Pelota
It is without doubt the outstanding rural sport in the region. Navarre has had, and continues to produce, renowned pelota players, amongst whom one should mention, among others. (hand players) Retegui, Arretxe, Galarza, Bengoetxea, los hermanos Olaizola, Eugi, Martínez de Irujo o Abel Barriola, the palista (racket player) Óscar Insausti, and the remontistas (wicker basket players) Jesús Ábrego, Raúl, the Lecumberri brothers, Kike Elizalde, Koteto Ezkurra or Iñaki Lizaso.
This tradition is so deep-rooted that there are few towns that do not have a frontón (court) on their streets, some of them even located in buildings of traditional architecture as is the case of the “Trinquete” in Elizondo. In general, it is possible to play in any of them if you reserve in advance.
The most famous courts are the Labrit in Pamplona and the Euskal Jai Berri - Reyno de Navarra, situated in the town of Huarte, close to the capital. Competitions of different categories and styles take place there: in the former the game is played with the hand, racket and basket, while in the latter mainly remonte (basket variant) is played, a technique with more than 100 years of history that originated in Pamplona. Each category is different and requires different materials and types of courts, although there is always a common element (the ball) that is still made according to traditional methods.
Of the most famous championships, the one that stands out is the one that takes place between August and October at the Leku-Ona frontón in Mezkiritz, known as bost kirol (five games in Basque, due to the five styles of play involved): rubber paddle, leather paddle, short racket, xare (longer racket) and hand). Whatever the format, the pelota calendar carries on almost all year round.
As in other rural sports, so in pelota there is the betting phenomenon. This old tradition, through which land, herds and houses have been lost, has become one of the most singular aspects of the spectacle, reaching its climax in the final of the hand pelota modality.
To attend one of the major courts as a spectator, an entrance fee is payable. This varies according to the championship and the category of the games and ranges between 10 and 50 Euros, although in the grand finals it can even be three times higher. Visitors under 25 years can enjoy a special concession, with free entry to the Euskal Jai Berri–Reyno de Navarra pelota court.
Useful information
