El Catllar surrenders to an unrepeatable afternoon
Vilafranca and Vella complete four extra ranges and Jove crowns four in a day that goes directly into history
The CatllarThere are squares that are small in size and, on the other hand, have enormous capacity to build castles. The Plaça de la Vila del Catllar is one of them. This Saturday, however, the Tarragona square has gone even further: it has been the scene of an unprecedented performance. The three groups have put four gamma extra constructions on the table each and have completed an afternoon of maximums at the gates of Sant Fèlix. The Castellers de Vilafranca and the Colla Vella have completed their four gamma extra. La Jove de Tarragona has unloaded two and loaded two more. The result is unprecedented: never before had three groups managed to gather four gamma extra in a single performance.
Before this castle battle began, however, the square experienced one of the most special moments of the afternoon. The three pillars of mourning remembered Manel Huguet, Gatsby, one of the mythical names of the Castellers de Vilafranca structure, who passed away a few days ago. It was the first outing for the 'verds' (the Vilafranca team) without him, and the tribute served to remember him in a square that, minutes later, would be filled with cheers and celebrations.
The 3d9fa was the first castle of the afternoon. The 'verds' had recovered it for Les Santes, in Mataró, after years without bringing it to the square, and in Catllar they had not attempted it for nine seasons. They did not need much time to show that the construction was ready. The three climbed firmly, without significant oscillations, and the pillar remained completely clean when the decisive moment arrived. Alone, it worked with great comfort until it was unloaded. A castle of maximum difficulty and with a very clear dedication to Gatsby.
La Vella has chosen a construction that it knows by heart: the 5d9f. The pink ones arrived at Catllar after the fall in Bisbal, where the super-cathedral had finally given way, but the response has been immediate. This time, the five has risen with a different face. The base has provided more guarantees and the group has gained confidence as the castle has advanced. The upper part has required work, but without ever questioning its continuity. It was the third 5de9f unloaded of the season by La Vella, which had already loaded two more. And, above all, it was a forceful way to leave behind the bad taste of Bisbal.
La Jove has closed the first round with an equally ambitious bet: the 5d9f that it had recovered just three days before for Sant Magí. The change compared to Wednesday has been notable. The castle has gone much faster and the children have done their work with extraordinary speed. The Tarragona super-cathedral has risen controlled and has been resolved with much less sensation of suffering than in its reappearance. La Jove once again had its flagship castle. And Catllar already had three extra-gamma unloaded.
The second round began with another 5d9f from the greens. It was the fourth of the season and followed Vilafranca's usual script: solid structure, steady rhythm, and little need to worry. But then came one of the day's great moments. La Vella set up the 4d9sf. It's not just an extraordinary castle. It's a construction that, in El Catllar, has its own history. The rosats had unloaded the first 4de9sf of the modern era in 2018 that the square had seen, and they had loaded another two years ago. Before the final attempt, there were two dismantled bases. The third time was the charm. And it was magnificent. The four climbed with impressive solidity. The measurements remained practically intact, and the feeling from below was that La Vella had the castle completely under control. There were no major corrections or any moment when it seemed the structure might get away. A clean four of category. One of those castles that seem drawn. La Vella thus added its ninth consecutive unloaded 4de9sf and, upon finishing, the group's response was significant enough, shouting "one more floor".
On the other hand, La Jove resolved the second round with the 2d9fm. The tower with linked base is one of the group's great specialties in recent years, and they proved it again in El Catllar. The fifth unloaded of the season, without notable difficulties. Two rounds and six extra-category castles among the three groups. But the most unusual was yet to come.
Three 4de9fa for the first time
The third round has left one of those images that will be hard to repeat: the three teams have chosen the same tower, the 4d9fa. Vilafranca was the first to attack it. The four climbed solidly and, when it was time to leave the pillar exposed, the greens once again showed one of their specialties. The sword remained alone, upright and safe. It was the seventh 4de9fa unloaded by the greens this season and the first they had done in Catllar.
La Vella had more work to do. The four reached the decisive phase with some movements, and the pillar had to work hard when it was left without the outer structure. Thirds and fourths had to defend it until the end, but the work paid off. It was the third 4de9fa completed by La Vella this season. La Jove, who had not premiered this construction this year, also wanted to put their signature on it. The last time they had brought it to the square was at Santa Teresa last year and in Catllar, precisely, they had managed to load it. This time, the four was very good. The problem came when the pillar was already alone. The enxaneta had started the exit backpack when it broke. La Jove, however, had already completed an extraordinary performance.
The pillars put the finishing touch to an afternoon that was already exceptional. Vilafranca once again trusted the pd8fm and unloaded it without major problems. It was the eighth of the season, a figure that confirms the dominance of the greens in this structure. La Vella also completed its pd8fm, with more work than the Vilafranca team, but also unloaded. Thus, the two teams completed their particular poker: 5de9f, 4de9sf, 4de9fa and pde8fm for La Vella; 3de9fa, 5de9f, 4de9fa and pde8fm for Vilafranca.
La Jove wanted to go all the way and also attacked the pd8fm. However, it remained loaded. With the enxaneta's exit backpack, the pillar gave way. The Tarragona team closed a performance with 5de9f and 2de9fm unloaded and 4de9fa and pde8fm loaded.
El Catllar already has a festival to remember
El Catllar is usually one of the places where the major teams show their hands before Sant Fèlix. On Saturday, however, they didn't just show some: they practically put their entire repertoire on the table. Vilafranca comes out with enormous confidence, especially in castles with pillars and with a volume of extra-range that suggests a great final stretch of August. La Vella responded to the fall of La Bisbal in the best possible way: with an performance of four unloaded extra-range and a 4de9sf that is already part of the great moments of their season. And La Jove has confirmed that the 5de9f recovered for Sant Magí was not a flash in the pan. At El Catllar, they did even better, they unloaded the 2de9fm and added two loaded constructions that allow them to leave the square with a very wide range of extra-range. But above the records, there remains a feeling: that of having been in front of an afternoon that will hardly be repeated.