2,350 people have met today at the sports club Anaitasuna in Pamplona to follow live the final of the Navarra Bertsolaris Championship of 2023. At 15:00 the doors of the room have been opened and, once the runway and grading chairs have been filled, at 17:00 the bertsolaris have come to the stage to start the most massive end in history. The singers bertsolaris have acted in the order of the draw: Joanes Illarregi Marzol, Josu Sanjurjo Altzuri, Saioa Alkaiza Guallar, Xabat Illarregi Marzol, Eneko Lazkoz Martinez, Saats Karasatorre Martinez, Sarai Robles Vitas and Julio Soto Ezkurdia. The presentation was by Ainhoa Larretxea Agirre and Ander Aranburu Arriola.

In the first part of the act, the eight bertsolaris have participated in five exercises: two to eight in large, two to eight in small, one in response point, two to ten in small and one in solitary. In these exercises Eneko Lazkoz and Julio Soto have collected the highest score, so they have gone from head to head. This section initially worked by points and six short, finishing the punctuable journey with the camera work.

The name of the champion is then announced. It is precisely Julio Soto, Bertsolari de Navarra, who won at his eleventh final of the Navarra Championship, with 1048.5 points, the sixth of his career. Specifically, the classification of the final (the exercise score at this point) is as follows:

1. Julio Soto: 1048.5
2. Eneko Lazkoz: 1045.5
3. Xabat Illarregi: 635.5
4. Joanes Illarregi: 601
5. Saioa Alkaiza: 594
6. Josu Sanjurjo: 569.5
7. Saats Karasatorre: 556
8. Sarai Robles: 550.5

A jury composed of six judges has been in charge of judging the work of the bertsolaris: Aimar Sagastibeltza Caballero, Amaia Telletxea Larretxea, Joseba Beltza Bengoetxea, Mikel Beaumont Arizaleta, Nerea Bruño Artazkoz and Saioa Mitxelena Irazoki. Their scores determine the champion and the full ranking.

Alaitz Rekondo Ferrero has put the txapela to the winner of this year, in one of the most exciting moments of the day. In this way, the association wanted to thank him for his contribution as bertsolari, Gaitero and president of the Navarra Association of Bertsolaris. On behalf of Euskal Herriko Bertsozale Elkartea, Ainhoa Markinez has given to the champion the work done by the Beratan creator Oaia Peruena. The rest of the awards have been given by representatives of five cultural associations in Navarra – Casa Negra de Villava and Karrikaluze, Karrikestu de Etxarri Aranatz, Pikuxar de Irurtzun and Euskaldunon Biltoki de Txantrea – who have wanted to acknowledge their work for Bertsolarism for years.

Last stop of a vial

The tournament kicked off on October 7 in Irurita. After passing through the Baztan valley, and from there, go to Viana, Huarte, Leitza, Alsasua, Aoiz and Lesaka, the tour ends in Pamplona with the end of today.

For two months it has crossed several Navarre regions 46. Bertsolaris championships, with the diffusion of bertsolarism and the diffusion of Euskera and the cultural creation in Euskera throughout the territory. Along the way, about 4,000 people have joined the championship and Navarre Bertsolarism has shown itself strong, healthy and with voices in public.

Special Hitzetik Hortzera, next Sunday

The end of today has had a great deal of follow-up, there are several media that have broadcast the programme live and others that have been credited to make it known. In the coming days the follow-up of the final will continue with several chronicles and interviews.

The television programme Hitzetik Hortzera, produced by Bertsozale Elkartea and Euskal Telebista, brings together tomorrow, at 15:00, the best verses of the final of the Navarra Bertsolaris Championship and the words of the champion in ETB1.

The portal www.bertsoa.eus will receive tomorrow a selection of videos from the bertsos of the final and will also publish interviews with the champion and other finalists.