Urriza-Labaka and Ansa II-Aizpuru III will compete on Saturday in Galarreta for the final of the Couples Ski Lift Championship, held without public in its 50th edition. Both of them resolved with work and sacrifice yesterday’s semifinals, in which Javier Urriza, a huge player, and Aizpuru III, a true revelation of the tournament, played a prominent role.
Ansa II and Aizpuru III remain unbeaten by signing their fifth victory in as many matches. They defeated the resistance of Juanenea and Larrañaga 40-33, who after going ahead until both 16 then gave the initiative on the scoreboard to the leaders of the first phase.
At first, Joxin Aizpuru kept the kind of a couple in which Imanol Ansa started cold. Urnieta’s striker sparked from the second decade, but the Azpeitiarra defender did not lower the piston at any time. His ten service goals – he committed a foul – weighed in the outcome, as did his incredible backhand rebound from a serve from Azkoitiarra Larrañaga with 35-32. It looked like 35-33 and it was 36-32. The Colorados went almost straight to 40.
The second semifinal allowed Urriza to confirm his status as the current number one on the ski lift. The individual champion and Azpeitiarra Jagoba Labaka defeated Segurola and Barrenetxea IV 40-36, who this time the serve did not work, in a match with 16 matches and that took their protagonists to the physical limit.
Urriza, outstanding, appeared everywhere, defended a lot, attacked with gas and, supported in the good direction of Labaka’s serves, decided an uncertain 71-minute clash that went 35-35.
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