XV Torneo Individual de Remonte Profesional de Navidad-Gran Premio Magna 2020. (December 19, 20, 26, 27, 2020) at Aoiz, Huarte, Alsasua, and Lodosa.
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This post will include the following information. Structure of the Tournament, Players, Scores, condensed linescores, Player's Total Points, Cumulative Statistics, Match Articles, History of the Tournament (Champions of Each Tournament with selected match articles.
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This was a triangular singles Tournament (each partido match played to 20 points) that consisted of three triangular Semi-finals and a triangular Final. Each of the three Semi-finals consisted of a round robin match between 3 players. The winner of the each of the 3 round robins advanced to a Final. In addition, a Pairs match was also played on each day.
Note: All articles, unless otherwise specified, are in Castilian. Euskal Jai Fundacion also offers its articles in Basque. They can be easily translated using your browser's language options. There are also several free translators available on the Net, for those who wish to cut and paste. I use translate.google.com.
Tournament Preview (Euskal Jai Berri)
Tournament Preview (Noticias de Navarra)
The Players (D=Delantero--Front; Z=Zaguero--Back--their positions in pairs matches). Zaguero's always serve in pairs matches. Note: Most of the Players' photgraphs are available at an archival Oriamendi2010 site post. Clicking on the picture will sometimes link to more information about the player. It is the best available information at this time, given the fact that e-Remonte has no web-site and e-Remonte/Euskal Jai Berri have no player information available at this time
4 Delanteros and 5 Zagueros played.
1st Semi-final
Pairs match:
Xabier Erburu (D)--Mikel Otano (Z) v
Benat Rodriguez (D)--Saldias (Z)
Ibai Barricart (Z)
Aritz Garces (Z)
Xanti Uterga (D)
2nd Semi-final
Pairs match:
Xuban Oairzabal(Matxin III) (D)--Igor Agirrezabala (Z) v
Aimar Jabalera (D)--Ibai Barricart (Z)
Kemen Aldabe (D)
Xabier Aspiroz (Z)
Josetxo Ezkurra (Ezkurra II) (D)
3rd Semi-final:
Pairs match
Aldabe-Agirrezabala v Matxin III-Larretxea
Ion Etxeberria (Ion) (Z)
Mikel Otano (Z)
Patxi Zeberio (Zeberio II) (D)
FINAL:
Pairs Match
Zeberio II-Otano v Ezkurra II-Saldias
Xabier Azpiroz(Z)
Ion Etxeberria (Z)
Xanti Uterga (D)
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December 19
1st Semi-final Triangular
Uterga 20 Barricart 6
Condensed full linescore (Euskal Jai Berri) (winner always listed first)
0-1; 3-1; 3-2; 6-2; 6-3; 13-3; 13-5; 16-5; 16-6; 20-6
1 equal score, 1 lead change. biggest run: Uterga: 7
Uterga 20 Garces 10
Condensed full linescore
2-0; 2-1; 5-1; 5-2; 6-2; 6-5; 8-5; 8-7; 10-7; 10-8; 18-8; 18-10; 20-10
0 equal scores, 0 lead changes, biggest run: Uterga 8
Garces 20 Barricart 9
Condensed full linescore
0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 9-2; 9-7; 17-7; 17-9; 20-9
2 equal scores, 1 lead change, biggest run: Garces 8 (2 times)
Uterga (D) 2-0
Garces (Z) 1-1
Barricart (Z) 0-2
D: 2-0; Z: 1-3
Uterga 40-16 (+24)
Garces 30-29 (+1)
Barricart 15-40 (-25)
Uterga advances to the Final
Pairs Match
Benat-Saldias 35; Benat-Otano 20
Match article (Noticias de Navarra)
Match article (Euskal Jai Fundacion)
The match article said that Uterga used an outside serve to great advantage in winning his two matches.
+++
December 20
2nd Semi-final Triangular
Azpiroz 20 Aldabe 8
Condensed full linescore (winner always listed first)
0-3; 5-3; 5-5; 10-5; 10-6; 18-6; 18-7; 19-7; 19-8; 20-8
2 equal scores, 1 lead change, biggest run: Azpiroz: 8
Aldabe 20 Ezkurra II 19
Condensed full linescore
1-0; 1-1; 3-1; 3-2; 7-2; 7-3; 7-8; 9-8; 9-9; 13-9; 13-14; 17-14; 17-18; 18-18; 18-19; 20-19
9 equal scores, 7 lead changes, biggest run: Ezkurra II: 5
Azpiroz 20 Ezkurra II 19
5-0; 5-1; 7-1; 7-2; 11-2; 11-4; 12-4; 12-6; 12-9; 13-9; 13-10; 14-10; 14-11; 15-11; 15-13; 16-13; 16-14; 17-14; 17-15; 18-15; 18-19; 20-19
1 equal score, 2 lead changes, biggest run: Azpiroz: 5
Azpiroz (Z) 2-0
Aldabe (D) 1-1
Ezkurra II (D) 0-2
D: 2-0; Z: 1-3
D: 1-3; Z: 2-0
Cumulative
D: 3-3; Z: 3-3
Azpiroz 40-27 (+13)
Aldabe 28-39 (-11)
Ezkurra II 38-40 (-2)
Azpiroz advances to the Final
Pairs Match
Matxin III-Agirrezabala 35 Jabalera-Barricart 26
Match article: (Euskal Jai Fundacion)
The match article said that Azpiroz used a powerful serve on the short court at Huarte to great advantage. Two of the matches had terrific finishes, with Ezkurra II at match point in both before losing the final two points of both. Had he won the second match, he would have been in the "driver's seat" going into the third. As it was, he not only had to win the third match but win it by more than 12 points, as there would have been a 3 way tie with all players at 1-1.
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December 26
3rd Semi-final Triangular
3rd Semi-final Triangular Preview (Noticias de Navarra)
Ion 20 Otano 18
Condensed full linescore (winner always listed first)
0-4; 1-4; 1-5; 7-5; 7-7; 8-7; 8-8; 9-8; 9-9; 10-9; 10-10; 11-10; 11-11; 12-11; 12-12; 13-12; 13-13; 14-13; 14-14; 18-14; 18-17; 19-17; 19-18; and 20-18
9 equal scores, 2 lead changes, biggest run: Ion: 6; Ion kept the lead after 8 of the 9 equal scores
Zeberio II 20 Otano 19
Condensed full linescore
2-0; 2-2; 3-2; 3-5; 6-5; 6-9; 8-9; 8-11; 10-11; 10-17; 15-17; 15-19; 20-19
4 equal scores, 4 lead changes, biggest run: Otano: 6
Ion 20 Zeberio II 14
Condensed full linescore
0-3; 1-3; 1-4; 2-4; 2-5; 8-5; 8-6; 9-6; 9-7; 10-7; 10-11; 13-11; 13-12; 15-12; 15-13; 18-13; 18-14; 20-14
3 equal scores, 3 lead changes, biggest run: Ion: 6
Ion (Z) 2-0
Zeberio II (D) 1-1
Otano (Z) 0-2
D: 2-0; Z: 1-3
D: 1-3; Z: 2-0
D: 1-1; Z: 2-2
Cumulative:
D: 4-4; Z: 5-5
Ion 40-32 (+8)
Zeberio II 34-39 (-5)
Otano 37-40 (-3)
Ion advances to the Final
Pairs Match:
Aldabe-Saldias (substituting for Agirrezabala) 35 Matxin III-Larretxea 33
Match article (Euskal Jai Fundacion)
Ageless (45) Patxi Zeberio, a 25 year veteran who won this Championship in 2005 and 2008 (and is a four time finalist), came up a bit short in this one, After winning the last 5 points to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in his first match against Otano, he went on a 4 point run to take an 11-10 lead in his elimination match against Ion. However, that was as far as he could go, as Ion used a powerful serve to help take 10 of the next 13 points and advance to the Final.
+++
December 27
FINAL Triangular
Uterga 20 Ion 12
Condensed full linescore (winner always listed first)
0-2; 1-2; 1-6; 5-6; 5-7; 11-7; 11-8; 19-8; 19-12; 20-12.
1 equal score, 1 lead change, biggest run: Uterga: 8
Azpiroz 20 Ion 16
Condensed full linescore
0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 3-2; 3-4; 4-4; 4-8; 7-8; 7-13; 12-13; 12-15; 13-15; 13-16; 20-16.
5 equal scores, 3 lead changes, biggest run: Azpiroz: 7
Azpiroz 20 Uterga 16
Condensed full linescore
3-0; 3-1; 7-1; 7-2; 10-2; 10-3; 11-3; 11-4; 13-4; 13-14; 17-14; 17-15; 19-15; 19-16; 20-16.
2 equal scores, 2 lead changes, biggest run: Uterga: 10 (the biggest run of the Tournament: he also had two 8 point runs. Garces also had two 8 point runs (in the same match).
Azpiroz (Z) 2-0
Uterga (D) 1-1
Ion (Z) 0-2
D: 2-0; Z: 1-3
D: 1-3; Z: 2-0
D: 1-1; Z: 2-2
D: 1-1; Z: 2-2
Cumulative
D: 5-5; Z 7-7
Azpiroz 40-32 (+8)
Uterga 36-32 (+4)
Ion 28-40 (-12)
Azpiroz wins the Championship. Uterga finishes second. Ion finishes third.
Pairs match
Zeberio II-Otano 35 Ezkurra II-Saldias 30
Match article (Noticias de Navarra)
Match article (Euskal Jai Fundacion)
Azpiroz, using great court coverage and the best rebote in the Tournament, frustrated Uterga into trying to make perfect winners. That was the formula used to win an unexpected Championship. Azpiroz beat the two front runners in elimination matches: Ezkurra II (20-19) in the second Semi-final, and Uterga (20-16) in the final. He also came from behind in the final, winning the last 7 points over Ion, to put him in a position to play for the Championship.
The EJF match article said (Google English translation of the original Castilian).
"In the final stretch, the perseverance and exceptional defense of Azpiroz, with a great ease to play from the rebound, added more than the genius in attack of Uterga: the forward doneztebarra, the great favorite to the title, was forced to risk to the maximum before a rival who covered much field, and committed some failures by millimeters that Azpiroz knew how to take advantage of to take the txapela."
Cumulative Table:
Name Position W-L Points+/- Total Net Points
Azpiroz (Z) 4-0 80-59 (139) +21
Uterga (D) 3-1 76-48 (124) +28
Ion (Z) 2-2 68-72 (140) -4
Garces (Z) 1-1 30-29 (59) +1
Zeberio II (D) 1-1 34-39 (73) -5
Aldabe (D) 1-1 28-39 (67) -11
Ezkurra II (D) 0-2 38-40 (78) -2
Otano (Z) 0-2 37-40 (77) -3
Barricart (Z) 0-2 15-40 (55) -25
Of the 12 matches in the Tournament, 3 were decided by the 1 by 20-18. and 2 by 20-16.
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History, as far as I have been able to research, of the Navidad Championship. I think this is the sequence, but I am not sure.
I: 2005--Patxi Zeberio II
II: 2006--Koteto Ezkurra
Source: El Remonte Blog
III: 2007--Inaki Lisazo 35 Miguel Mari Irrutia 27
Match article (El Remonte Blog)
IV: 2008--Zeberio II 35 Urrutia 34
Match article (El Remonte Blog)
V: 2009--Inaki Lisazo 35 Koteto Ezkurra 21
Match article (El Remonte Blog)
VI-IX--2010-2013--Gorka Urtasun
Source (Euskal Jai Fundacion)
X: 2014--Julen San Miguel 30 Aritz Etxeberria (Etxeberria IV) 23
Match Article: (Diario Vasco)
XI: 2015--Xanti Uterga 30 Javier Urriza 15 (January 18, 2016)
Match article (Euskal Jai Fundacion)
Match article (Erremontea.eus)
XII: 2016--Javier Urriza 30 Xanti Uterga 22
XIII: 2017--Javier Urriza 30 Endika Barrenetxea (Barrenetxea IV) 20
Match Article (Erremontea.eus)
XIV: 2018-19--Javier Urriza 30 Gorka Urtasun 28
XV: 2020--XV Xabier Azpiroz 20 Xanti Uterga 16
Winners:
Gorka Urtasun 4 (2010---13)
Javier Urriza 3 (2016--18-19)
Patxi Zeberio 2 (2005, 2008)
Inaki Lisazo 2 (2007, 2009)
Koteto Ezkurra 1 (2006)
Julen San Miguel 1 (2014)
Xanti Uterga 1 (2015)
Xabier Azpiroz 1 (2020)
