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Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Remonte--Sagardoaren Txapelketa (Tourneo Sidra) Semi-Final League: Round 2

The Sagardoaren Txapelketa/El Torneo de la Sidra/Cider Tournament began February 28, 2019 and will end with a final on May 4, 2019. 

The Sagardoaren Txapelketa IX features 8 Oriamendi2010 roster pairs (7 players from the A Group and 9 from the B Group). The tournament will be contested in two 4 team groups (A and B). Each team corresponds to a cider house sponsor. Letters following the players' names correspond to their Oriamendi2010 groups.

Remonte Player Pages at Oriamendi2010

Group A

Bereziartua (Uterga-Labaka) (A-B)
GaztaƱaga (Urriza-Zaldua) (A-B)
Larre-Gain (Juanenea-Azpiroz) (B-B)
Petritegi (Segurola-Endika) (B-A)

Group B

Altzueta (Etxarri-Ion) (A-A)
Gurutzeta (Ezkurra II-Garces) (B-B)
Oialume Zar (Goikoetxea V-Barrenetxea IV) (B-A)
Setien (Ansa II-Agirrezabala) (B-A)

Of these pairs, only Segurola-Endika have ever won the Tournament. There are five players who did not play (except as substitutes) last year. They are Ansa II, Etxarri, and Goikoetxea V in the front; Labaka and Zaldua in the back.

The tournament will consist of a League phase, a single round robin in each group. There will be a change in how the Semi-finals are contested this year. The first and second place teams in each group will advance to a Semi-final League, a single round robin. At the end of the Semi-final League the top two teams will play in the Final on May 4. This format makes the League play more important. Under the old format, all teams advanced, but were seeded so that the teams that finished lower had to play more matches to get to the Final.

Scoring for the League phase will be as follows.

Match winner (40 point matches): 4pts.
36-39: 2pts.
31-35: 1pt
26-30: 0pts.
0-25: -1pt

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NOTE: HISTORY OF THE SAGADOAREN TOURNAMENT FROM 2011-2018 HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST. IT INCLUDES SCORES OF ALL FINALS, ALL FINAL MATCH ARTICLES, LINKS TO ALL MATCH SCORES AND ARTICLES, AND LINKS TO PARTIAL OR FULL MATCH VIDEOS WHEN AVAILABLE.

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Preview article (Oriamendi 2010)
Preview article (Diario Vasco)
Preview article (Kronika) (Basque)

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Round 1--Week 1: February 28-March 2, 2019 ;  Round 1--Week 2: March 7, 9, 2019 ;  Round 2--Week 1: March 14, 16, 2019 ; Round 2--Week 2: March 21, 23, 2019 ; Round 3--Week 1 March 28, 30, 2019 ; Round 3--Week 2 April 4, 6, 2019

Semi-Final League:
Round 1 ; Round 2 ; Round 3

 Final

====================================

2019 full tournament match results

Semi-Final League Round 2

The second round of Semi-final matches was played in one afternoon and was televised live on EITB. One match was the Star Match, the other was the third match of the program. When it was over, one team had been eliminated from contention, two teams were headed toward a likely elimination match for a position in the finals, and one team needed to score 26 points in its final match in order to guarantee its position. Two excellent matches were played, one very hotly contested, but finally taken over by one player, the other, the second best played match (in terms of lack of errors) in the tournament so far (see March 9, played by the team that won the first match today) for the other. It also featured the second "perfect game" (no errors) by a player (the first was also in the March 9 match). In addition, the first match contained the longest single point in a long court match (29 balls in play) I have seen in my short time watching Remonte. The point featured 7 exceptional point saving defensive plays by 3 of the players. All in all, if you haven't seen Remonte before, or have only seen a few matches, this "doubleheader" is as good an introduction to the modality, played at its highest level, that I can imagine. 

End of Round 2

Petritegi (Segurola-Endika) (Group A #1) (2-0 +8)
Gaztanaga (Urriza-Zaldua) (Group A #2) (1-1 +6)
Gurutzeta (Ezkurra II-Garces) Group B #1) (1-1 +6)
Oialume Zar (Goikoetxea V-Barrentxea IV) (Group B #2) (0-2 +2*)

*Eliminated from contention for final

April 18, 2019

***Full match video of both matches (in the order below)*** (EITB--matches begin at 9:45 on the video)


Segurola-Endika (Petritegi) (B-A) (Group A #1) (2-0 +8) 40
Ezukrra II-Garces (Gurutzeta) (B-B) (Group B #1) (1-1 +6) 36 
(B-B 4-3 A-B 3-4)

Linescore (EITB) (winners always listed first)

0-2; 3-2; 3-3; 4-3; 4-7; 9-7; 9-12; 12-12; 12-13; 16-13; 16-16; 25-16; 25-18; 28-18; 28-19; 31-19; 31-20; 32-20; 32-21; 33-21; 33-27; 34-27; 34-29; 36-29; 36-31; 37-31; 37-32; 38-32; 38-34; 39-34; 39-36; 40-36

Scoring: (EITB)

Segurola +8 -6 Endika+18 (including 9 service aces)-10 (including 3 service faults)
Ezkurra II +16 -9 Garces +4 (including 3 service aces) -5 (including 1 service fault)

Balls in play: 354

Segurola 68 Endika 111; Ezkurra II 87 Garces 88

The signature play of this match was the final point, won by Endika with a perfect two wall winner from behind the 11 line. That is approximately half a gridiron football field away from the front wall. It was the culmination of a fantastic day at the office for Endika. He is a long ago converted front court player (see the link to the match story of the very first Sagardoeren Final in 2011 below--where he played in the front court). He has a front court mentality and a front court shot selection, which he is not afraid to use. This was Segurola's 12th consecutive win but it was Endika's match. Endika took 62 percent of the balls his team hit. He put up an enormous score for a back court player. In their decisive 9 point run that decided the match, Endika scored 6 of the points, including 3 consecutive service aces. Ezkurra II also played an excellent match, with +16 -9, and was instrumental in keeping his team within range. Garces played solid, steady defense. It was not the greatest played match from a technical standpoint (30 errors, a very large number for this modality). And Endika is a risk taker, as his error column shows. But it also means he is "in the thick" of things, and when he is in the thick of things, it is very good news for Petritegi fans. Petritegi has a perfect 5-0 record in this tournament, and they need only to not lose Tournament points (to score 26 points or more) in their final Semi-final League match against already eliminated Oliazume Zar (Goikoetxea V-Barrenetxea IV) to guarantee their place in the Final. 

The match also featured the longest (balls in play) point on the long court that I have seen in my short time watching Remonte. It was the 33-25--33-26 point (1:01:05--1:02:27 on the video), which consumed 29 balls in play, and featured the following point saving defensive plays:

Endika: 4th ball running on the apron
Garces: 5th ball going right to left
Endika: 8th ball against left wall
Ezkurra II: 15th ball against left wall
Ezkurra II: 19th ball backhand against left wall
Endika: 22nd ball on his knees against left wall behind the 8 line.
Garces: 29th ball Left to right and on his knees

Ironically, Endika made a simple error on the 30th ball to gift the point to Ez-G.

Urriza-Zaldua (Gaztanaga) (A-B) Group A #2) (1-1 +6) 40
Goikoetxea V-Barrentxea IV (B-A) Group B #2) (0-2 +2) 32

Linescore (EITB) (winners always listed first)

1-0; 1-1; 6-1; 6-2; 7-2; 9-2; 9-4; 11-4; 11-6; 12-6; 12-9; 14-9; 14-10; 16-10; 16-14; 17-14; 17-15; 18-15; 18-17; 23-17; 23-21; 27-21; 27-22; 30-22; 30-24; 31-24; 31-25; 33-25; 33-27; 34-27; 34-28; 35-28; 35-29; 37-29; 37-30; 38-30; 38-32; 40-32

Scoring (EITB and my own after 29-22)

Urriza +16 -0 Zaldua +12 (including 7 service aces) -2( including 1 service fault)
Goikoetxea V +18 -5 Barrenetxea IV +12 (5 aces) -7 (1 fault)

In important matches, Urriza always "shows up for the party." He hits the pelota harder, and with less effort, than anyone I have seen. He is not particularly an "artist" with his two wall shots, very seldom going for the high soft ones that are the master tools of Uterga. He blasts them so fast they are difficult to see. In this match he used that shot, along with the best cortada (a hard sidearm shot down the left wall that looks like it will go right through a cesta) in Remonte, and very effective left wall shots and high, overhead passes. He is the only front court player I have seen who consistently executes rebotes (rebound shots off the back wall), the most difficult shot in all of BP, in my opinion, though I'm sure the InnPala palistas would disagree on this point. The rebotes are only one part of his defensive arsenal, which sometimes goes unnoticed in the midst of all the fireworks. Time and again in this match, he kept points alive with "pinpoint" accurate defense. 

In this match he did something else. He was "perfect" (+16 -0), only the second time in this tournament that has been done (see Segurola's March 9 match for the other). The game was evenly contested at 18-17 U-Z when the players took a water break. Coming out of the break, Urriza scored 3 (consecutive) points of the 5 point run that kept Gaztanaga ahead. 

He was not without help. Zaldua had his best match of the Tournament at the most crucial time, as this was, in essence, an elimination match. He has had difficulties in this tournament, most recently faulting at 39-38 in a heartbreaking loss to Petritegi in the first semi-final round (see below). But he was all concentration and execution in this match, playing excellent defense on the left wall, using the rebote to great effect in defense, and, in short, getting to a lot of balls it didn't look like he would, including one diving save to his right that was one of (if not the best) plays of the match. He scored 3 of the 5 points of his team's early 5-0 run that set the tone. And he out aced the "King" of the back court acers, Barrenetxea IV. He also finished the match with an ace. Most importantly, he made the only two errors his team made, one of those on a service fault. The last time EITB flashed the breakdown of balls in play was after the 19-17 point, so roughly the half way point in the match. Urriza 67, Zaldua 52. Not an unexpected ratio, but the young back man handled everything that came his way.

For Oliazume Zar, Goikoetxea V showed a lot of promise and was actually the leading scorer in the match (+18), using an array of shots, including at least 5 two wall shots (like Urriza, Goikoetxea V is not an "artistic" two wall maker). He revels in hitting the ball as hard as he can, and when his game is working, he is great to watch, especially for one who gets little chance to see B Group players perform regularly. In this match G did not hesitate to switch positions with Barrenetxea IV when necessary, winning the 27-21--27-22 point from the back on the same point Zaldua made a his great save (discussed above). O Z outscored Gaztanaga in this match, but their errors did them in, ultimately eliminating them from contention. Gaztanaga now has their fate in their hands, with an elimination match against Gurutzeta (Ezkurra II-Garces) to (assuming Petritegi scores 26 points in their final match) determine who advances to the Final.

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Available known Semi-final League Individual Scoring: Where data is for less than the total number of matches, it was due to lack of source data (Source for all unless otherwise specifically stated: Oriamendi2010 match reports).

Delanteros (Fronts)

Urriza (Gaztanga) + 24 -2 (O); +16 -0 (EITB)
Segurola (Petritegi) + 23 -4 (O); +8 -6 (EITB)
Ezkurra II (Gurutzeta) + 23 -5(O); +17 -9 (EITB)
Goikoetxea V (Oialume Zar)?; +18 -5 (EITB)

Zagueros (Backs)

Barrenetxea IV (Oialume Zar) +16 (O); +12 -7 (EITB)
Endika (Petritegi) +10 -4 (O); +18 -10 (EITB)
Zaldua (Gaztanaga) +6 -5 (O); +12 -2 (EITB)
Garces (Gurutzeta) ?, +4 -5 (EITB)


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UPCOMING

SEMI-FINAL LEAGUE ROUND 3

APRIL 25, 2018

PETRITEGI (SEGUROLA-ENDIKA) (B-A) (GROUP A #1) (2-0, +8) v

OIALUME ZAR (GOIKOETXEA V-BARRENTXEA IV) (B-A) (GROUP B #2) (0-2 +2)

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Qualification League: 

Group A Table: FINAL

Teams-wins-losses +or- Tournament points

Petritegi (Segurola-Endika B-A) (3-0 +12)
Gaztanaga (Urriza- Zaldua A-B) (2-1 +7)
Larre Gain (Juanenea-Apiroz B-B) (1-2 +7)*
Bereziartua (Uterga-Labaka A-B) (0-3 -2)*

*Eliminated

Available League Individual Scoring: Where data is for less than 3 matches, it was due to lack of source data (Source for all: Oriamendi2010 match reports)

Delantero-Front (avg. numbers are rounded)

Urriza (Gaztanaga) +64 -10 (3 matches) avg. +21 -3
Segurola (Petritegi) +38 -1 (2 matches) avg.+19 -1
Juanenea (Larre Gain) +30 -5 (2 matches) avg. +15 -2
Uterga (Bereziartua) +25 -8 (2 matches) avg. +13 -4

Zagueros (backs)

Endika (Petritegi) +23 -4 (2 matches) avg. +12 -2
Azpiroz (Larre Gain) +24 -5 (2 matches) avg. +12 -3
Labaka (Bereziartua) + 10 -4 (1 match) avg. +10 -4
Zaldua (Gaztanaga) +20 -13 (2 matches) avg. +10 -7


Group B Table: FINAL

Gurutzeta (Ezkurra II-Garces B-B) 2-1 +10
Oialume Zar (Goikoetxea V-Barrenetxea IV B-A) 1-2 +8
Altzueta (Etxarri-Ion A-A) 2-1 +8*
Setien (Ansa II-Agirrezabala B-A) 1-2 +8*

* Eliminated

Oialume Zar qualifies for the second Semi-final League position based on an overall point differntial advantage (114-108); Altzueta (118-116); Setien (115-117)

Available League Individual Scoring: Where data is for less than 3 matches it was due to lack of source data. Source for all: Oriamend2010 match reports:

Delanteros (front)

Ezkurra II +66(3 matches) -9(3)
Ansa II +62 (3) -4 (1)
Etxarri +41 (3) -9 (2)
Goikoetxea V +24 (2) -11(2)

Zagueros (back)

Barrenetxea IV +38(3) -10(3)
Ion +22(2) -3(1)
Garces +12 -4(1)
Agirrezabala +6 -1(1)

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Note: This Tournament can also be followed in its larger context of the twice weekly 4 match sessions (on Thursdays and Saturdays) at Galarreta. There, in addition to following this tournament, you can see how the participants in the ST are doing in their other weekly matches, what their monthly win-loss records are, and other information on the comings and goings of Oriamendi2010 Remonte. See the "Galarreta Star Match" recurring Page on the right side of the blog.

Also, these professional Remonte players don't play all their matches at Galarreta. They also play in an annual set of mostly short court (36-38 meters, as opposed to Galarreta's 56 meter court) tournaments sponsored by Fundacion Remonte Euskal Jai (Euskal Jai Berri). Those competitions are covered on a separate Page on the right side of the blog: Euskal Jai Berri Match results. Match scores, articles, and separate player win-loss records are available. 

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Previous winners (Source: Oriamendi 2010 Emaitzak/Resultados database)

Note: for all results and match articles for all previous tournaments, I will link to the results. Finals match articles will be linked to directly. To match the results to the match articles for all other matches, I will link to all match articles for that year. Simply match the articles to the result dates. It is a bit cumbersome, but, I think, the easiest way to find non-Final Tournament match stories given the structure of the Oriamendi2010 databases. All match articles, unless otherwise specifically stated, are from Oriamendi2010 or the Viva El Remonte blog via Oriamendi2010. I have yet to find any tournament history in any modality covered as well and as powerfully from the standpoint of easy retrieval of information from one place, as the Oriamendi2010 website. High Cestas to all involved. Esterrik Asko.

2011--Juaristi-Olazar 40 Endika-Urrutia I 36 (match article) (complete match results)--(individual match articles)


2013--Matxin III-Etxeberria III 40 Jauristi-Agirrezabala 33 (match article) (video highlights 36-28--40-33) (complete  tournament match results)--(individual match articles)

2014--Etxeberria IV-Ion 40 Matxin III-Etxeberria III 34 (match article)(video highlights 36-24--39-34) (full tournament match results)--(individual match articles)


2016--Segurola-Endika 40 Uterga-Aizpuru III 38 (match article) (Full match video--EITB) (complete tournament match results)--(individual match articles) (BLOG POST--scroll to the Remonte section))



Endika is the only player to have won 2 STs. Juaristi, Olazar, Endika and Uterga have played in 3 finals. Matxin III, Etxteberria III, and Urriza  have played in 2 finals.