I've been watching partidos every week since the summer season
started in Spain and the fastest speed I have seen clocked (EBT
sat clocks them) is one that Irastorza threw at 200kph. Which,
if my conversion doesn't fail me, is slightly under 130mph. Lopez
was pretty consistently between 175-195kph in last month's partido
against Diego, shown yesterday. Yet everywhere you look on the
web about jai alai, you'll find wild claims of 150mph (over 240kph)
and over. This is preposterous.
What jai alai does have, and which should be promoted, because
it is not only true, but more than amazing enough, is an AVERAGE
speed (of the speeds I saw clocked) for shots that are not dejadas
or desperate saves, of over 160kph. I haven't actually calculated,
but from the speeds I've seen it looks to be about 165-175kph,
average for most shots in a point that EBT sat shows speeds for.
And they don't immediately decelerate, like badminton, or are
only clocked serves, like tennis, or shots in a 'lab'
off a tee by a pumped up 'power golfer.' They are shots
that have movement and have to be caught and then returned, and
the ball makes a baseball or cricket ball look like a kid's rubber
ball.
That should be more than enough to advertise, IMO.
