Alicante’s Aure Blázquez returns to the podium at the Petanque World Cup
JA Galvan
Elche’s Aure Blázquez, affiliated with Elda’s Vergel Petanca Club, added another memorable moment to a season already packed with notices. He organized a tournament that started with a cautious knockout phase, opening with a modest 25-point effort that briefly threatened his path to the playoffs. Yet the game showed his resilience. In the ensuing rounds, he surged forward, turning the table with a 47-point performance and reversing an uncertain start into a striking display of skill.
In the quarterfinals, Blázquez faced Jean-Pierre Le Lons from Monaco, edging him 45-38. The semifinal pitted him against the formidable favorite, Italian Diego Rizzi, where Blázquez fell just short with 32-27. The grand final, however, brought the ultimate payoff: Manuel Higinio Romero forged ahead to beat Belgian Logan Baton 45-35, earning the gold medal and the European title, while the Spanish national anthem echoed through the arena. [Attribution: FEP]
The Elche-born player, who has competed in multiple world championships, made a strong comeback after a period away from the sport. This achievement stands among the highest points in his competitive career. His son, Manuel Higinio Romero Martínez, nicknamed Pirolín, earlier claimed the European precision shooting title in the under-23 category in 2016. In the final, the younger Romero defeated Diego Rizzi, the same opponent who had left his father behind in the senior European Championship semi-finals. [FEP Attribution]
Pirolo also took part in the triples event in Albertville, representing Spain alongside Francisco Flores “Rume,” Óscar Cantón, and Víctor García. The Spanish trio opened with a strong run, triumphing in the first three matches against Latvia, Bulgaria, and Sweden. A setback followed with losses to Belgium and France, which meant a tough Round of 16. The national team then faced Switzerland in the knockout stage, ending their campaign and narrowing their chances for a medal. [FEP Attribution]
In the women’s doubles bracket at the Benin World Cup, Manuel Higinio Romero Rubio, known as “Pirolo,” secured the European title in precision shooting, while Aure Blázquez earned the bronze. The Alicante petanquistas remain poised for further podium finishes in future international events. Looking ahead, November will bring the World Trios Championship, featuring women and junior categories, scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand. The squad will include Aure Blázquez and young Rojales player Adrián Ponce, among others representing Spain. [FEP Attribution]