This is a current awareness blog that links to the latest sources of information on Basque Pelota matches and Tournaments. It covers all of both North and South Basque modalities: Pro and amateur. It links to match stories, statistics and video highlights and/or full match videos. NEW!!! JAI ALAI LEAGUE (EREMAN!) SEASON INTRO AND JAI ALAI WOMEN'S WINTER TOUR 2024 (2/22/24)!!!

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Pala/Obituary--Francois Susbielles

Francois Susbielles (also known as "Sussu") 1947-2019. Susbielles was one of the great Grosse Pala and Pala Corta players in the early to mid-1970's, winning the GP Championnat de France Title in 1972 (he won that title four more times) and the PC World Championship in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1974. He was an active player from about 1972-1982. After retiring from the game he became a coach and technical adviser for the FFPB (Federation Francaise de Pelote Basque).

FFPB Announcement
Sud Ouest Obituary
La Republic des Pyrenees Obituary, by Raymond Cazadebat
GrossePalaPB Facebook Tribute, accompanied by 14 photos. Note in comments, remarks by students Sylvain Brefel  and Willy Mangaman-Mouny 

Sud Ouest feature article (June 7, 2011)

Mano: Eskuz Banakako Txapelketa-Campeonato Manomanista De Lep.M 2019 Competition Begins

Eskuz Banakako Txapelketa-Campeonato Manomanista De Lep.M, the premier professional Mano singles championship competition, began  on April 14, 2019 with two play-in matches. It will end on June 2, 2019 with a final. It is a seeded ladder knockout tournament consisting of 4 1/16 round play in matches, followed by seeded 1/8 and Quarter-finals. Quarter final winners will play a Semi-final and Semi-final winners will play in the final. There will also be a third place match.

The competition will be in four Groups (A-D). The seeding works as follows:

Seeds: (D/F) =delantero/front; (Z/B) = zaguero/back

Group A: 1/8: Irribarria (D/F); 1/4: Altuna III (D/F)
Group B: 1/8: Rezusta (Z/B); 1/4: Elezkano II (D/F)
Group C: 1/8: Bengoetxea VI (D/F); 1/4: Urrutikoetxea (D/F)
Group D: 1/8: Jaka (D/F); 1/4: Ezkurdia (D/F)

2019 schedule (Baiko Pilota--formerly Asegarce) Note: this also links to full results of all Manonista Tournaments back to 1999.

List of previous winners going back to 1940 (Baiko Pilota)

Available Final match videos

1948 (Gallestegi 22 Atano III 6--highlights only) ;

(1991 Galarza III 22 Retegi II 15--added April 17, 2019)  ; (1992 (Galarza III 22 Retegi II 12--added April 27, 2017) ; 1993 (Retegi II 22 Galarza III 19) ; 1995 (Beloki 22 Errandonea 15) ; 1997 (Arretxe 22 Elkoro 18)

2000 (Eugi 22 Beloki 13) ; 2001 (Beloki 22 Eugi 8) ; 2002 (Barriola 22 Beloki 3) ; 2003 (Patxi Ruiz 22 Olaizola II 7) ;  2004 (Mtz. de Irujo 22 Xala 12) : 2005 (Olaizola II 22 Mtz. de Irujo 18) ; 2006  (Mtz. de Irujo 22 Olaizola II 17) ; 2007 (Olaizola II 22 Barriola 10) ; 2008 (Bengoetxea VI 22 Barriola 11) ; 2009 (Mtz. de Irujo 22 Olaizola II 12)

2010 (Mtz. de Irujo 22 Xala 13--1:18:45) 2011 (Xala 22 Olaizola II 19--1:27:27) ; 2012 (Olaizola II 22 Mtz. de Irujo 7) ;  2013 (Olaizola II 22 Mtz. de Irujo 7--1:17:25) ; 2014 (Mtz. de Irujo 22 Retegi BI 9--1:21:40) ;  2015 (Urrutikoetxea 22 Olaizola II 19) ; 2016 (Irribarria 22 Urrutikoetxea 13) ; 2017 (Bengoetxea VI 22-Irribarria 18--added April 17, 2019) ; 2018 (Altuna III 22 Oliazola II 14--added April 17, 2019)

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Play-ins ; 1/16 Round ; 1/8 Round ; 1/4 Round; Semi-Finals; 3rd Place Match--cancelled  
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Play-ins

April 14, 2019

Adarraga, Logrono (1) (2)

P. Etxeberria  22 (D/F)   Zabala 11 (D/F) (EITB--match goes from  1:16:50--2:00:06)

Final point (21Iguales Twitter)

Selected linescore (winners always listed first) (Mundo Deportivo and 21Igualies Twitter)

8-0; 8-1; 9-5; 9-6; 15-6; 15-8; 19-11; 22-11

Scoring (EITB)

Etxeberria +8(including 3 service aces) -5
Zabala +6 (incl 1 ace) -14

Balls in play: 237

Etxeberria 124
Zabala 113

Time of match: 45:51

Match article (21Iguales)
Match article: (Mundo Deportivo)

This was a fairly non-competitive match, mostly due to the fact that Zabala had a very bad day at the office. When a player at this level is gifted 64 percent of his points, winning is not so difficult. An 8-0 start put Etxeberria in a good position.  Zabala did fight back with a 6 point run, but E answered with a 9 point run to put the match away. Emblematic of the entire match were the last 3 points, each of which E scored on errors by Z. Etxeberria moves on the the 1/16 Round in Group B and will play Agirre, the other play-in winner. 

April 13, 2019

Labrit, Iruna (Pamplona) (1) (2) (3)

Agirre (D/F) 12 Pena II (D/F) 0 (EITB--doesn't have match but does have the injury, it takes place at about 3:00 on the video)

This match was "suspended" due to a bicep injury to Pena II. Agirre was in the process of shutting him out when the injury happened. 

Match article (Baikopilota.eus)
Match article (Diario Vasco)

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UPCOMING:

1/16 ROUND:

GROUP D: APRIL 19: LA BASTIDA:  ARTOLA (DELANTERO) (FRONT)  v Arteaga II (DELANTERO (FRONT)

GROUP A: APRIL 20: EZCARAY: VICTOR (D/F) v BAKAIKOA (D/F) 
GROUP B: APRIL 21: LOGRONO: AGIRRE (D/F) v P. ETXEBERRIA (D/F)
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GROUP C: APRIL 22: TOLOSA; RETEBI BI (D/F) v LASO (D/F)