A revolution in the world of Basque pelota: palas made of composite materials will be authorized for the next Pelota World Championships in Biarritz, from October 23 to 29. A pala, or more precisely a paleton, a larger instrument that allows you to play hollow gum, a popular sport in Mexico and Argentina, and more confidential in France, a country which nevertheless regularly finishes on the podium of the world championships. The proof that the market exists is that major brands, such as Decathlon, have embarked on the design and produce their equipment with the sub-brand “Urball“.
– Bixente-Vrignon
The first market is Mexico
Hervé Tarraube, is the director of the Urball brand, based at the Hendaye design center, with the Tribord brand, he has been developing the Basque pelota line for 4 years and recognizes that “today we don’t earn a lot of money, but we are working on it!“. Europe would not be enough to amortize the costs, the first market for the brand is Mexico thanks to frontennis, a specialty which has its circuit and its professionals in the Aztec country, but also in Argentina. For this which is from the paleton sold with us, Hervé Tarraube affirms thatit increases ease of play: “it is lighter, and thanks to composites, foams, carbon fibers or glass, we can type the pala so that it is more powerful, more precise or more tolerant“. But the instrument does not allow outperformance: “the paleton is not everything, but it helps, the ball arrives much faster“.
And Kevin Pucheux, vice-world champion of hollow gum paleta confirms: “it changes a lot of things, in the game it brings a lot of speed, _there is a big difference on the take effect in the game_. It brings a new game and speed, it’s like tennis where we played with wooden rackets a few years ago. It’s a very pleasant feeling when typing and it’s less traumatic for the body.“. In Biarritz, this pala will be authorized for the first time, and the specialists are can’t wait to see what will change in the game.
A specialty practiced throughout the great southwest
– Bixente-Vrignon
The paleta gum hollow is played with a ball inflated with a gas, on a wall to the left of 30m, and individually, one against one. Halfway between squash and Basque pelota, it’s a very fast and very physically demanding specialty. It has a professional circuit at world level, in America, with Mexico and Argentina dominating the specialty with Spain and France in Europe. Other countries like Cuba, Peru, and even Italy (thanks to bi-nationals), compete regularly.
In France, it is represented throughout the great south-west and Basque clubs are far from being in the majority : in the finals of the French championship, which were played this Sunday July 10, 2022, the finalists, from the youngest to the seniors, came from Mouguerre in the Basque Country, but also from Brive (19), St Martin de Seignanx (40), Oloron -Ste-Marie (64), Mont (64), Le Haillan (33) and Lasseube in Béarn. For this year, it’s Théo Pucheux dismissed in Lasseube like his cousin Kevin, who won in three sets 15/14; 4/15; 10/2.