After two postponements, the final of the Cuatro y Medio Championship takes place this Sunday in Bilbao. Juan Martinez de Irujo starts as favourite after Aimar Olaizola’s injury lay-off and possible resulting lack of match fitness, but as with any game between the two top players of the past decade, it promises to be a closely fought and fascinating encounter. The finalists selected their balls at Bizkaia yesterday with Olaizola choosing weights of 104.8g and 105.4 g, and Irujo 105.6g and 105.3g. Their press conferences (in Spanish) can be viewed on the Asegarce website. An excellent weekend of action begins in Ezcaray tonight with some Rioja’s finest on show in a festival which combines players from both empresas.

Friday 9th December, Ezcaray

22:10 (CET) RICO IV – UNTORIA v GORKA – CECILIO

Followed by BERASALUZE VIII – MERINO v OLAETXEA – MERINO II

Sunday 11th December, Bilbao

17:00 (CET) TITIN III – LASKURAIN v BERASALUZE VIII – APRAIZ

Followed by OLAIZOLA II v MARTINEZ DE IRUJO Cuatro y Medio Final

To watch, go to http://www.eitb.tv, https://www.eitb.eus/es/television/etb-sat/ or https://www.eitb.eus/es/deportes/deporte-en-directo/

Irujo and Olaizola II meet again on the biggest stage

Image from Noticias de Gipuzkoa, by Luis Gomez