Endika Urrutia Azpiroz is 30 years old and has spent eleven seasons as a professional ski lifter – she debuted on July 6, 2009 at the Euskal de Huarte. This afternoon she disputed in Galarreta (ETB1-15.15) the final of the 50th Anniversary Tournament of the hernaniarra long pediment with her countryman Juanenea against Urriza and Zubiri. Four Navarrese in search of the precious txapelas. Endika took his first steps on the ski lift as a forward. «I already played in that position before, in amateurs. I alternated it with the back row. And when I went to professionals I spent three years playing ahead, but there came a time when there were not many defenders in the box and I decided to change. At first everything was different. The serve, the positions, but I think I have already fitted myself well. By training you learn ».
Natural de Saldías (currently residing in Lasarte-Oria), a town in Navarre of just over a hundred and a half inhabitants and the cradle of great ski lifts, has two titles from the Couples Championship in his record – he won with Koteto Ezkurra in 2015 and together with Uterga in 2016– and three Sagardoaren txapelketa –two with Segurola and another with Zeberio II–. «Four professional ski lifts have come out of Saldías, the Urrutia brothers, my cousins, Juanenea and myself. There was no ski school, we all went to Doneztebe, but it is not bad for such a small town, “he says proudly.
It recognizes that, with the passage of time, it is a different ski lift. «I look more settled on the court, I play more calmly, I have more patience and I have improved a lot in defense. Before, as a forward, he made two goals and missed ten ». He will form a couple with Juanenea, with whom he was proclaimed runner-up of Couples in 2018. «I know him from all the life of the town, from children. He is two years younger than me, but we understand each other well on and off the court. Aritz has improved a lot since he debuted, especially when it came to defending. He stopped playing ski lift after a season in which he had a bad time, but returned two years ago, very fresh. He has a powerful arm and gives a lot of speed to the ball. It shows when it hits you. We started well, we have found ourselves comfortable on the court and, in addition, playing a good game ».
Urriza, the great threat
But opposite they are going to have today a very rocky couple in which the figure of Urriza, dominator of the Individual in recent years, stands out. «Urriza is a very violent player, complete in all facets of the game. Make a difference. How to exceed him? It’s very complicated. He is 1.92, he has a very long arm and if you add the meter and a half that he jumps … The only formula to harm him is to throw the ball at his feet, which will bounce right in front of him. Our victory options go through toughening the game. I’ve been training a lot with Zubiri since he debuted. It has a great defense and also attacks. It can be good for us to keep the game going because he is not very used to playing demanding games, with a lot of rhythm. We will try to tire him out.
Endika and Juanenea will have support in the stands of Galarreta, but less than usual. «My family, my partner and some friends will come. In Saldías people have a lot of respect for the coronavirus and the latest outbreaks. It is understood that they do not move, in my family there are older people and it is better that they do not take risks and watch it on television. Prudence is the best decision. Of course, we will do everything possible to win. It would be something historic when it comes to the 50th Anniversary tournament of the construction of Galarreta. We want to take the txapelas to Saldías after four years of drought ».
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