Team USA athletes faced traditional pelota powerhouse squads from Span and Mexico Saturday during the second day of action at the World Championships of Pelota in Pau, France.
In singles handball, Tony Huarte of the United States fought Spain’s Imanol Landiribar in a tough match but lost by a score of 12 to 22. Their hard-fought struggle on the 36-meter court was one of a number of great games as the world’s top pelota players competed in the huge international tournament, held every four years.
In other 36-meter court action, the U.S. doubles handball team was beaten soundly by Mexico 22-0. In trinquete, Cuba and Spain also came up winners in their respective women’s paleta goma matches.
Click on the following link for Team USA’s Schedule
On Friday, Basque Cultural Center athlete Mireille Acheritogaray, as part of a doubles squad representing Team USA, won her opening match 30 to 13 against Canada in a paleta goma trinquete battle. Roger Etchevers of the U.S. also won his singles handball trinquete match Friday against Argentina 40 to 11.
Here are some of the highlights from Saturday’s tournament, sponsored by the International Federation of Basque Pelota:
36-Meter Court
USA 0 — Mexico 22, men’s double handball
Venezuela 22 — Argentina 18, men’s double handball
Spain 22 — USA 12, men’s singles handball
Argentina 8 — Venezuela 22, men’s singles handball
Cuba 40 — Venezuela 11, men’s pala corta
Spain 40 –Mexico 20, men’s pala corta
Mexico 20 — France 35, men’s pala cuero
Venezuela 35 — Chile 29, men’s pala cuero
Trinquete
Mexico 30 — Cuba 12, women’s paleta goma
France 27 — Spain 30, women’s paleta goma
France 30 — Mexico 21, men’s paleta goma
Agrentina 30 — Uruguay 15, men’s paleta goma
Mexico 40 — Cuba 0, men’s doubles handball
Click on the following link for all the results of the tournament.
For updates on the championship action, check out the FaceBook page of the United States Federation of Pelota.
Click on the following link for Team USA’s Schedule
