Julián Retegui Barbería, also known as Retegi II (born in Eratsun, Navarre, Spain on October 10, 1954) is an ex-player of Basque pelota. He is also called "El mago de Eratsun" (Spanish: "The wizard of Eratsun"), since he is considered one of the best Basque pelota players of all time. He played as a foreplayer.
Nephew of Juan Ignacio Retegi (another pelotari who won the pelota championship six times, usually known as Retegi I), he started to get interested in the Basque pelota when he was a child. He worked as a stonecutter and in the wood industry. On July 14, 1974 he started his professional career as a pelotari in the Cinema frontón of Zarautz (Gipuzkoa), having as a partner another pelotari, Juaristi. They were defeated by Azorena and Etxeandia by 22-21. One year later, in 1975, he won his first championship, the 2nd Hand-Pelota singles championship.
He has been the pelotari who has singlehandedly won the 1st Hand-Pelota singles championship more times than any other player. He has won a total of eleven times: every year from 1980 to 1988 and in 1990 and 1993. He has also won the Spanish Championship in pairs: in 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995 and in 1997. On December 13, 1997 he won his last prize, the Basque Championship of 4½ against Titin III in the Ogueta fronton of Gasteiz. Since then, due to his regular lesions, he didn't win more prizes. He played his last match on September 20, 2001, in the Adarraga frontón, Logroño, with Barriola against Olaizola II and Armendariz. He lost 18-22. In total, he has won 22 prizes, being the pelotari who has won the most prizes in the history of Basque pelota and has played around 1,407 matches, 843 of which he won.
For some years now he has been working in Asegarce, the company in which Karlos Arguiñano is a partner. His son, Julen Retegi, is also a pelotari. He debuted in the same town his father did, Zarauz, but in a different frontón called Aritzbatalde in July 2005. He wears the name Retegi Bi in honour of his father (Bi means two in Basque, the number Julián wore), although the name should have been Retegi VIII due to their dynasty as pelotaris.
Championships
1st Hand-pelota singles championship
Retegi participated for the first time in this championship in 1979, but he didn't win. One year later he arrived at the finals and won against Maiz II. From that day on he started his brilliant career, getting to the finals from 1980 to 1993, and winning the championship eleven times. Year Champion Subchampion Score Fronton1980Retegi IIMaiz II22-14Anoeta1981Retegi IIGarcía Ariño IV22-11Anoeta1982Retegi IIGarcía Ariño IV22-09Anoeta1983Retegi IIGalarza III22-16Anoeta1984Retegi IIGalarza III22-21 Anoeta1985Retegi IIGalarza III22-13Anoeta1986Retegi IITolosa22-12Anoeta1987Retegi IITolosa22-16Anoeta1988Retegi IIGalarza III22-09Anoeta1989TolosaRetegi II22-19Anoeta1990Retegi IITolosa22-08Anoeta1991Galarza IIIRetegi II22-15Anoeta1992Galarza IIIRetegi II22-12Anoeta1993Retegi IIGalarza III22-19Anoeta
2nd hand-pelota singles championship Year Champion Subchampion Score Fronton 1975 Retegi II García Ariño IV 22-10Anoeta
1st hand-pelota doubles championship Year Champions Subchampions Score Fronton1987-88 Retegi II - ErrandoneaLadutxe - Martinikorena22-16Anoeta1988-89 Ladutxe - TolosaRetegi II - Arretxe22-18Anoeta1989-90Retegi II - ErrandoneaVergara II - Etxenagusia (1)22-03Anoeta1990-91 Retegi II - ArretxeSalaberria - Galarza III22-19Anoeta1993-94 Titin III - ArretxeRetegi II - Beloki22-14Ogueta1994-95 Retegi II - ErrandoneaUnanue - Zezeaga22-17Atano III1996-97 Retegi II - Lasa IIIEugi - Zezeaga22-14Atano III
Cuatro y Medio Euskadi Championship Year Champion Subchampion Score Fronton1989 Retegi IIGalarza III22-06 Anoeta1990Retegi IIGalarza III22-15Anoeta1991Retegi II Eugi22-07Ogueta1997Retegi IITitín III22-21Ogueta
External links Pelotaris de Leyenda: Retegui II