The Circuit Bancaixa (; "Bancaixa League"), officially Liga Profesional Escala i Corda, is the professional league of Valencian pilota. Circuit Bancaixa name is taken from its main sponsor, the Valencian Savings bank CaixaBank. During the period 1991–1992, it replaced the Campionat Nacional d'Escala i Corda, which had existed from 1952–1990. The league was initially created by the retired ''pilotari'' Alfred Hernando (aka ''Fredi''). The league, which originally just featured the best local players, has since expanded and gained prestige. Some famous former players include Sarasol I, Pigat II, and

Álvaro Álvaro (, , ) is a Spanish, Galician and Portuguese male given name and surname (see Spanish naming customs) of Visigothic origin. Some claim it may be related to the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements ''alf'' "elf" and ''arr'' "warrio ...

. During the 2007-2008 sports season, eight teams participated for the first time, with three ''feridors'' and six replacing ''pilotaris''. Each team was composed of two or three members from the ValNet firm. Teams had to score as many points as possible to remain in the competition (3 points for victory, and 1 point in case of loss but scoring 50 ''tants''). The six highest scoring teams each earned a place for a second phase with the same rules. When there were only four teams left, two matches were played as the best of three matches. The winners then went on to the final, with each team composed of two or three members from the ValNet firm.

Statistics

Circuit Bancaixa specific rules

The ''Circuit Bancaixa'' slightly changes the Escala i corda rules in order to promote the sport and TV broadcasts. * First scoring: The match is won by the first team to score 60 ''jocs''. In order to make matches faster, benefit betting, and force ''pilotaris'' to give maximum effort from the very first ball, the matches begin scoring 15-15 ''jocs''. * Forbidden galleries: The team that throws the ball to the ''dau'' or ''rest'' ''galleries'' loses the ''quinze'' if it doesn't come back to the playing area. This way, ''pilotaris'' are forced to try to achieve more difficult plays by searching bounces or corners instead of throwing the ball to the top. This rule means an additional effort for the players, especially when playing against a trio. * The ''ferida'': The first ''fault'' of the ''joc'' is not scored. In the ''ferida'', if the ball doesn't enter into the ''dau'', it's a fault, that is, a won ''quinze'' for the team at the ''dau''. However, if this situation happens for the first time in the current ''joc'', it is not scored. This way, ''feridors'' may risk much more. * The ''feridors'': Before every match begins, the special players, known as ''feridors'', are raffled. That is, they don't know for whom they will be playing until minutes before. In case the team is formed by 3 players, the ''punter'' (forwarder) may choose to also play as a ''feridor'' (as

Tino Tino is an Italian name or nickname, often a diminutive of the names Agostino, Costantino, Martino, Antonino, Valentino, Giustino, Sabatino, Faustino, and other names ending in -tino. Tino may refer to: People Given name * Tino Ausenda ( ...

used to do). If he doesn't want to, then he must begin every ''quinze'' under the mid-field net.

Posters

* Every season's poster features a picture of last year's winning team. So on the 2006/07 Circuit Bancaixa poster there are Mezquita, Tato (hitting the ball), and

Canari Canari may refer to: *Canari, Haute-Corse, a commune in France * River Canari, in Dominica *Cañari, an ethnic group in Ecuador See also *Canari noir, a red wine grape * Canaris (disambiguation) *Canary (disambiguation) Canary originally referre ...

in their positions, ''escalater'', ''mitger'', and ''punter''.

Seasons of the Circuit Bancaixa

* Circuit Bancaixa 04/05 * Circuit Bancaixa 05/06 * Circuit Bancaixa 06/07 * Circuit Bancaixa 07/08

References

{{reflist

External links

XVI Lliga Professional d'Escala i Corda 06.07
1991 establishments in Spain Valencian pilota competitions Valencian pilota professional leagues