Jai Alai/Cesta Punta-- 2019 Women's Jai Alai World Tour

Perhaps lost in the glitz and glamour of the Fronton Mexico season was another tournament was concluded at FM:  The Women's Jai Alai World Tour. The purpose of the tournament was to promote international women's Jai Alai/Cesta Punta.  It consisted of a preliminary set of matches at 4 venues around Mexico City that determined the 3 teams that would face off against each other in a single round robin (June 14-15), leading to a Final (June 16). The teams in the round robin:

Casandra Lopez-Elisenda Perez
Doris Galindo-Mariona Canis
Chloe Hirigoyen-Marie Laugie

June 14-16

Fronton Mexico: Women's Jai Alai Tour (round robin and final)

Final table June 14-15 Round Robin

Casandra-Elisenda 2-0

Doris-Mariona 1-1

Chloe-Marie 0-2

June 16

FINAL

Doris-Mariona (Blue) 25 Casandra-Elisenda (Red) 24 (LasZestalaris Facebook full match video)

Post match ceremony (LasZestalaris Facebook)

Condensed linescore (winners always listed first) (LasZestalaris Facebook video)

1-0; 1-1 3-1; 3-2; 4-2; 4-4; 5-4; 5-5; 8-5; 8-6; 9-6; 9-8; 10-8; 10-9; 11-9; 11-10; 12-10; 12-14; 13-14; 13-16; 15-16; 15-17; 19-17; 19-18; 20-18; 20-21; 22-21; 22-23; 24-23; 24-24; 25-24

7 lead changes and 11 equal scores (linescore error, and lead change error was caused, corrected July 5, 2019)

Final tournament article (Fronton Mexico)

Final article with photos (Casandra Lopez Facebook)

Match article (El Siglo Coahuila)

Feature article (El Correo)

Feature article (quien.com)

This was about as exciting a way to end a tournament as one could want. 8 lead changes and 11 equal scores showed that there was very little to chose between these teams. Everyone played to the best of their ability, but, for me, Mariona stood out with a couple of great catches deep (past the 11) on the apron to keep points alive, obviously crucial in a match this close. The final ceremony, which awarded not only the premier players, but also the participants in a  juvenile tournament Final (see the Facebook page for these full match videos, which are also available there), included Goikoetxea and Aritz Erkiaga to aid with the medal presentations. It was a great ending to a wonderful tournament which achieved, in my opinion, the aspirations of the organizers, officials and, especially the players. 

June 15

Doris-Mariona (Blue 20 Chloe-Marie (Red) 14 (LasZestalaris Facebook full match video)

June 14

Casandra-Elisenda (Red) 20 Doris-Mariona 16 (Blue) (LasZestalaris Facebook full match video

Casandra-Elisenda (Red) 20 Chloe-Marie (Blue) 14 (LasZestalaris Facebook full match video)

Results of preliminary play at 4 venues between June 9-13 to determine participants in final Round Robin. (LasZestalaris Facebook)

For more on the comings and goings of world women's Cesta Punta, follow LasZestalaris Facebook