The Basque pelota team finished its historic first World Championship appearance on the podium in Argentina and Uruguay, claiming 12 total medals after securing official international recognition in late 2024. Spain placed first in the overall standings, while the Basque squad secured four gold medals, seven silvers, and one bronze across the multi-nation tournament.
Basque Pelota Delegation Ranks on Medal Table After Rapid Formation
Basque pelota officials launched their inaugural World Championship campaign without setting explicit podium targets following the squad’s public presentation in Vitoria’s Plaza de los Fueros. Organizers noted that the team had only two years to build their competitive project after the International Federation recognized the Basque federation as a full member in late 2024. That compressed timeline left the squad unable to contest disciplines such as trinquet and frontenis because qualifying tournaments had already occurred before official admission was granted.
Despite missing those events, the Basque team capitalized on established disciplines where athletes maintained active annual competition schedules. Hand pelota, cesta punta, and leño provided the backbone of the delegation’s success, generating more than half of the squad’s four gold medals.
Gaubeka and Imanol Claim Pala Corta Silver After Three-Set Battle
In the pala corta gold-medal match, veteran Basque players Gaubeka and Imanol opened with strong defensive play before dropping the final two sets against Spain’s Baeza, Skufca, and Insausti. The championship match concluded with set scores of 9-15, 15-11, and 10-5 in favor of the Spanish side.
The Basque delegation also adjusted quickly in newer disciplines, securing a men’s frontball silver medal and a women’s frontball bronze on the final day of competition. Late tournament invitations from the International Federation allowed Basque athletes to enter adapted pelota and xare events after withdrawals from other participating nations.
Edorta de Anta and Germán Elkoro Claim Trinquete Gold Against France
Edorta de Anta and Germán Elkoro delivered one of the tournament’s standout results by defeating France to capture the gold medal in trinquete. The Basque team added a silver medal in the 36-meter fronton event, also against French opposition, while younger squad members gained international experience in xare.
The xare tournament featured a family milestone when Joxi and Xuban Lopetegi—a father and son from Irura—faced each other briefly during an active match while representing Spain and Euskadi, respectively.
Buenos Aires Selected to Host International Assembly as Cazaubon Wins Re-election
During the competition, the International Federation held its general assembly and re-elected Franco-Mexican president Xabier Cazaubon unopposed, with Spain abstaining from the unanimous vote of all other members. Delegates voted to move the organization’s next headquarters to Buenos Aires rather than the originally planned location of Biarritz.
Assembly members approved expanded qualification quotas for future World Championships and added a women’s Cuatro y Medio tournament for the upcoming four-year cycle. Euskadi formally accepted the hosting duties for the next World Championship during the closing ceremony, setting up Bilbao and Gernika as host cities for the event in four years.
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