Basque pelota speed record

If we mention the name of Dani Pedrosa, it is very likely that we know who he is, what he does, and what his greatest achievements have been in the world of motorcycle racing.

However, if I mention Iñaki Osa Goikoetxea, you most likely will not know who he is, nor will you be interested.

But what if I told you that Iñaki has achieved the world speed record against Dani Pedrosa?

Who is Iñaki?

At 40 years old, Iñaki is a man of action and a ten-time world champion in cesta punta (one of the disciplines of Basque pelota).

A passionate surfer and an employee at ROYSE, Rodamientos y Servicios, he has broken the speed record by throwing the ball with his cesta. It was the Biscayan Ibon Aldazabal who achieved this feat by throwing the ball at 305 km/h at the Dania (Florida) fronton in 2017.

Iñaki, for his part, has managed to increase it to 313 km/h at the Aragón motor racing circuit, alongside an exhibition by former rider Dani Pedrosa.

A bit of history

In an interview with the newspaper EL PAÍS, our colleague Iñaki explains how involved he has been in this discipline from a very young age.

Six years ago, Íñigo Calzacorta, Iñaki’s partner in this experience, contacted him to show him what would be a new, more up-to-date cesta model. After trying it and liking it so much, he considered the option of breaking the speed record with a ball thrown with a cesta.

However, with the arrival of COVID-19 and after the competition was suspended, they saw a ray of hope and a good opportunity to use that time to improve the cesta design so that it would be as comfortable as possible. Both friends began working on prototypes that were sent back and forth to define what it would ultimately be like.

Goiko has a professional relationship with the brand Red Bull, one of his sponsors, which took the challenge very seriously and organized it. After some time working on different configurations, the final cesta was made of 90% carbon and 10% aluminum. Iñaki tested it and provided guidance on how it had to be: “It must have the same feel and striking characteristics as a traditional cesta,” he said.

A ball and a world record

According to our colleague, the world of Basque pelota is very traditional, and every change is scrutinized and, in almost all cases, viewed with a certain degree of distrust. This could already be seen when the color of hand-pelota courts began to be painted in different colors and the more conservative supporters made their displeasure known.

Despite this, television managed to win over that more disgruntled audience by showing that pelota could be seen better against green, blue, or black walls.

Iñaki threw the ball with his cesta at the Aragón circuit and managed to beat his record. He underwent many tests before the final, decisive moment.

Our colleague recalls that day, full of nerves and great tension, because first they had to film Dani Pedrosa’s run trying to reach the same speed on his motorcycle and, afterwards, they filmed the throw.

The greatest moment of joy and relief came when the speedometer showed 313 km/h, and Dani Pedrosa was unable to match it.

At ROYSE, we would like to congratulate our colleague and Service Manager on the INDAUX contract at iSM, integrated MRO management, for the achievement he has attained thanks to his effort and perseverance, which have proven to be a fundamental pillar in any endeavor.