Friday 10th May, Tolosa
22:00 (CEST) ARITZ LASA – LASKURAIN v EZKURDIA – PENAGARIKANO
Followed by BEROIZ v ALBISU Manomanista
Sunday 12th May, Eibar
17:00 (CEST) APEZETXEA – PENAGARIKANO v EZKURDIA – LARRINAGA
Followed by JAUNARENA v ZABALETA Manomanista
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/
With the Pairs final only just in the history books, the draw was announced yesterday for the 2013 Manomanista Championship. Sixteen pelotaris will compete for the title, won last year by Aimar Olaizola.
For Asegarce: Olaizola II, Bengoetxea VI, Albisu, Arretxe II, Beroiz, Idoate, Olaizola I and Urrutikoetxea
For Aspe: Martinez de Irujo, Barriola, Ezkurdia, Gonzalez, Jaunarena, Retegi Bi, Zabaleta and Xala
The draw is as follows:
Group A: Barriola vs Arretxe II (Legazpi, Friday 3rd)> Retegi Bi > Olaizola II
Group B: Gonzalez vs Urrutikoetxea (Labrit, Saturday 4th) > Xala > Idoate
Group C: Olaizola I vs Jaunarena (Eibar, Sunday 5th) > Zabaleta > Bengoetxea VI
Group D: Beroiz vs Ezkurdia (Labrit, Saturday 4th) > Albisu > Martínez de Irujo
The final will be held on Sunday 16th June
Apologies for the silence over the past couple of weeks; I have been away. Sadly there are not enough hours in the day to write a comprehensive report of everything which has happened in this time, so a potted results list will have to suffice! The matches from 1st-3rd March saw the following:
Friday 1st March, Urduliz: BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU beat EZKURDIA – ZUBIETA 22-17
Saturday 2nd March, Pamplona: BENGOETXEA VI – BEROIZ beat XALA – BARRIOLA 22-10
Sunday 3rd March, Bilbao: MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – ZABALETA beat OLAIZOLA II – IBAI ZABALA 22-11
Sunday 3rd March, Logrono: ARRETXE II – BEGINO beat TITIN III – MERINO II 22-19
The following week, this is what occurred:
Friday 8th March, Zarautz: BENGOETXEA VI – BEROIZ beat ARRETXE II – BEGINO 22-15
Saturday 9th March, Anglet: OLAIZOLA II – IBAI ZABALA beat XALA – BARRIOLA 22-12
Saturday 9th March, Etxebarri: TITIN III – MERINO II beat EZKURDIA – ZUBIETA 22-21
Sunday 10th March, Eibar: BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU beat MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – ZABALETA 22-20
Thus, with two weeks remaining in the marathon round robin section of the championship, the table looks like this:
| Pair | Played | Won | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff. | |
| 1 | MTZ. DE IRUJO – ZABALETA | 12 | 9 | 3 | 247 | 198 | 49 |
| 2 | BENGOETXEA VI – BEROIZ | 12 | 9 | 3 | 248 | 214 | 34 |
| 3 | OLAIZOLA II – IBAI ZABALA | 12 | 8 | 4 | 243 | 186 | 57 |
| 4 | TITIN III – MERINO II | 12 | 6 | 6 | 221 | 240 | -19 |
| 5 | BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU | 12 | 5 | 7 | 214 | 235 | -21 |
| 6 | EZKURDIA – ZUBIETA | 12 | 4 | 8 | 221 | 220 | 1 |
| 7 | XALA – BARRIOLA | 12 | 4 | 8 | 201 | 245 | -44 |
| 8 | ARRETXE II – BEGINO | 12 | 3 | 9 | 190 | 247 | -57 |
The top three pairs are all but safe as far as semi-final qualification is concerned, although Martinez de Irujo and Zabaleta saw their dominance challenged by a resurgent Bengoetxea and Beroiz. The latter had looked like the pick of the crop at the start of the tournament before falling under the shadow of their Aspe rivals, but two straight wins coupled with a surprising loss for Irujo and Zabaleta have seen them draw level at the top. Olaizola and Ibai Zabala saw their excellent run end in an easy defeat by Irujo and Zabaleta but a comprehensive win over Xala and Barriola, who now seem out of it, restored them to safety. The interest now lies in the fourth qualification place, which would seem to be between Titin and Merino, the defending champions, and Berasaluze and Albisu, who have pulled themselves from the mire in these past two weeks. The Riojans have the upper hand in terms of points but it could go either way, and happily as far as the drama of the situation is concerned, they meet each other this Saturday in Bilbao. Ezkurdia and Zubieta could still qualify, mathematically but they squandered two golden opportunities in the past two weeks. They went into their game on 1st March as probable favourites over Berasaluze and Albisu but were never really in it, and then lost by the smallest possible margin to Titin and Merino a week later. If the final point of that match had gone the other way, they could now face the final two weeks with some confidence. They need to win and for results to go for them in a big way, but at least they have a relatively healthy points difference when compared to Xala and Barriola, who are level in terms of wins and losses. They would need a miracle to turn things around.
The Promocion Championship also has another two weeks of round robin matches left, and again there is a tough fight underway for the fourth qualifying spot. For results and remaining fixtures, see here.
| Pair | Played | Won | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff. | |
| 1 | GORKA – CECILIO | 9 | 8 | 1 | 190 | 126 | 64 |
| 2 | APEZETXEA – LARRINAGA | 9 | 7 | 2 | 183 | 154 | 29 |
| 3 | RICO IV – UNTORIA | 9 | 6 | 3 | 175 | 142 | 33 |
| 4 | MENDIZABAL III – MERINO | 9 | 4 | 5 | 165 | 164 | 1 |
| 5 | TAINTA – LADIS GALARZA | 9 | 4 | 5 | 171 | 172 | -1 |
| 6 | ELEZKANO II – LARUNBE | 9 | 3 | 6 | 145 | 161 | -16 |
| 7 | OLAZABAL – ARRUTI | 9 | 2 | 7 | 135 | 180 | -45 |
| 8 | LEMUNO – ARETXABALETA | 9 | 2 | 7 | 118 | 183 | -65 |
Friday 15th January, Irun
MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – ZABALETA beat EZKURDIA – ZUBIETA 22-18
Martinz de Irujo and Zabaleta maintained their excellent record, and with it their place at the top of the tree, but despite clear early supremacy here they were forced to fight off a determined comeback from Ezkurdia and Zubieta, who looked a different pair as the game progressed. The favourites raced ahead almost immediately, going up 6-1, and built their advantage with ease. The game was at their mercy with the score at 18-9. Ezkurdia proved no match whatsoever for Irujo, who out-thought him time and again. The older player controlled the fronton and consistently found space into which he could hit winners, having worked his opponent out of position.
It was Ezkurdia finding his feet which sparked a near miraculous rival on behalf of the trailing pair. They put together a run of seven straight points, and even when Irujo and Zabaleta regained the serve and extended their lead back to three at 19-16, Ezkurdia and Zubieta rallied once more, standing a mere point behind at 19-18. The play in this late spell of the game was of the highest quality. Both defenders were excellent throughout but here raised their level even more, neither willing to budge an inch. Zubieta’s tail was up and the former champion goaded and cajoled his young partner into ever greater confidence and resolve. The change in their body language from the first half of the match was marked, and the crowd responded in kind, sensing a grandstand finish. However, unfortunately both for them and for the comeback kings, Irujo put all ambitions of an upset to bed, taking control as a great player can. Three straight points sealed the deal and the table toppers surged to their eight win of the campaign. Time is running out for Ezkurdia and Zubieta, who need to start winning again soon. Things are close in the middle of the table though and this recovery must give them confidence in both their skills and their fighting spirit.
Scoring sequence: 2-1/ 6-1/ 6-2/ 7-2/ 7-4/ 8-4/ 9-4/ 9-6/ 10-6/ 10-7/ 11-8/ 15-8/ 15-9/ 18-9/ 18-16/ 19-16/ 19-18/ 22-18
Winners/errors: Irujo 13/4, Ezkurdia 10/3, Zabaleta 1/4, Zubieta 0/3
Match time: 72 minutes with 32 minutes of actual play
Irujo on top
Ezkurdia and Zubieta yesterday registered their second win in a row, defeating Xala and Barriola comprehensively in a carnival atmosphere at Beotibar. The main protagonist was Ezkurdia, who played with impressive power and confidence. Perhaps some allowances can be made for Xala, returning to the fronton after a hamstring injury, but there was little he could do to stop the rampant young forward who has turned the fortunes of this pair on their heads after coming in to replace Gonzalez two weeks ago. The verve he has brought to the front appears to have pushed Zubieta to new heights. The defender has not played badly all championship, even with Gonzalez in tow, but in the past two weeks he has ridden the crest of a wave. Barriola was unsettled by him and ultimately outplayed. Ezkurdia and Zubieta were in control for the majority of the encounter, save for a period early in the game when their opponents came from 1-5 down to 6-5 up. From there on however, they put their stamp on the game, advancing to 6-13, and from that point, their lead never fell below four. Whatever happens in the match today, at the same venue, between Berasaluze-Albisu and Arretxe-Begino, Ezkurdia and Zubieta will have made giant strides up the table. A win for Arretxe and Begino could see them fifth and on the fringes of qualification, with all the chances in the world. This would have been unthinkable a mere two weeks ago.
Scoring sequence: 1-0, 1-5, 6-5, 6-13, 7-13, 7-15, 11-15, 11-18, 12-18, 12-20, 14-20, 14-22
Service winners/errors: Xala 1/0, Ezkurdia 3/0
Winners/errors: Xala 7/5, Ezkurdia 9/3, Barriola 0/5, Zubieta 0/3
Match time: 67 minutes
Balls hit: 559
Friday 1st February, Zestoa: OLAIZOLA II – IBAI ZABALA beat ARRETXE II – BEGINO 22-6
Many questioned the wisdom of pairing the might of Aimar Olaizola with the inexperience of the untried Ibai Zabala, but thus far the experiment is working, mostly. The empresas made a conscious policy of picking pairs which would be evenly matched, thus creating close matches and greater excitement but at times, the dominance of Olaizola has been so great that he appears to all the world as if he could win entirely alone. This would, however, be to do Zabala a disservice for he has held his own at this level for the most part and has at times looked very solid indeed. It is too soon to tell whether they will have the staying power to go all the way, but on the strength of this showing they can be fairly optimistic. It is true that this year just as last, Arretxe and Begino are clearly the least potent of the couples, but they were destroyed here in no uncertain terms. They kept pace for a short period, Arretxe temporarily hitting with Aimar as an equal, but once the latter got his eye in there was no stopping him. This was as vintage a display of shot play as you are ever likely to see and there was nothing his opponent could do to stem the flow. Zabala played his part ably as Begino endured another bad day. Olaizola and Ibai Zabala move up to third in the table, with this their fourth win. Arretxe and Begino remain entrenched at the bottom with a solitary point. It is easy to forget that, not so long ago, Begino lifted the trophy with Olaizola. Times have changed.
Saturday 2nd February, Idiazabal: EZKURDIA – ZUBIETA beat BENGOETXEA VI – BEROIZ 22-11
Aitor Zubieta’s first match without the ousted Sebastien Gonzalez was a triumph. It was he who made the difference, dominating Beroiz at the back and giving Bengoetxea virtually nothing on a length from which he could hit a winner. When the opportunity did come his way, he proved unable to close the deal. Joseba Ezkurdia, miraculously recovered from what looked like a much more serious shoulder injury, stepped into the fray and looked as if he had always been there. He belied his tender years, and doubtless also allayed the fears of the Aspe bosses that they might have taken the wrong decision regarding Gonzalez. An Ezkurdia flop would have looked very bad indeed. However, it will take more than one golden match to resurrect the title hopes of this pair. With Gonzalez, Zubieta managed only a solitary win, over bottom pair Arretxe and Begino. They still languish in seventh but with a full rotation of matches still to be played, time is on their side. In the early days of the championship, Bengoetxea and Beroiz looked almost unbeatable and every inch the winners. However, as some other pairs have risen, their form appears slightly on the wane. They are still second in the table, with five wins and two losses, but both these defeats have come in the last two weeks. Their immediate future trajectory depends on whether Bengoetxea can keep Olaizola at bay when they clash on Friday at Labrit.
A good day for Aitor Zubieta
Saturday 2nd February, Pamplona: MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – ZABALETA beat JAUNARENA – BARRIOLA 22-13
Very much on the up are Juan Martinez de Irujo and Jose Javier Zabaleta. They have lost only one match so far, and that 21-22 (to Bengoetxea and Beroiz in week three), and look be growing in both confidence and flair. Attracting much of the praise is Zabaleta, new to this level of competition but taking to the big stage like a natural. It is easy to forget his tender years when one observes his command at the back of the fronton, and sensed the calmness in his demeanour. Aspe have clearly found a treasure, no matter what happens from this point on in the Pairs. Irujo, who has not had a great year by his standards, lagging dramatically behind Olaizola in the quest to be the best, appears galvanised by this new partnership. Jaunarena, another golden young talent here stepping in for Xala, proved easy pickings for Irujo on Saturday but will not be overawed; last week he clearly demonstrated his potential at this level. Barriola, so used to being in charge, could not unseat Zabaleta as the pair in red dominated every aspect of the game. They now sit top of the table in isolation while their opponents slip to sixth with two losses in the past two weekends. Xala will undergo a physical test on Friday to determine whether he can play in Tolosa on Saturdau against Ezkurdia and Zubieta.
Sunday 3rd February, Bilbao: BERASALUZE VIII – ALBISU beat TITIN III – MERINO II 22-9
The Pairs Championship is a slow burning affair. Some couples hit their stride right from the off, winning weekly with seeming total control. Others, such as Jon Ander Albisu and Pablo Berasaluze enter the tournament with high hopes but initially fail to fire. However, as long as any period of malaise is relatively contained, there is time to turn things around and there is a sense that recovery may be on the cards for Albisu and Berasaluze. They opened their account with four straight losses but have now won three in a row, lifting them from the base of the table up into fifth and right in contention for the semi-final places. This latest win was perhaps their most impressive; they flattened the defending champions 22-9 in Bilbao on Sunday, leaving the Riojans looking dejected and clueless as to how to come back. The commander in chief was undoubtedly Berasaluze, who looks to be back in the same kind of form he displayed in December. He hit winners for fun and totally dominated Titin who looked flat footed and stretched to his limits. David Merino, so often such a model of classical elegance at the back, for forced to scrap in order to lift himself out of the traps placed for him by a masterful Albisu, who was clearly the better of the defenders. So petulant was Merino’s body language by the end that he appeared broken in both body and soul. And so, Titin and Merino’s up and down title defence continues. They still sit fourth, holding onto the final qualifying spot narrowly, but there is still far to go.
For the current table see here, and for past results and future fixtures, go here.
In the Promocion Championship, Gorka and Cecilio took command at the top with a 22-6 win over Lemuno and Aretxabaleta. Elsewhere, Urrutikoetxea (replacing Tainta) and Ladis Galarza beat Mendizabal III and Merino I 22-14, Elezkano II and Mendizabal II (standing in for Larunbe) beat Olazabal and Arruti 22-18 and Apezetxea and Larrinaga squeezed past Rico IV and Untoria 22-21. For the full Promocion table, see here and for results and fixtures, here.
Gorka Esteban, going well in the Promocion
Pictures: mine
There was controversial news this week as Aspe invoked the new rule, agreed between the empresas before the Pairs Championship, which states a player can be replaced if his performance falls below the standard expected. They have taken Sebastien Gonzalez out of the competition, citing a poor showing and lack of sporting conduct. He will be replaced for the rest of the championship by Joseba Ezkurdia, who makes his debut. Word is that the empresa decided late on whether to enter Gonzalez or Ezkurdia in the first instance and now clearly believe they made the wrong decision. Ezkurdia’s surprisingly swift recovery from a shoulder injury sustained last week opens the door for his appearance alongside Zubieta from the seventh rotation onwards. He will have his work cut out to help Zubieta qualify, with his pair having lost five games and won only one.
This news represents the latest in a series of rifts between Gonzalez and Aspe. Last year, the forward was publicly critical of the inclusion of Aritz Lasa in the championship at his expense and was later forced to apologise. The chance he was given this year was presumably his final one to prove his worth as a top tier player and he has been unavailable for comment ever since the decision to replace him was announced. It is hard to see how he can work with Aspe in the future.
In addition to the wins for Olaizola I and Arretxe II described in greater detail below, this weekend also saw Urrutikoetxea and Saralegi proceed to the second round of the Cuatro y Medio championships. Urrutikoetxea scored a comfortable win over Gonzalez in Tolosa, subjecting the 2009 winner to a 22-11 defeat. Urrutikoetxea played with great pace and virtuosity, displaying his full repertoire of hook and drops in often spectacular fashion. An increasingly disillusioned Gonzalez had no answers and ended with eleven errors. He now plays Oinatz Benogetxea in Balmaseda on Friday.
Statistics: 0-4 4-8 6-9 9-12 9-18 10-21 11-22, Urrutikoetxea 2 service winners/2 faltas, Gonzalez 0 service winners/0 faltas, 213 balls hit, 46 minutes played
Also in Tolosa, Saralegi got the better of Albisu, winning 22-12 to set up a meeting with Retegi Bi. Albisu is far from a specialist in the short court form of the game but made Saralegi work for every point in a game which was tougher than the scoreline suggested. However, once Saralegi opened up a gap over the younger player, his need for struggle abated.
Statistics: Saralegi 3 service winners/1 falta, Albisu 3 service winners/1 service falta, 195 balls hit, 46 minutes of play
In the Promocion Championship games played in Arbizu today, Apezetxea came from behind to beat Zabaleta 22-13 before Gorka scored a stunning 22-20 triumph over Ezkurdia.
Urrutikoetxea is through to round two in style
Photo: mine
Saturday 30th June, Pamplona
JAUNARENA beat EZKURDIA 22-16
Promocion Manomanista Final
Just as Aimar Olaizola confirmed his stellar 2012 form last weekend, another, younger, pelotari built upon his own wonderful year. Jon Jaunarena, twenty years old and a professional for a year and a half, won the Promocion Manomanista title to add to the Promocion Pairs he took with Cecilio in the spring. The Promocion championships are designed as the breeding ground for young players not yet ready for the dizzying heights and in Jaunarena they have produced a star both of the present and future. These results all but guarantee him a leg up into the limelight in the coming year and on his showing of Saturday he will handle the pressure with aplomb. His opponent was Joseba Ezkurdia, who since his debut last December has taken some notable scalps. The stage was set for him to seize a txapela in his neo-pro year, but Jaunarena, who is a year younger but possesses an extra year of experience, had too much in what proved an exciting battle.
Jaunarena was immense throughout and wore Ezkurdia down physically. His shooting ahead to 7-2 was a statement of intent and although his opponent managed to drag him back to parity at 11-11 and 14-14, he never lost his poise. This was a tough match with gruelling rallies, and Jaunarena brought boundless energy which Ezkurdia struggled to match. He tried to nullify Jaunarena’s serve with volleyed returns, but Jaunarena was so strong off both sides that as the match wore on he was constantly beaten back. Jaunarena edged ahead 17-15 and 18-16 before the floodgates opened, allowing him to take four points in a row to secure his second txapela of the year.
Both players are precious talents who must be brought on with care. Despite his loss here, Ezkurdia is clearly destined for great things but for the time being all eyes are on Jaunarena as he attempts the leap to the next level, another in a line of great pelotaris from the small Navarrese town of Leitza. Its citizens celebrated Manomanista victory in 2008 with Oinatz Bengoetxea; how long before Jaunarena gives them equal cause for joy?
Scoring sequence: 1-0, 1-2, 7-2, 7-3, 8-6, 10-7, 10-10, 11-11, 11-12, 12-12, 13-13, 14-14, 17-15, 18-16, 22-16
Winners/errors: Jaunarena 9/2, Ezkurdia 8/6
Service winners: Jaunarena 7, Ezkurdia 6
Match time: 56.04
Balls hit: 242
Sunday 3rd June, Eibar
EZKURDIA beat UNTORIA 22-18
Promocion Manomanista Semi-Final
Joseba Ezkurdia completed the line up for the Promocion Manomanista final with a tough victory over Alvaro Untoria at Astelena on Sunday evening. The man from Arbizu, who has already taken so many scalps in his short career, was the clear favourite here despite the ankle injury which had forced the postponement of this match and put his championship in severe doubt. He tested his fitness late last week and declared his readiness to play, but despite appearing physically well in the match itself, he finished it in some discomfort. Untoria, bidding to give Rioja another finalist in what has been a golden year for them so far, refused to be bowed by Ezkurdia’s reputation as the next big thing and pushed him all the way, fighting back from 1-11 down to 15-15 and 18-18. Ezkurdia had just too much in the end, finishing the game with two service errors and a visible sigh of relief. He will play Jon Jaunarena, Promocion Pairs champion, in the final, in what promises to be a closely fought encounter. Aspe announced this morning that the final will be held off until 30th June (at Labrit) due to Ezkurdia’s ankle problems and a hand issue for Jaunerena.
