Tournois Hoberenak (Trinquet Ourkhia, Arcangues (1)(2) was an Esku Pilota Pro Tour knockout Tournament held from July 6-14, 2019.
Esku Pilota Roster
*=not listed on Esku Pilota Roster at this time.
Previous Tournament Finals.
2016: P. Larralde-Ducassou 40 Waltary-Bilbao 28 (Esku Pilota Youtube full match video) (BLOG POST) 1st Match (Esku Pilota Youtube, suspended at 16-13 when P. Larralde injured his ankle. The match was replayed in its entirety.
2017: P. Larralde-Amulet 40 Etchegaray-Ducassou 26
2018: Ospital-Ducassou 40 Etchegaray-Bilbao 30 (Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed full match video
2017-18 Tournaments information (Esku Pilota)
2019
Note: I could find no press coverage of this tournament. All full match videos are available (see below).
July 14
FINAL
Waltary-Ducassou 40 P. Larralde-Guichandut 39 (Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed full match video)
Condensed linescore (Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed full match video) (winners always listed 1st). Hold on to your hat, here we go!
0-4; 1-4; 1-11; 2-11; 2-13; 3-13; 3-15; 7-15; 7-18; 10-18; 10-19; 15-19; 15-21; 17-21; 17-23; 21-23; 21-24; 22-24; 22-26; 23-26; 23-27; 28-27; 28-28; 30-28; 30-31; 31-31; 31-37; 35-37; 35-38; 38-38; 38-39; 40-39
Though there were only 3 lead changes, there were 6 equal scores: 27, 28, 30, 31, 38, 39.
By decade the score was:
1-9; 4-6 (5-15); 6-4 (11-19); 6-4 (17-23); 6-4 (23-27); 7-3 (30-30); 3-7 (33-37); and 7-2 (40-39)
Scoring:
Note: direct points are points that automatically end the rally. There are two types: Xares (the pelota is hit into the netting protecting the side dugout or directly into the back dugout on the fly); Pumpa Xares: the same, except on the bounce. For the purposes of this match, because the back dugout was not in view, I only credited direct points into the side dugout
Waltary +22(including 11 service aces and 1direct point--1PX) -6(including 2 service faults)
Ducassou +9(1dp--1X) -6
P. Larralde +25(9a, 2dp--2X) -6(1f)
Guichandut +2 (1dp--1PX) -3
Total winners and errors for the match: +58 (.734) -21 (.266)
Balls in Play: 697
Balls in Play--Number of Points
1-9--46
10-19--21
20-29--8
30-39--3
40+--1 (44)
This was certainly the match of the season up to this point, and maybe the most exciting Main Nue match you'll see. At the time this was played, Agusti Waltary was ranked #4 (out of 24) on the Esku Pilota roster. Baptiste Ducassou was ranked #1. Peio Larralde was ranked #2 and Peio Guichandut #6.
The pace was breathtaking, Even the long points seemed to go by quickly. Waltary, at age 38, still has the most lethal serve in the modality. Ducassou is an offensive minded back with tremendous mobility and strength. He hits the pelota off the back foot better than anyone I have seen in my short time watching. Larralde is the best front in the modality and has breathtaking speed and quickness that allow him to reach unreachable balls. He made a save that he turned into a direct point winner that must be seen to be believed. It put his team ahead 39-38. Guichandut was quietly magnificent, a defensive "Rock of Gibraltar" who made, by my count, 3 errors.
If you want an example of Main Nue at its best, watch this match.
It didn't start out like a classic. It started out like a "blowout," with Larralde blasting his team into a 9-1 lead with 7 winners, including 5 aces. The lead reached 12 points (15-3) before W-D began to cut into it. 4, 3, and 5 point runs cut the lead to 19-15. Then a 4-2 L-G run opened it to 27-23. A 5 point run gave W-D their first lead at 28-27.
But this match was just getting started. W-D had their biggest lead at 30-28, before L-G seemed to put the match out of reach with a 9-1 run highlighted by 6 Larralde winners (including 2 aces). At this point, W-D seemed dead and buried. Somehow they managed to dig deep and rally. They responded with an 7-1 run of their own, highlighted by 3 Waltary aces and 1/3 of Ducassou's total game output of winners. At 38-38, Larralde made, in my opinion, the play of the match (video of the last 3 points of the match), an incredible save that he also converted into a direct point Xare that surely must have been decisive. Surely. But he followed the best with 2 errors, one of execution and one of judgment. A cruel fate for one who played such a magnificent match. And when it was all over, W-D had won a great game of Main Nue. And a championship.
July 7
2nd Semi-Final
Waltary-Ducassou 40 Ospital-Xala* 27 (Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed full match video)
July 6
1st Semi-Final
Larralde-Guichandut 40 Etchegaray-Bilbao 31 (Pilota Ttiki Youtub condensed full match video)
