The Youth makes history in La Bisbal

La Bisbal del PenedèsTwenty-six years may seem like an eternity in the world of castellers. For La Joves, however, this August 15th has been worth the wait. The 4d9sf that the reds loaded in La Bisbal 26 years ago is no longer an unfinished business: this time, the group has unloaded it. And they have done so with authority, in an afternoon in which they still had the strength to complete a 2d9fm and finish with a pillar of 7 with folre.

The feat has been the main headline of a Mare de Déu d’Agost that has also left other important readings. The Castellers de Vilafranca have once again unloaded the 4d9fa and have also completed the 5d9f and the 4d9f, with an eye on the 4d10fm they want to tackle for Sant Fèlix. The Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls, on the other hand, has once again stumbled upon the 5d9f, although they were later able to partially rectify the day. Els Bous de la Bisbal have opted for regularity and have completed three towers of seven.

La Joves, from doubt to history

The Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls had arrived in La Bisbal with the 4d9sf on their minds. The Valls team had already shown they could achieve this structure, but at Firagost they had to dismantle it. This time, however, the conditions were different. The group had been able to work with a more complete lineup and with many of the castellers who had specifically prepared the castle at the venue. The prior feeling was, therefore, one of greater confidence.

To start, the Joves opted for the 3d9f. A castle that presented no major difficulties and served to get the machinery ready before the real test of the afternoon. In the second round, the awaited moment arrived. The 4d9sf climbed with much more solvency than the difficulty of the challenge might have suggested. The structure remained very square, with dimensions that did not force the group to make significant corrections. The castle gained height without transmitting an excessive sense of insecurity. When the enxaneta made the 'aleta', the square erupted. But the most delicate moment still remained: the 'descarregada'. The Joves completed it without losing control and made a reality a feat that had been 26 years in the making. The 4d9sf is no longer just a loaded castle in the group's history in La Bisbal. It is, as of this August 15th, a unloaded castle. And the value of the feat is even greater because it is the first 4d9sf ever unloaded in La Bisbal's square.

With the four already in the bag, the Joves still had one last major objective: the 2d9fm. If the 4d9sf had been a demonstration of control, the two required a much more worked version from the 'vermells'. The structure presented more difficulties, and especially during the 'descarregada', the group had to apply themselves thoroughly. The castle worked, but the Joves did not falter. The defense of the 'folre' and 'manilles' allowed the 2d9fm to reach the end. Thus, Quico de Cabra's team completed an extraordinary performance: 3d9f, 4d9sf, and 2d9fm, before adding the pilar de 7 amb folre.

The Greens are already thinking about the 4d10fm

The Castellers de Vilafranca left La Bisbal with a performance that confirms the great moment they are going through. Els Verds opened with the 4d9fa, a structure they have worked on a lot and which in La Bisbal also had the added appeal of its debut. It was the first time the Vilafranca-based group had completed this castle in the square. The 4d9fa arrived after three dismantled attempts in previous years, and this time the group resolved the structure with confidence.

The castle also had an added element of risk. The enxaneta of the pilar was debuting in a construction of this magnitude. They hadn't previously done the pilar de 6 or the 4d8a, so the bet from Els Verds was significant. The result couldn't have been better. The pilar came out clean and the group was able to complete the castle. It was the sixth 4d9fa of the season for the Vilafranca-based team, a figure that illustrates the extent to which they have made this construction a regular part of their repertoire.

Els Verds' second round was for the 5d9f, a castle they had already completed in La Bisbal last year. The group completed it again and confirmed that the super-cathedral continues to be one of their reference structures. In the third round, the 4d9f arrived. And this castle had a meaning that went far beyond the event itself. Els Verds presented a very reduced folre. The configuration points directly to one of the group's major objectives: the 4d10fm.

The pd7f has served to complete a very solid performance, especially considering that the previous rehearsal week had not been as productive as the group would have liked. Now the Verds will still have to pass through Catllar and Arboç before concentrating all efforts on Sant Fèlix.

La Vella stumbles with the 5d9f

La Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls has experienced the less friendly side of the day. The pink ones arrived in Bisbal after a Firagost that had served to regain confidence. After a complicated period and several falls, the group had managed to complete the castles they were looking for again and had even put the 4d9sf in the bag.

The 5d9f, however, never found the necessary comfort. The super-cathedral worked from the first steps and the group could not control the structure until the unloading. The fall forced a change of plans and left an performance that aspired to much more, shaken. The response of the pink ones, however, was positive. Instead of letting go, they managed to recover and later complete the 4d9f and the 4d8p. The pillar of 6 served to close their participation.

The Bulls choose the safe path

The Bous de la Bisbal have experienced a different day. The locals preferred not to take unnecessary risks and built their performance from safety. The 4d7, the 3d7, and the 2d6 were the three chosen castles.

The group has shown good solidity in its structures and has confirmed that the basic range of seven is now a consolidated reality. At some point, the children needed more time to complete some of the structures, but the rest of the trunk responded with firmness. The Bous' objective is now to take the next step. The 4d7a and the 2d7 are two of the structures that appear on the horizon. However, the group knows that to face them with guarantees, it needs more people at rehearsals and to especially strengthen the pinyes.