Most individuals who have spent a fair amount of time in Navarra will be familiar with the rich array of sports originating in the Basque region.  Commitment to not only preserving these traditional pastimes but ensuring their advancement has seen pelota, one such sport, gain popularity not only in adjacent Spanish regions but also internationally, boasting support as far afield as South America. 



One may wonder exactly what pelota is.  Imagine a combination of tennis and squash played with bare hands and the game can be easily understood.  The court, or kantxa, as locals refer to it, is made up of three walls.  Spectators can view the game from the fourth, open boundary.  Just as in squash, players use a wall to bounce the ball to their opponent.    A perpendicular wall, marked with 10 numbers, serves to determine exactly which area players should perform in.  The game can be made easier or more difficult by confining the play to occur between certain allocated numbers.   The game starts with a serve which must land between line 4 and 7 of the kantxa.  The ball should then continuously be passed between the players via the wall until it’s either missed, or escapes the boundaries of the court.  



As seems to be a trend with Basque sports, where the endurance of players is regularly tested, pelota is no exception.  Athletes are required to hit a tough ball with practically bare hands, protected only by paper-thin guards, making it no surprise to learn that hand injuries are a common part of the game.  The thunder of the impact when contact is made between the ball and the player’s hands serves as a reminder for spectators as to just how brutal this game is.



The ruthlessness came to Pamplona’s doorstep on Saturday evening as it hosted the semi-final of the Pelota Vasca Championships at Frontón Labrit.  Despite rather heavy rains, the event was well attended and the fronton gained a life of its own as the vibrant mood emanating from spectators became more passionate. 

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Pelota veterans Oinatz Bengoetxea and Pablo Berasaluze were the competing athletes, and although Bengoetxea kept a steady lead throughout the match, tension mounted as Berasaluze came close to overtaking his opponent mid-game.  Both players demonstrated incredible skill in their lightning speed reactions to complex ball manoeuvres obviously designed to outwit their respective rivals.  Despite a good battle from Berasaluze, Bengoetxea was finally named victor with a final score of 16-22.  He will therefore go on to compete in the final against the winner of the second semi-final.



Stamina, swiftness and vehemence are only a few of the features on display at a pelota match.  Having witnessed the aforementioned combat, I can only recommend that any individual wanting to get a taste of true Basque culture should most certainly invest in a ticket.