The Basque Pelota holds a false image of being an old sport.  To find all these kids of six-eight years, on the pediment of CPBT in Saint-Leu, learning the initial gestures of the discipline, we crack a smile.  The Réunionese league of the Basque Pelota is one of the most dynamic, featuring great international champions.  Zoom.            

The jargon of the pelota may seem strange for the novice ones.  One may easily get confused with its 21 disciplines.  The clubs in Réunion Island play only 5 of them. The rules of the game vary according to the playing area (a two walled court, trinquet and the left front wall), the pelota (leather, hard rubber and hollow rubber) and the equipment (the paleta and the joko-garbi). 
The most accessible and entertaining modality is the "hard rubber ball played across a frontal left wall."  In short, it's a light wooden racket, a hard rubber ball and a wall.  It is often played two teams against two teams: the front court players and the back players.  The front court player must be strong, patient and skillful.  Strong, because the playing area is very long.  Patient, because he needs to score points in this lengthy area.  And skillful, because very often he needs to play with both hands.  The front court player who is closer to the wall defends and mends the direction of the Pelotas.           

A sport that appeals to the Réunionese

Réunion Island has 5 clubs spread over Saint-Denis, Saint-Leu and Cilaos.  They are over 400 licensees.  The Basque Pelota is a violent sport coupled with fast and repetitive races.  Due to its intensity, this sport can be compared with boxing. 
Olivier Poudou, a sport consultant of the Basque Pelota in Réunion Island explains the craze of the Réunionese: "They monopolize the basque pelota.  They play it like a sport street adopting a dynamic approach similar to the street basketball.  Besides the French centre in Chaudron has been beneficial, in the sense that the game has changed along with the practices linked to the environment: a match featuring more defenses and hence more impressive as well."  Today the Basque pelota offers strong-arm performances where the athletes compete in strength and agility.  It works so well that a trinquet (a rectangular court) will soon be built next to Stella.        

Réunion Island, a land of champions

In competition, the major class remains the "leather paleta bounced across the left frontal wall."  The pelota is in leather and its top speed may easily exceed 250 km/h.  No limit is applied for the stroke.  The wooden racket provides an exceptional speed.  The players wear a helmet to protect themselves. 
The Chaudron hence houses the French centre.  There are 18 high-performance athletes who advance in this establishment.  Amongst them, is Jeannot Welmant, French champion 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, European champion 2002 and was awarded a silver medal at the international game of Pampelune and bronze medal in Mexico.  The career path of Frédéric Fontano is similarly prestigious.  He won the French championship in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and he was awarded the bronze medal during the World cup of Brives. 
New talented athletes are also brought into the limelight.  Being less than 22 years, Dimitri Welmant and Stéphane Vally are about to join the team of France.  A take over is guaranteed.