Friday 23rd November, Arbizu
20:00 (CET) ONGAY – CECILIO v MENDIZABAL III – LADIS GALARZA
Followed by TITIN III – MERINO II v EZKURDIA – ZABALETA
Sunday 25th November, Bilbao
17:00 (CET) XALA – MERINO v URRUTIKOETXEA – ALBISU
Followed by OLAIZOLA II v MARTINEZ DE IRUJO Cuatro y Medio semi 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/
Inaki Otxandorena will play his last professional match this Saturday in Pamplona. He will be partnered by Ekaitz Saralegi against Rico IV and Inaki Iza. The 35 year old defender from Mugaire has been a professional for almost fifteen years. He made his debut for Aspe in March 1998, moving to Asegarce, where he has stayed ever since, in 2001. His best results came at San Fermin, which he won in 2004 and 2005, and at Zarautz where he was triumphant in 2004 and 2006. We wish him well in his retirement.
Over and out for Otxandorena
Photo: mine
Many apologies for the lack of updates, right in the middle of the Cuatro y Medio Championship; I have been away and things rather got on top of me. I promise that after this brief catch up on where we are in proceedings, normal service will resume!
In the main championship, we know the identity of one finalist but the second semi-final has yet to be played. Oinatz Bengoetxea is through after his semi-final defeat of Pablo Berasaluze in Pamplona last weekend. The man from Leitza, who has won the Navarrese 4 ½ championship for the past two years, won 22-16 to reach his first ever Cuatro y Medio Championship final. The second semi, between Aimar Olaizola and Juan Martinez de Irujo, was due to take place last Sunday at a sold out Bizkaia. However, Irujo’s immune system proved unequal to the task and a virus for the winner of 2006 and 2010 necessitated a postponement. The match will now take place this Sunday in Bilbao.
In the Promocion Championship, both semis took place as planned. First through to the final was Alvaro Untoria, who beat Jorge Rico 22-19 last Friday. Joining him will be Jon Jaunarena, who dispatched new professional Danel Elezkano 22-11 in Tolosa on Monday. This is the third Promocion final in a row for Jaunarena, who has already won the Pairs and Manomanista titles this year. A third win would be some achievement. It is also worth noting that of the four finalists across the two competitions, two come from Leitza, a small town of only 3000 inhabitants. Given Jaunarena’s rise, we could see a local derby like the 2008 Manomanista final in which Bengoetxea defeated fellow Leitzarra Barriola, before too long.
The final awaits Oinatz Bengoetxea
Photo: mine
