Tag Archives: Martinez de Irujo

Pelota on ETB, 3rd-5th May: Manomanista first week!

Friday 3rd May, Legazpi

22:00 (CEST) BARRIOLA v ARRETXE II Manomanista Championship

Followed by XALA – ZUBIETA v MARTINEZ DE IRUJO – MERINO II

NB this is not live on the web channels so avoid the result if you want to watch it not knowing!

Sunday 5th May, Eibar

17:00 (CEST) ARITZ LASA – PENAGARIKANO v GORKA – PASCUAL

Followed by OLAIZOLA I v JAUNARENA Manomanista Championship

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

Promocion Pairs Final: triumph for Ezcaray as Gorka and Cecilio are crowned

Saturday 27th April, Logrono

GORKA-CECILIO beat RICO IV-UNTORIA 22-15

Adarraga was in full scale party mode on Saturday evening for the Promocion final, in which all four players were Riojan. Each pair had its faction in the crowd but the biggest single group of supporters came from Ezcaray, the home town of both Gorka Esteban and Cecilio Valgañón, and they did not leave disappointed as the dominant pair of the championship took the spoils. This is a second Promocion crown in a row for Cecilio, who won last year with Jon Jaunarena. Despite the emotion of the occasion, the match itself was not a vintage one. The contest was riddled with errors, especially from Rico, who never found any rhythm. Cecilio, too, was below his best but provided dogged defence and just enough of a platform for the player of the match, Gorka, to do what was necessary. Seven winners in open play plus four on serve represented an excellent return for the forward in such an error strewn match.

Gorka and Cecilio fought their way through the semi-finals by the skin of their teeth, living very dangerously after losing their penultimate match 21-22, and relying on a 22-21 win in their last for their final place, but they came good again when it mattered. They were easily the class act of the round robin stages, winning nine of their eleven games with one of their losses coming while Gorka was injured and replaced by Aritz Lasa. It is justice that it is they who stand atop the podium. While Cecilio has won this title before, it is a first professional txapela for Gorka who has looked more and more solid this year. It could prove a springboard into greater things. For the moment though, Ezcaray’s finest will revel in their local celebrity and the adulation of the wider pelotazale.

There is a short video with highlights and footage of the presentation here.

Scoring sequence: 3-0, 3-7, 6-7, 6-9, 7-9, 7-10, 10-10, 10-14, 13-14, 13-20, 15-20, 15-22
Service winners/errors: Rico 2/0, Gorka 4/0
Winners/errors: Rico 3/7, Untoria 2/2, Gorka 7/3, Cecilio 2/5
Match time: 64:02
Balls hit: 493

Photo: mine

Mikel Idoate signs with Asegarce

Asegarce yesterday announced the signing of Mikel Idoate from Aspe for two years. He follows in the footsteps of Mikel Beroiz and Ladis Galarza who have both left Aspe for the Bilbao company in recent times. The move is likely fuelled the abundance of talent in the forwards department at Aspe, counterbalanced by the relative lack of it at Asegarce. Idoate has fallen into the gap between top tier pairs selection and the promocion tournaments, and is increasingly losing out to new talents like Ezkurdia and Jaunarena who are being pushed into the limelight. He is too good to be allowed to fall by the wayside. This move should revitalise the career of the 23 year old from Txantrea and afford him plentiful opportunities in the top flight. Asegarce have struggled for two or three years for a fourth elite forward to sit alongside Aimar Olaizoola, Bengoetxea VI and Berasaluze II. Asier Olaizola has been on the wane for a while and Iker Arretxe has failed to rise to the task on too many occasions. Idoate gives them new young blood and a talent bursting to show itself. He will play his first match for his new empresa on Saturday in Pamplona, where he is paired with Apraiz against Urrutikoetxea and Begino.

Pairs Championship: the past two weeks

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

Irujo and Zabaleta resist late surge to take eighth win

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

Irujo on top

Martinez de Irujo and Zabaleta consolidate while Olaizola and Ibai Zabala climb the tree

There was high octane play in the Riojan capital of Logrono on Sunday evening as table toppers Martinez de Irujo and Zabaleta came from behind to beat Titin III and Merino II 22-20 in a match that lasted almost an hour and a half. The momentum of the game changed on a sixpence many times over. The defending champions, playing front of a passionate home crowd, started the better, going 3-0 ahead. Even when they were pegged back and overtaken, they found the strength to forge on again, taking their lead to 10-6, 12-7 and 13-8. Irujo and Zabaleta fought back however, drawing level at fourteen and then sixteen apiece. Titin and Merino looked to have rediscovered their command of the situation when they took a 19-16 and 20-18 lead, but again they were undone with the increasingly powerful Irujo and Zabaleta coming through at the death to take four consecutive points, and with them the win. While there was much scintillating play to thrill the Adarraga crowd, there were also many mistakes, but these did not detract from the drama of the game. Especially engrossing was the tooth and nail fight at the back of the fronton between the two young defenders, who gave yet another demonstration of the youthful talent which fills Aspe’s roster.

Aimar Olaizola and Ibai Zabala moved up to second in the table on Saturday with a hard fought 22-19 victory over former top pair Bengoetxea VI and Beroiz. Labrit was full for this much anticipated encounter, as locals came in their droves to see whether the combined solidity of Bengoetxea and Beroiz would be enough to dampen the spark of Olaizola. Though the pair in blue pushed them all the way however, Goizueta’s most famous son proved once more that despite an inexperienced partner in tow, any pair with him at the helm will be very hard to stop. The game was very even from the start with the spoils shared at 3-3, but Olaizola and Zabala soon moved into a 6-3 lead. Beroiz failed to place enough pressure on Olaizola and fed him too many easy balls with which he was all too willing to mete out punishment; 6-3 became 8-3. Bengoetxea staged a fight back however, and with Beroiz in increasingly solid support seized the lead back at 9-10, and then 9-12, with some dominant shot play. It cost the red pair much effort to fight back but they scrapped their way to the lead again at 14-13. Deadlock ensued as the pairs could not be separated, tied at 17, 18 and 19. From this juncture thought, Olaizola stepped up a gear, and wasted little time in hitting his way to victory, 22-19 the final score. Bengoetxea and Beroiz, who looked invincible a few weeks back, are now on something of a losing run. Olaizola and Ibai Zabala, on the other hand, may now dare to dream of the semi-finals. There is a short highlights video on etb, here.

Meanwhile, in the Promocion Championship, Gorka and Cecilio became the only unbeaten pair in the competition, beating Apezetxea and Larrinaga 22-16 in Logrono. They now sit atop the table alone. At Labrit, Mendizabal III and Merino put Aritz Lasa (playing for Olazabal) and Arruti to the sword, winning 22-6.

Irujo and Zabaleta are in a position of strength

Irujo and Zabaleta are in a position of strength

Photo: mine

Pairs Week 7: the slow moving saga unravels

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

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

Gorka Esteban, going well in the Promocion

Pictures: mine

Pairs Championship week 6: Irujo and Zabaleta go top

There was a changing of the guard at the top of the Pairs Championship standings as Bengoetxea VI and Beroiz suffered their first defeat, at the hands of Titin III and Merino II. They lost 22-20 in a very evenly matched game at Adarraga. After having been tied at five and seven, the Asegarce pair looked to have established some supremacy at 16-12, but the Riojans, enjoying their home advantage, fought back. The pairs were tied again at 19 and 20 and there was some controversy when Bengoetxea and Beroiz felt that two crucial refereeing calls had gone against them on 19-20 and 19-21. These were alluded to by Bengoetxea in the subsequent press conference, where he also admitted to nerves as he struggled to overcome Titin. Titin was indeed marginally the better of the forwards, but the player of the match, with his three winners to a single error, was Beroiz.
Scoring sequence: 0-1, 2-1, 5-5, 7-7, 10-12, 16-12, 16-16, 17-19, 19-19, 19-20, 20-20, 20-22
Winners/errors: Titin 8/4, Bengoetxea 9/8
Balls hit: 678

Bengoetxea and Beroiz’s loss means that Martinez de Irujo and Zabaleta go top of the table on points difference. They got the better of Arretxe II and Begino in Pamplona. The favourites outdid their opponents for pace and set the tone right from the outset, racing to 7-0, 10-2 and 13-3. Arretxe and Begino made a brave attempt at a counterattack, closing a little to 14-7, but the eventual winners did not let up for long and closed the match out 22-14 with the minimum of fuss.

The match in Hendaye on Friday was presumably designed as a showcase for Xala in front of his local Iparralde fans, but it was not to be as injury forced his replacement by Jon Jaunarena. Jaunarena, making his debut in a top tier championship, acquitted himself very well indeed, despite the eventual loss suffered by he and Barriola. They were undone 22-19 at the hands of Berasaluze VIII and Albisu who seem finally to be finding their feet in this tournament. This is a second win on the bounce for the Asegarce pair, who have now succeeded in pulling themselves into sixth in the table. Berasaluze was the difference in the final analysis, though Jaunarena only allowed matters to slip in the final few points with some errors of inexperience. Both defenders were solid but fairly unspectacular.
Winners/errors: Berasaluze 13/4, Jaunarena 10/6, Albisu 1/3, Barriola ½
Match time: 50 minutes with 16 minutes of actual play
Balls hit: 330

Ibai Zabala sat out this round of the competition with a hand problem. He was replaced by Alexis Apraiz who assisted Olaizola II to a comfortable win over Gonzalez and Zubieta in Eibar. The vast disparity in this match came in the forwards, where Olaizola ran rings around Gonzalez. Gonzalez, for his part was highly ineffectual, managing only one winner to four errors. In contrast, Zubieta played well behind while Apraiz leaked errors. The initial closeness of the game, which stood at 7-7, was due largely to the unsteadiness of Apraiz, but once he had settled, Olaizola dominated and there was no way back for the Aspe duo, who now languish in 7th. The victors rise to 4th, a trajectory they will hope to continue when Zabala returns this weekend.
Scoring sequence: 0-1/ 1/ 4-1/ 4-2/ 5-2/ 5/ 6-5/ 7-5/ 7/ 8-7/ 10-7/ 10-8/ 16-8/ 16-12/ 17-12/ 17-13
Winners/errors: Olaizola 12/1, Gonzalez 1/4, Apraiz 0/9, Zubieta 2/5
Match time: 60 minutes with 23 minutes of actual play

Pair Played Won Lost Points for Points against Points diff
1 Martinez de Irujo-Zabaleta 6 5 1 131 92 39
2 Bengoetxea VI-Beroiz 6 5 1 130 120 10
3 Titin III-Merino II 6 4 2 121 122 -1
4 Olaizola II-Ibai Zabala 6 3 2 122 108 14
5 Xala-Barriola 6 3 3 121 118 3
6 Berasaluze VIII-Albisu 6 2 3 110 123 -13
7 Gonzalez-Zubieta 6 1 5 99 116 -17
8 Arretxe II-Begino 6 1 5 95 130 -35

In the Promocion Championship, the results were:

Gorka-Cecilio beat Olazabal-Arruti 22-15
Apezetxea-Larrinaga beat Mendizabal III-Merino I 22-21
Rico IV-Untoria beat Tainta-Ladis Galarza 22-8
The game between Lemuno-Aretxeabaleta and Elezkano II-Larunbe has been postponed due to injury. For the latest standings, see here.

Pairs Week 5: Xala injured as status quo is maintained at the top

Pablo Berasaluze and Jon Ander Albisu finally grabbed their first point of the championships on Friday in Mungia, defeating Sebastien Gonzalez and Aitor Zubieta 22-16. The match was coloured by the state of Gonzalez’s health; the Aspe forward was indisposed and obviously hampered by a gastrointestinal problem. Despite a string of winners from Berasaluze, taking advantage of his less than healthy opponent, the defenders were the stars of the show, with Zubieta showing the greater consistency. Unfortunately for him though, the win was out of reach. Both pairs have now won one match and lost four, and must lift themselves before their deficit on the top pairings becomes insurmountable.
Scoring sequence: 0-1/1/4-1/4-2/7-2/7-4/9-4/9-6/10-6/10-8/13-8/13-10/14-10/14/15/19-13/19-16/22-16/
Winners/errors: Berasaluze 13/4 (including 3 service winners), Gonzalez 7/7 (including one service winner and one service fault), Albisu 1/4, Zubieta 1/1
Match time: 75 minutes with 25 minutes of actual play
Balls hit: 496

Victory for Pablo Berasaluze

Victory for Pablo Berasaluze

Oinatz Bengoetxea and Mikel Beroiz maintained their unbeaten record in Eibar on Sunday, though in rather unusual circumstances. The top pair ran out 22-16 winners over Xala and Barriola in an official sense, but the game was brought to a premature halt with the latter pair leading 16-15 following an injury to Xala. The game had been an extraordinary one, cheered to the rafters of Astelena by an enthusiastic crowd. Bengoetxea and Beroiz opened their account in dominating fashion, racing to a 13-2 lead. Once Xala and Barriola hit their stride however, the momentum swung entirely as they seized thirteen points in a row to tie affairs at 13-13, before going ahead 14-13 and 16-14. Xala was the star of the show, racking up ten winners in this run and repeatedly beating Bengoetxea into submission. However, it all fell apart for the resurgent forward as he was forced to leave the fronton with pain in his leg. He returned to the fray, giving hope that his disappearance had been a false alarm, but he proved unable to continue. He has since been diagnosed with a partial tear of the hamstring and will be out of action for between three and four weeks. Jon Jaunarena, last year’s triple promocion txapela winner, will replace him on Friday against Berasaluze and Albisu.
Scoring sequence: 1-0/ 1/ 1-6/ 2-6/ 2-11/ 3-11/ 2-13/ 13/ 14-13/ 14/ 16-14/ 16-15
Winners/errors: Xala 10/2, Bengoetxea 10/5 (including 2 service winners), Barriola 0/3, Beroiz 1/0
Match time: 63 minutes with 22 minutes of actual play

Abel Barriola: stopped in his tracks by Xalas injury

Abel Barriola: stopped in his tracks by Xala's injury

Zabaleta was the MVP as he and Juan Martinez de Irujo defeated Aimar Olaizola and Ibai Zabala 22-16 in Bilbao. The blue pair succeeded where others have struggled in essentially removing Olaizola from the game. Ibai Zabala has played better than many had expected thus far in the tournament but until now he had never really been exposed, with Olaizola shouldering the lion’s share of the work. However, Irujo and Zabaleta came into the match with a  clear strategy and had the skill to see it through; there was very little Olaizola, repeatedly bypassed at the front, could do to rescue Zabala from the bombing meted out to him by Zabaleta, a championship debutante who is truly coming of age. The Asegarce pair held on well until the mid-point, indeed they went ahead 12-8. Olaizola and Irujo fought tooth and nail but neither could create a decisive break, while Zabala held his own with Zabaleta. However, once their opponents had pulled it back to 14-14 there was no looking back as Zabaleta pulled them into the ascendancy. It was a plan excellently conceived and perfectly executed, which led to a deserved win. This is the fourth triumph form Irujo and Zabaleta, who look to be coming to the boil nicely. The jury is still out on the pairing of Olaizola and Ibai Zabala; they have won two and lost three, one of which was agonisingly close to a win, and their path could still go one of two ways. Will more pairs be able to expose Zabala while obviating his great partner?
Scoring sequence: 2-1/3-2/3-3/4-4/6-5/7-7/9-8/10-8/12-9/13-13/14-14/15-17/15-18/16-20/16-22
Winners/errors:
Olaizola 7/3 (including 4 service winners), Irujo 12/5 (including 1 service winner), Zabala 2/3, Zabaleta 2/2
Match time:
73.23 minutes with 34.27 of actual play
Balls hit:
624

Jose Javier Zabaleta played his part to perfection

Jose Javier Zabaleta played his part to perfection

Defending champions Titin III and Merino II made the most of their home advantage in Logrono but were pushed hard in their 22-18 win over Arretxe II and Begino on Sunday. The Riojans started strongly, going up 6-1 and then 10-5. Arretxe and Begino were slow to get into the game but when they did, they fought hard to try and close the gap, something they did not quite manage though they came to within two points at 13-15. Titin and Merino halted the comeback and began to eke out a bigger advantage, looking on the cusp of victory at 19-14. However, Arrexte and Begino refused to lie down and struck three times in a row to close to 18-21. However, it was too little too late; while forced to react to their dogged play, the champions had always kept their rivals at arm’s reach and held on for a 22-18 win. This is their third victory of the campaign and it keeps them in the mix in third place in the table. Arretxe and Begino, with a lone win to their name, are bottom.

Home win in La Rioja for David Merino

Home win in La Rioja for David Merino

(All photos are mine)

Table after five weeks:

Pair Played Won Lost Points for Points against Points diff
1 Bengoetxea VI-Beroiz 5 5 0 110 98 12
2 Martinez de Irujo-Zabaleta 5 4 1 109 78 31
3 Titin III-Merino II 5 3 2 99 102 -3
4 Xala-Barriola 5 3 2 102 96 6
5 Olaizola II-Ibai Zabala 5 2 3 100 95 5
6 Gonzalez-Zubieta 5 1 4 86 94 -8
7 Berasaluze VIII-Albisu 5 1 2 88 104 -16
8 Arretxe II-Begino 5 1 2 81 108 -27

Pairs week 4 round up: Bengoetxea-Beroiz remain on top

Apologies for the lack of reports this week; other things have got in the way rather. There were some close games last week, with two going down to the wire and one finishing 22-20. On Friday, Titin II and Merino II pulled a 22-20 win out of the fire against a resurgent Gonzalez and Zubieta. The defending champions were lacklustre early on, especially Merino, but a mid match dip from Gonzalez allowed them into the game and then into a decent lead. However, they almost fell at the last as the trailing pair came back, only to fall agonisingly short. On Saturday, things were rather easier for Martinez de Irujo and Zabaleta, who defeated Berasaluze VIII and Albisu 22-10. This was their third win, while the losers have yet to trouble the scorers. On Sunday a cool headed Xala and Barriola just managed to halt Olaizola II and Ibai Zabala who staged a storming comeback by way of some absolutely mammoth rallies, one of which triggered a standing ovation at Astelena. Sadly for the Asegarce pair, Ibai Zabala, who otherwise played very well, hit the last ball of the game short for the narrowest of 22-21 losses. Finally, on Monday Bengoetxea VI and Beroiz almost came unstuck in Tolosa, squeaking past Arretxe II and Begino 22-21. As it is though, they maintained their unbeaten record and stay top.

The table now looks like this:

Pair Played Won Lost Points for Points against Points diff
1 Bengoetxea VI-Beroiz 4 4 0 88 82 6
2 Martinez de Irujo-Zabaleta 4 3 1 87 62 25
3 Xala-Barriola 4 3 1 86 74 12
4 Olaizola II-Ibai Zabala 4 2 2 84 73 11
5 Titin III-Merino II 4 2 2 77 84 -7
6 Gonzalez-Zubieta 4 1 3 70 72 -2
7 Arretxe II-Begino 4 1 3 63 86 -23
8 Berasaluze VIII-Albisu 4 0 4 66 88 -22