euskalkultura.eus

Bilbao, Bizkaia.  The Bizkaia fronton was full last weekend with spectators watching the finals of the IV World Pilota Championships organized by the World Council of Pilota and its associates.  On Friday the 9^th the Oiartzabal-Imanol team beat the Venezuelans Borrajo-Ibargarai 40-34 in Pala Corta.  In the women’s Paleta Goma locals Irazustabarrena-Saez dominated the Argentinean pair Basterra del Val-Garcia 30-6.  Finally, in the final Open Handball division in the singles category Aurrti (Aspe) beat Elezkano (Euskal Selekzioa) 30-9.

The Trinquet finals were played on Saturday providing the first surprise in Pala Cuero.  The Argentinean team Zubillaga-Bilbao beat the hosting country team Leiba-Camara 40-20.  “The first half was pretty equal, but in the second the Argentinean team clearly dominated,” according to the organizers. 

The second surprise came in the Men’s Paleta Goma division, where the Mexican team Rodriguez-Rodriguez beat the Argentineans S. Inchausti-Azkoitia 30-20.  “The Mexican team confirmed something that we saw coming since the semifinals on Thursday.”  “They bent the Argentinean team and when this is done in Paleta Goma played in a Trinquet it is an enormous feat.  The level shown by the Mexican team to win the title in Bilbao was extraordinary,” the organizers said.  Finally in the Men’s Open Handball, the Cuban Waltary and the Basque Larrazabal pushed M. Gonzalez-Ugarte (Euskal selekzioa), by a narrow 40-37.

-More information and a photo gallery on the World Pilota Council’s website:
www.mundupilota.org/eus/index.aspx