usually is, but still had less faults than his counterpart, and had enough winners to partially counteract his errors. Gaubeka had a 10 point net advantage over Fusto in a match where G-IP had 13 more total points. Look to the joko (set) scores to see how effective the strategy was, from beginning to end. G-IP at least doubled the score in each of their joko wins.
And so, Fusto was denied his fifth consecutive Mundo Parejas title. Gaubeka got his 3rd since 2007, equaling the recently retired Imanol Ibanez (zaguero-back). He also broke a four Mundo Parejas Final losing streak to Fusto. Ibai Perez won his second championship in the last 3 years. He also finished this competition with 7 consecutive wins. Ibargarai did not have the greatest day at the office, but he has now participated in the last two major Finals, splitting them.
3rd place match:
Garate (1-5, 9-17, 180)-Gordon (1-5, 10-16, 220) 2 (EITB--match begins at 1:09:36)
(10-9,
Source: Diario Vasco Cartelera (Note: Diario Vasco made an error on the 2nd joko (Source: EITB)) (Update May 16, 2019
I have been unable to find any more information about this match. But judging from the line scores (N-U had to come back for two minimum joko wins and won all three of their jokos by the minimum), it must have been an exciting one to watch.
Final League phase table
Player-(match wins-losses: joko w-l, league points)
Delantero (front)
Gaubeka(3-3; (2-3,3-1,2-3,3-1,2-3,3-0); 380)
Fusto (4-2; (2-3,3-2,3-2,3-1,3-1,0-3); 320)
Fusto (4-2; (2-3,3-2,3-2,3-1,3-1,0-3); 320)
Necol (4-2; (3-2,1-3,3-1,1-3,3-2,3-1); 320)*
Garate (1-5; (3-2,2-3,1-3,1-3,1-3,1-3); 180)*
Zaguero (back)
Ibai Perez (6-0; (3-2,3-1,3-2,3-1,3-2,3-0); 440)
Ibargarai (2-4; (2-3,2-3,3-1,1-3,3-1,1-3); 280)
Urrutia (3-3; (3-2,3-2,2-3,3-1,1-3,0-3); 260)*
Urrutia (3-3; (3-2,3-2,2-3,3-1,1-3,0-3); 260)*
Gordon (1-5; (2-3,1-3,1-3,1-3,2-3,3-1); 220)*
* Eliminated
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Table:
Munduko Pilota Batzarra table, with match and joko wins-losses and total match points for all players, as well as Championship points (through Jornada 4 only)
Player-(match wins-losses: joko w-l, points)
Delantero (front)
Gaubeka (3-3; 15-11; 380)
Fusto (4-2; 14-12; 320)
Necol (4-2; 14-12; 320)
Garate (1-5; 9-17; 180)
Zaguero (back)
Ibai Perez (6-0; 18-8; 440)
Ibargarai (2-4; 12-14; 280)
Urrutia (3-3; 12-14; 260)
Gordon (1-5; 10-16; 220)
Gaubeka (#1)-Ibai Perez (#1)
Fusto (#2)-Ibargarai (#2)
Fusto wins a place in the Final based on his head to head joko (set) record with Necol (2-3 in Jornada 1, 3-1 in Jornada 4 = 5 jokos to 4). 52 jokos were played in the 12 match League. The maximum that could have been played (each match 3-2) was 60.
Joko breakdown:
5 matches: 3-2
6: 3-1;
1: 3-0
Final score in the 3-2 matches: 10-9; 10-9; 10-6 10-7; 10-9 (50-40 of a possible 50-45)
Full scoring (EITB) is available for the three matches (Jornadas 3,5, and 6) that were televised:
Delanteros (front)
Gaubeka +43 -19 +24
Necol +42 -19 +23
Fusto +37 -22 +15
Garate +24 -19 +5
Zagueros (back)
Ibargarai +28 -28 0
Ibai Perez +15 -17 -2
Gordon +23 -33 -10
Urrutia +9 -27 -18
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To see the latest InnPala rankings and cumulative player win-loss records for 2019, see the InnPala player ranking and win-loss table page on the right side of the blog.
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Previous Tournament Winners (since 2007)
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).
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
