Monthly Archives: February 2012

Berasaluze saves the blushes of Albisu as rivals fall away

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Sunday 26th February, Eibar

BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU beat ARITZ LASA – PEÑAGARIKANO 22-18

Pairs Championship

It looked to all the world as if Aritz Lasa and Penagarikano were going to take the win they so badly needed at Astelena last night. Lasa was playing excellently, with accuracy and real verve, and Albisu appeared trapped in a sequence of inaccuracy and self-doubt. The Aspe pair led comfortably from the off and although their opponents came back at them, they held them at bay. However, keeping Pablo Berasaluze down is never simple and just when the situation was becoming critical for his team, he produced the goods to maintain their qualification chances. Meanwhile, the afflicted Aitor Zubieta could only sit in the stands and watch as his proxy, Penagarikano, felt the heat and let everything slip.

Albisu was the culprit in the red pair’s early demise. In the second play of the match he left a long, spiralling ball from Lasa which looked to be going wide. When it fell in, his face was a picture of consternation. He then went on to miscue the ball three times in a row and before anyone had had time to blink, it was 0-5. Berasaluze and Albisu gradually pulled points back, and the latter did well to bomb Penagarikano into submission to get them off the mark. Berasaluze showed himself able to turn on the style when needed, and produced a whirlwind period of play between 7-12 and 12-13 to bring his pair right back into touch. When on 4-10, Albisu threw away a golden position in going high trying to get the ball over his opponent’s head, Berasaluze seized the serve back with a gantxo. When Lasa exerted excellent control to take the score to 6-12, Berasaluze jumped back in with two winners in a row. Albisu played his part with a long ball which trapped Penagarikano against the back wall but when he faltered in the next point, Berasaluze again rescued the momentum with a hat trick of winners. With a gap of only one point, the match had taken on a very different complexion and this was down almost entirely to the tenacity of the man from Berriz.

Lasa and Penagarikano stopped the rot and extended their advantage to four again at 12-16, but sensing the situation was now very dangerous, Berasaluze moved again. Penagarikano had hitherto played very well indeed but as Berasaluze turned the screw, he faltered, committing a string of errors right at the death. There was little Lasa could do to rescue him in the face of his opposite number, who took all the pressure off his ailing defensive partner and deposited it elsewhere. This was an opportunity too good to miss for the Aspe pair to secure a crucial win, with Lasa on song and Albisu out of form. It is to Berasaluze’s credit that they failed to drive it home.

Scoring sequence: 0-5, 1-5, 1-7, 2-7, 4-7, 4-11, 6-11, 6-12, 9-12, 9-13, 10-13, 12-13, 12-16, 16-16, 16-17, 17-17, 21-17, 21-18, 22-18.

Winners/errors: Berasaluze 13/2, Lasa 7/0, Albisu 5/8, Penagarikano ¼

Match time: 1:04.43 with 21:49 of actual play

Balls hit: 414

Rampant Titin and classy Merino ascend the ladder

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Friday 24th February, Irun

TITIN III – MERINO II beat BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ 22-11

Pairs Championship

This Championship has been billed from the start as a two horse race between Olaizola II-Beroiz and Martinez de Irujo-Barriola. However, thanks in part to the indifference of the latter pairing in the past few weeks, coupled with Irujo’s illness, a new contender is emerging. The Riojan combination of experience and youth had won five of its nine matches prior to Friday and sat in the midst of those seeking a way to squeeze into the last two semi-final berths. However, Titin and Merino’s efforts in Irun have lifted them into second place, ahead of dead certs Irujo and Barriola. That they find themselves in this elevated state is thanks to the sheer doggedness of Titin and the emerging class of David Merino, a towering beacon of future promise.

Titin and Merino had almost everything their way in this match. Titin took control right from the start with five clean winners in the first seven points. The other two points in this early passage came as a result of errors from Apraiz, who was put under searing pressure from the great veteran. Merino was the perfect foil, clean elegant and devastatingly accurate from any distance. Titin was out foxed by a short ball from Apraiz in the tenth point and fell short down the wall, but the Asegarce pair failed to produce a clean winner until the defender got one over Merino’s head at 1-12. After this confidence boost, a sign that scoring points was in fact possible, Bengoetxea picked up two in a row with a txoko and a cross court swipe while almost flat against the front wall. However, such moments of inspiration from the usually effervescent forward were few and far between. He chipped away at the Aspe lead in ones and twos, but only appeared to have discovered his true style when it was far too late, at least taking his pair into double figures with a run of three clean winners before the Riojans closed the deal. The winning point came from the hand of Merino, who demonstrating his will to be adventurous as well as merely solid, pulled off a txoko from an impressive distance.

Bengoetxea did not play badly, indeed he made only one error, but Titin was in magisterial form and struck twice as many winners as his opposite number, who could do little to break his control. Apraiz, although he began with little promise, found his range as the game progressed, but proved unable to disrupt Merino’s serenity. This loss has done little to help their cause, though they still have their chances. For Team Rioja however, it seems the only way is up. They will have home advantage against Olaizola and Beroiz this weekend and may fancy themselves to get close, although the table toppers are an entirely different proposition.

Scoring sequence: 9-0, 9-1, 12-1, 12-4, 13-4, 13-5, 14-5, 14-6, 16-6, 16-8, 17-8, 20-8, 20-11, 22-11.

Winners/errors: Titin III 14/1, Bengoetxea VI 7/1, Merino II 3/1, Apraiz 2/4

Match time: 54:00 with 20:14 of actual play

Balls hit: 439

Pelota on ETB, 24th-26th February

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Friday 24th February, Irun

22:15 (CET) TITIN III – MERINO II v BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ Pairs Championship

Sunday 26th February, Eibar

17:00 (CET) RETEGI BI – LARRINAGA v APEZETXEA – MERINO

Followed by BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU v ARITZ LASA – PENAGARIKANO* Pairs Championship (Penagarikano replaces Zubieta)

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/

The other Pairs Championship games this weekend are OLAIZOLA II – BEROIZ v GONZALEZ* – BARRIOLA (Saturday, Bilbao. Gonzalez replaces Irujo) and XALA – LASKURAIN v ARRETXE II – BEGINO (Tolosa, Monday)

Promocion Championship week seven: round up and standings

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The battle for the semi-final berths in the Promocion Pairs Championship, the second tier competition, is hotting up with five pairs within two points of each other at the top. With four weeks to go matters are becoming serious, and not only every win but every point scored within a game may prove crucial. This week’s matches played out like so:

  • OLAZABAL and LARRINAGA maintained their high ranking with an easy 22-11 win over LEMUNO and ARETXEBALETA in Eibar. The defeated pairing are now losing all hope, with only one win out of seven matches and a points difference of -33.
  • Table toppers JAUNARENA and CECILIO took another victory, defeating TAINTA and ARGOTE 22-14 in Altsasu. Their only defeat came against Gorka and Arruti in the second rotation and they look set to progress with young Leitzarra Jaunarena especially impressive. Tainta and Argote remain rooted to the foot of the standings.
  • In Pamplona, URRUTIKOETXEA and IZA beat ONGAY* and LADIS GALARZA 22-10. Things are looking promising for the Asegarce pair, who sit third. Ladis Galarza was without regular partner Aitor Mendizabal and Alberto Ongay was unable to lift him in another defeat, their fifth of the tournament.
  • Tolosa saw an easy victory for GORKA and MERINO*, the latter replacing Arruti, over RICO IV and IBAI ZABALA*, who replaced Untoria, by 22 points to 8. This was a much needed boost for Gorka’s pair, who sit fifth, level on points with the couple they defeated who hang onto fourth.

The table now looks like this:

 

PAREJA

JUG.

GAN.

PERD.

Tf

Tc

COEF
1 Jaunarena-Cecilio 7 6 1 144 103 41
2 Olazabal-Larrinaga 7 5 2 136 107 29
3 Urrutikoetxea-Iza 7 5 2 141 116 25
4 Rico-Untoria 7 4 3 131 133 -2
5 Gorka-Arruti 7 4 3 129 118 11
6 Mendizabal III-Ladis Galarza 7 2 5 108 145 -37
7 Lemuno-Aretxabaleta 7 1 6 110 143 -33
8 Tainta-Argote 7 1 6 109 143 -34

 

Gorka Esteban was victorious this week

Gorka Esteban was victorious this week

Photo: mine

Olaizola II-Beroiz officially semi-finalists, Aritz Lasa-Penagarikano and Xala-Laskurain victorious

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Saturday 18th February, Pamplona: XALA-LASKURAIN beat GONZALEZ*-BARRIOLA 22-13

Sebastien Gonzalez entered the fray at Labrit on Saturday thanks to Juan Martinez de Irujo contracting mumps, an ailment which will also keep him out of the showdown with Olaizola II and Beroiz this coming weekend. Gonzalez, to his credit, acquitted himself extremely well, perhaps in an effort to prove that he should have been in the tournament in the first place, producing a tally of ten winners. However, he was up against a Xala in inspired form. His fellow French Basque hit thirteen winners to only one error, and together with the impressive solidity of Laskurain this was more than enough to get them over the line for their fourth win. Barriola, although on paper reliable, was pressured by Laskurain and ultimately outplayed. Irujo and Barriola appeared dead certs to make the semi finals in the first few rotations, but now they will have to watch their backs; they are still second but are level on points with three other pairs, including Xala and Laskurain.

Scoring sequence: 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-4, 4-4, 4-6, 7-6, 7-7, 12-7, 12-10, 16-10, 16-13, 22-13

Winners/errors: Xala 13/3, Gonzalez 10/5, Laskurain 1/1, Barriola 0/2

Aritz Laskurain played an excellent match

Aritz Laskurain played an excellent match

Monday 20th February, Tolosa: ARITZ LASA-PENAGARIKANO* beat TITIN III-MERINO II 22-15

Monday’s match in Tolosa also featured an injury substitution, with Kepa Penagarikano coming in for Aitor Zubieta, the state of whose hands force him to take a break. Penagarikano, though without the reputation of the former champion, filled his shoes admirably and outplayed David Merino who was unable to overcome his stranglehold. At the front, Aritz Lasa started slowly, allowing the Riojans to take the early lead, but as the game progressed his confidence rocketed. He showed Titin little respect and stuck to his own game with some resolve. Once their lead had been established at 10-6, there was no looking back for the underdogs who played on a different level from their opponents. This win was essential and they will need more in order to stand any chance of progressing. With Zubieta out for another two weeks at least, Aspe will hope that Penagarikano can hold his form and Lasa maintain the consistency he has at times so badly lacked. The victors remain seventh, while Titin and Merino slip one place to fourth.

Scoring sequence: 3-0, 3-2, 4-2, 4-3, 5-3, 5-5, 6-6, 6-10, 6-14, 12-16, 12-17, 13-17, 13-21, 15-21, 15-22.

Tuesday 21st February, Tolosa: OLAIZOLA II-BEROIZ beat ARRETXE II-BEGINO 22-11

There was no surprise whatsoever in this result, apart perhaps from the fact that Iker Arretxe and Aritz Begino scored as many points as they did. That they were still in the match at 10-13 was down largely to the play of Begino, but once Aimar Olaizola nudged up a gear, the table’s bottom pair had no answer. The star forward was the player of the match, and with the metronomic support of Beroiz, barely had to extend himself. Nine wins from Nine means that Olaizola and Beroiz are assured of a place in the last four. Whoever joins them will have to think long and hard about how they can be undone.

Scoring sequence: 5-0, 8-2, 12-5, 12-9, 13-10, 19-10, 22-11.

This week’s results mean that the table, with five rounds to go, looks like this:

1 OLAIZOLA II – BEROIZ    9   9   +97
2 MTZ de IRUJO – BARRIOLA   9   5   +25
3 XALA – LASKURAIN      9   5   +13
4 TITIN III – MERINO II     9   5    +8
5 BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ   9   5   -4
6 BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU   9   4    +7
7 ARITZ LASA – ZUBIETA   9   3     -31
8 ARRETXE II – BEGINO    9   0   -114

Photo: mine

Berasaluze unable to compensate for the errors of Albisu

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Sunday 19th February, Eibar

BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ beat BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU 22-19

Pairs Championship

This mid-table encounter was always bound to be keenly fought; not only do these two Asegarce pairs need every point they can lay their hands on, but Berasaluze and Bengoetxea are nothing if not fighters. In the final analysis however, it was the discrepancy in the fortunes of the defenders which made the difference. Despite their loss here, Berasaluze and Albisu remain fourth, but Bengoetxea and Apraiz draw level on points in sixth.

The eventual winners were ahead almost throughout, Berasaluze and Albisu rearing their heads only in the passage of play between 9-9 and 11-11 which saw them take the lead thanks to the venom of the former’s serve. For the rest of the encounter, Bengoetxea and Apraiz gave the illusion of control, as they led from the front, but their opponents were forever biting at their heels and never allowed daylight to squeeze into the gap. The two forwards were fairly evenly matched, with Berasaluze ending with the slightly better figures. Neither had a stellar game but both were solid enough. Berasaluze’s cross court play was a little varied in success but the airez and ganxto he produced on 17-20 and 18-20 were from the very top drawer. He also fired four service winners to pull his pair back into touch precisely when this was needed. Bengoetxea showed his special talent early with a rebote followed by a wonderfully inventive zabalean and he also matched Berasaluze in the art of plucking the txoko from nowhere.

In the back division, Apraiz was solid if unspectacular, four mistakes clouding a match in which he for the most part controlled his opposite number very well. Albisu, however, was the very antithesis of the rock in defence which Berasaluze so badly needed. He leaked errors, committing thirteen in all. They were mitigated a fraction by three winners, with which he showed some imagination, but his partner had no chance of rescuing affairs as time and again he failed when Berasaluze had won them a base on which to build. Particularly damaging were his four errors in a row, three of which were high on the frontis, which turned an 11-9 lead into a 11-13 defecit. When he hit low to hand Bengoetxea and Apraiz a 20-16 lead, that looked to be the kiss of death but Berasaluze never gave up trying and pulled back three points in a row to make things interesting. However, there really was no comeback from his subsequent falta and when Albisu went low again, it was 22-19. Game over.

Scoring sequence: 0-3/ 1-3/ 1-6/ 5-6/ 5-8/ 8/ 8-9/ 9/ 11-9/ 11/ 11-15/ 15/ 15-17/ 16-17/ 16-20/ 19-20/ 19-22

Winners/errors: Berasaluze 9/2, Benogetxea 7/3, Albisu 3/13, Apraiz 0/4

Match time: 1:01.58 with 21:86 of actual play

Balls hit: 431

Sunday was not a great day for Jon Ander Albisu

Sunday was not a great day for Jon Ander Albisu

 Photo: mine

Pelota on ETB, 17th-20th February

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Friday 17th February, Altsasu

22:00 (CET) JAUNARENA – CECILIO v TAINTA – IBAI ZABALA* Promocion Pairs (Ibai Zabala, who is returning from injury tonight, replaces Argote)

Followed by SARALEGI – OTXANDORENA v EZKURDIA – MERINO

Sunday 19th February, Eibar

17:00 (CET) GONZALEZ – ARRUTI v IDOATE – MERINO

Followed by BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU v BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ Pairs Championship

Monday 20th February, Tolosa

16:30 (CET) ONGAY v MENDIZABAL III

Followed by TITIN III – MERINO II v ARITZ LASA  – PENAGARIKANO* Pairs Championship (Penagarikano replaces the injured Zubieta)

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/

The other Pairs Championship matches this week are: XALA – LASKURAIN v GONZALEZ* – BARRIOLA (Pamplona, Saturday. Gonzalez replaces Irujo), and OLAIZOLA II – BEROIZ v ARRETXE II – BEGINO (Tolosa, Tuesday)

Astelena in Eibar hosts Sundays matches

Astelena in Eibar hosts Sunday's matches

Photo: mine

Pairs Standings: Olaizola II-Beroiz and Jaunarena-Cecilio continue to top the charts

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The overal Pairs Championship table, with five rotations to go, is as follows:

PAREJA

JUG.

GAN.

PERD.

Tf

Tc

COEF

1

OLAIZOLA II – BEROIZ

8

8

0

176

90

+86

2

MTZ de IRUJO – BARRIOLA

8

5

3

159

125

+34

3

TITIN III – MERINO II

8

5

3

158

143

+15

4

BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU

8

4

4

141

131

+10

5

XALA – LASKURAIN

8

4

4

143

140

+3

6

BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ

8

4

4

139

146

-7

7

ARITZ LASA – ZUBIETA

8

2

6

120

158

-38

8

ARRETXE II – BEGINO

8

0

8

73

176

-103

In the Promocion Championship this week,

RICO IV – OTXANDORENA* beat MENDIZABAL III – LADIS GALARZA 22-11

GORKA – ARRUTI beat TAINTA – OTXANDORENA* 22-11

JAUNARENA – PENAGARIKANO* beat LEMUNO – ARETXABALETA 22-19

URRUTIKOETXEA – IZA beat APEZETXEA – LARRINAGA 22-20

Things are looking up for Inaki Iza

Things are looking up for Inaki Iza

The Promocion table, with five rotations to go, is now as follows:

PAREJA

JUG.

GAN.

PERD.

Tf

Tc

COEF
1 Jaunarena-Cecilio 6 5 1 122 89 33
2 Rico-Untoria 6 4 2 123 111 22
3 Olazabal-Larrinaga 6 4 2 114 96 18
4 Urrutikoetxea-Iza 6 4 2 119 108 11
5 Gorka-Arruti 6 3 3 107 110 -3
6 Mendizabal III-Ladis Galarza 6 2 4 98 123 -25
7 Lemuno-Aretxabaleta 6 1 5 99 121 -22
8 Tainta-Argote 6 1 5 95 121 -26

Bengoetxea-Apraiz win in Tafalla as Arretxe-Begino remain winless

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Saturday 11th February, Tafalla

BENGOETXEA VI – APRAIZ beat ARRETXE II – BEGINO 22-12

Pairs Championship

Iker Arretxe and Aritz Begino lost their eighth game of the championship on Saturday, leaving them with virtually no chance even mathematically of making the semi finals. In an uninspiring encounter, the result was never in serious doubt as the eventual winners led comfortably throughout. Begino’s run of bad form continued as he played with little potency on his way to a total of four errors. On paper however, the major culprit in the loss was Arretxe, who committed eight errors to only five winners and was no match for Bengoetxea. Bengoetxea and Apraiz did what they had to do and notched up their fourth win, putting them in sixth place but level on points with Berasaluze and Begino in fourth. They have everything to play for.

Scoring sequence: 1-0, 1-2, 6-2, 6-3, 9-3, 9-4, 11-4, 11-6, 13-6, 13-7, 14-7, 14-8, 15-8, 15-9, 16-9, 16-10, 20-10, 20-12, 22-12

Winners/errors: Bengoetxea 9/2, Apraiz 0/4, Arretxe 5/8, Begino ¼

Match time: 59 minutes

Balls hit: 590

Olaizola II and Beroiz conquer in Catalonia

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Sataurday 11th February, Barcelona

OLAIZOLA II – BEROIZ beat BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU 22-10

Pairs Championship

Aimar Olaizola and Mikel Beroiz continued their utter domination with yet another barnstorming win, as the Pairs Championship went ‘on tour’ to the packed Vall d’Hebron fronton in Barcelona. Their victims on this occasion were the oft very solid pair of Pablo Berasaluze and Jon Ander Albisu, who despite their every effort were no match for the runaway leaders. The underdogs took the first two points, but Aimar then stamped all over them, surging to 9-2 with immense artistry. A rare error from the great forward gave Berasaluze and Albisu a glimmer of hope, and they added two points, but again the favourites took total control and went on to lead 17-4. Olaizola, who is better now than ever he has been in his stellar career, was immeasurably fine but equally impressive was Beroiz, who did not miss a single ball. He covered the fronton with supreme authority and defended the left wall with total efficiency. It is easy to forget that he is still just 22 years old. This pairing is an irresistible combination of proven greatness and staggering youthful prowess. Olaizola recently declared that ‘we are professionals and it is our obligation to win’, and win they will unless someone can come up with a master plan to break through their frightening solid defences.