The preliminary tournaments for the Cesta Punta Pro Tour Summer League ended on Friday 8/18/23. The SLAM Tournaments commence on Monday 8/21/23.
JOHAN AND LÓPEZ, THE BEST OF THE SEASON IN IPARRALDE AND PAU!
Laduche and Del Rio, who play today in Lekeitio, manage to qualify among the best
Info: APP "Jai Alai League"
Classified to play the SLAMS or final phases:DELANTEROS: Johan, Erkiaga, Goikoetxea and Laduche.BACKGROUNDS: Lopez, Minvielle, Gorka and Del Rio.SLAMS (final phase of each tournament)
BIARRITZ GOLD GLOVE:
August 21, semifinals:August 23, end:INTERNATIONALS FROM SAINT JEAN DE LUZAugust 22, semifinals:August 24, semi-final:August 29, end.PEACE CUPAugust 25, semifinals:September 1, semifinal:September 7, endThese three championships are part of the Jai Alai League, along with the Gernika Winter Series.Summer Masters winners in Iparralde and Pau:ALL THE INFORMATION IN A SIMPLE AND GRAPHICAL FORM IN THE MOBILE APP "JAI ALAI LEAGUE"
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If the time schedules are the same, matches at Biarritz begin at 8:00 pm local time, St. Jean de Luz at 8:45 pm, and Pau at 9:00 pm.
PAU
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Cesta punta: the summer of confirmation for Johan Sorozabal, before the final stages of the Summer League
It's a real marathon that awaits Johan Sorozabal this week. The young 21-year-old forward, licensed at Biarritz Athletic Club (BAC) finds himself playing in the three semi-finals of the Slams of the Summer League : in Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Pau. No wonder for the player who finished best before in the standings, for his second participation in the competition.
"It's the decisive week and it's now that we're going to have to be good. We've fought all season to get there and even if the pace is strong, we're not complaining, because it's that's how we're going to win titles. You have to be 100% all the time", says the pilotari.
First forward in the standings
The icing on the cake of a year that will have seen the front of Biarrot come to light. Notably to his credit: a first participation in the Summer League. "I ended up at the bottom of the ranking" , remembers Johan with a smile. But he does not stop there: he does not go far from a historic qualification in the final phase of the World Cup in Biarritz last fall, accompanied by his older brother Gorka (22 years old), back, in the jersey of the States States (they have dual nationality). A lifelong partner with whom he won the title of champion of France last April .
"Little by little, we realized that we had the qualities to compete on the cancha. These experiences gave us confidence. Last year, each victory was a small achievement. And in the game, we worked well technically and tactically", analyzes the cadet.
The American dream
What for Johan, responding to exchanges with masters of the cesta punta: Iñaki Goikoetxea , Aritz Erkiaga, etc. Players he was able to idolize when he was younger. "At first, it was weird. Ten years ago, I watched these players from the stands. I applauded them, telling myself that they were much too strong, and ten years later, we are there and we say to ourselves, c It's possible to win them. Even if when I started, I thought that I was going to take roustes (laughs). "
An apprenticeship at high speed for the pilotari biarrot who, between 17 and 19 years old, even tried the American dream of the cesta. For two years he had gone into exile in Dania Beach, Florida , to grow as a professional player. Barely two years since the closure of the last Jai Alai ruined his dream and forced him to return to the Basque Country with his brother Gorka. "We had this great opportunity, to work and progress. We knew why we were going there and when it closed, we came back with the idea of becoming essential here and winning the tournaments we dreamed of winning as children."
"Reaching the final with Gorka..."
What the siblings are realizing, in a mundillo of the chistera which sees its legends hang up the glove, little by little. " Eric (Irastorza) and Goiko ( Iñaki Goikoetxea ) , they are the two greatest legends of the last 30 years and it's weird not seeing them on the cancha anymore. It's up to us to take over, there will be a bit of pressure but we try not to think about it."
It is also with his brother that Johan Sorozabal will be associated this Monday, August 21, in the semi-final of the Golden Glove in Biarritz. They will meet Aritz Erkiaga and David Minvielle. A beautiful poster in a Jai alai of Aguiléra which promises to be boiling. "We would like to reach the final with Gorka, it would be exceptional to play a final, at home, against Goiko and Imanol Lopez on Wednesday evening." His brother, with whom Johan has another long-term goal: "We want to bring back the first gold medal to the United States in a pelota World Cup . If by then (San Luis 2026, Argentina, editor's note) , the United States still wants us, we hope to achieve that." Pelota World Cup ., the United States still wants us, we hope to achieve that."
