Daily Archives: 2 March, 2009

Mano pairs: standings after semi final round one

In the semi final stage of the competition, all four pairs play each other once to decide upon the make up of the final. After their emphatic win on Sunday, Oinatz Bengoetxea and Ruben Beloki are the early leaders. While it is clearly advantageous to open with a win, almost anything could still happen in the next two weeks. Stay tuned!

1. Bengoetxea VI-Beloki 1 1 0 22 11 1
2. Irujo-Goñi III 1 1 0 22 17 1
3. Olaizola II-Mendizabal II 1 0 17 22 0
4. Berasaluze VIII-Begino 1 0 1 11 22 0

Next weekend’s fixtures are as set out below. I will post webcast information when it becomes available.

Saturday, Labrit (Pamplona): Olaizola II – Mendizabal II v Berasaluze VIII – Begino
Sunday, Astelena (Eibar): Bengoetxea VI – Beloki v Martinez de Irujo – Goni III

Bengoextea means business

Bengoextea means business

Image from: http://www.diariodenavarra.es/actualidad/20080715/fotos/2008071521150011_375.jpg

Mano pairs: Beloki and Bengoetxea show their colours and go top

Sunday 1st March

Atano III, San Sebastian

BENGOETXEA VI – BELOKI beat BERASALUZE VIII – BEGINO 22-11

In what could be termed the battle of the Bs, Asegarce played Asegarce for the honours in San Sebastian on Sunday night. Pablo Berasaluze and Aritz Begino finished the quarter final stages with a flurry, taking a nailbiting win over Titin III and Pascual to qualify in pole position but their opponents last night were in no mood for compromise. Oinatz Bengoetxea, the 24 year old manomanista champion from Leitza, is known as one of the best defensive forwards in the game; many opponents have discovered to their cost his incredible tenacity and ability to produce attack out of dead ends. His current partner in crime is Ruben Beloki, ten years his senior, and the owner of six championship txapelas, the most recent coming in the pairs, six years ago. If this display was anything to go by, Beloki is back and hungry for more, for it was his dominance and mind-blowing accuracy which won the day in emphatic style.

In the early points, the two sides seemed even enough but at 5-4 to the eventual losers, the floodgates opened and there was no way back for Pablito and Begino. Bengoextea was entirely prepared to let Beloki dictate the game and his defensive partner payed him back by the bucket load. In a stunning display, the veteran made up for his undoubtedly diminished speed with guile, tactical nouse and unrelenting accuracy. In the process of this showcase of his talents, he made not one single error. Compare his efforts to those of Begino and the reason for the discrepency in the scoreline becomes apparent. Begino is possessed of on of the strongest right arms in the game but strength is nothing without skill and this was not to be his night. He chalked up eight errors in the course of the evening and Beloki, metaphorically speaking of course, ate him for breakfast. Berasaluze tried his best to lift the spirits of his flagging partner but to no avail.

Berasaluze for his part struck eight winners but could do nothing to stop the rot. Bengoetxea hit fewer winners but also made fewer mistakes and through his incredible energy and indefatigable spirit was able to prevent his counterpart from cutting loose. After 59 minutes and 55 seconds, Oinatz and Ruben raised their arms in both triumph and the quiet satisfaction of a job well done. They now lead the semi final standings on points difference ahead of Irujo and Goni. Berasaluze and Begino find themselves bottom, one place below defending champions Olaizola II and Mendizabal II.

Scoring sequence: 3-0, 3-4, 4-4, 4-5, 15-5, 15-9, 17-9, 17-10, 21-10, 21-11 and 22-11

Ruben Beloki

Ruben Beloki

Image from: http://www.gara.net/Repository/Imagenes/Pub_3/Issue_1589/p047_01_148x140.jpg

Jai Alai: Master Jai's games in Gernika

TREKU-JOAKIN        25
LEKUE-KEVIN           22

Duration: 42 minutos
Points on serve: 2 for Treku and 1 for Lekue

Scoring sequence: 1-1, 2-2, 2-4, 3-4, 3-5, 4-5, 4-6, 6-6, 7-7, 7-10, 8-10, 8-11, 9-11, 9-14, 11-14, 11-15, 17-15, 17-16, 18-16, 18-17, 21-17, 21-19, 23-19, 23-21, 24-21, 24-22 y 25-22

Treku and Joakin reacted during the last ten points of the game, which they ended up winning with 25-22.

Despite of the loss, the blue team started in an inspiring way. Kevin showed great strength and Leuke caught everything thrown at him, and always went in the right direction. In this way they managed to climb to 9-14 and later 11-15. But at this point the other team seemed to wake up again.

Joakin played with more self esteem than in the first part of the game, and Treku became a lotmore active and started to score points for his team. The scores turned to 17-15, and they didn’t stop until reaching the final score of 25 against 22.

0203treku

The other game of the evening was a loss for Alberdi III and Olha, and Alberdi III had a lot of problems with an injured muscle.

BARONIO-ELIZEGI        15
OLHA-ALBERDI III        10

Source: Master Jai