Landa: There has been a very good atmosphere in the League
On Saturday, the puntista entered at the last minute by the decline of Hormaetxea
09/13/2011: Landa lived a busy day on Saturday, because Alex Hormaetxea had a personal problem at last minute, so Ander had to be hurry to take the place of the puntista from Bermeo. So things, the frontcourt mobilized Foronda and his mother to prepare everything and participate in the festival of the Plentzia Jai Alai, where played well and where a nice atmosphere was registered.
On Saturday, you had to enter at the last minute, how do you remenber this inclusion?
I was a bit unprepared, because I was going from Gasteiz to see the festival, we had mounted a small expedition with four pelotaris, and halfway I got the call and I knew that I had to play. I had no cesta or clothes and they wanted me to play with another cesta, but it is complicated, and I did not want to be uncomfortable and play bad. At the end, as Foronda was just coming out of Gasteiz, I called mum, we did turn Iker and he picked up my bag and my cesta, although mum does not know what I use to put in the bag. At the end, everything was ok.
Despite all these vicissitudes, you played well.
Yes, I felt comfortable, although the cesta hooked a bit and we weren´t lucky to add several tantos followed. We got few tantos, but at least we had a second place and we played the playoff for a third place.
It is a pity to enter by the problem of a colleague.
Yes, they told me that Alex had an important problem of last minute and that he could not play. I feel sorry for him, because he would have liked to be in Plentzia and I did what I could.
Last week you also played in Plentzia.
That is, I had played the previous Saturday and then I felt good, despite at the end it cost us a little. I would say that there were two different days, in the first one I felt more comfortable, while on Saturday I had more luck and I finish some tantos with the remates.
Last year, you had competed in this Jai Alai, isn´t it?
It was at this same tournament. Likewise, two weeks ago I could trained there and it is a nice fronton to play, the ball comes natural from the wall and we have no complaints. It's a beautiful Jai Alai and we enjoy playing in it.
You have almost seen all the functions of the League, what would you say about this competition?
This year there are several pelotaris of Gasteiz, so I have had the opportunity to go with them to see the games and the only festival that I've not seen was last Friday. Everything has been very nice, since in Bilbao and Plentzia there has been a lot of fans and there has been a very good atmosphere for people approaching to the fronton.
Do you think that the sport-level has been rising year after year?
The level has risen notably. Here are Foronda, Alex and many others who have competed in America and who are very good pelotaris. They didn´t make mistakes, they are very intelligent and we can see their level, because they are veterans and it is difficult to get the tanto against them, while they win very easily.
Text: Juan Luis Ibarretxe Marcos
Photograph description: Landa (right) with Aymar Kalzakorta
