A family of Basque pelota games played with a long curved wicker scoop used to catch and hurl the ball at a stone wall.
Origin and rules
The xistera was invented around 1857 in the French Basque village of Saint-Pee-sur-Nivelle by Gantxiki Harotcha, who lengthened a chistera basket used in earlier pelota games. It revolutionised pelota by allowing greater speed and reach.
How it plays
Two-player teams use the curved wicker scoop to catch the pelota and throw it against the front wall on the fly. Variants are named for the court length: cesta punta on the longest court, grand chistera and joko-garbi on shorter courts.
Competition
The Basque Pelota World Championships include cesta punta and grand chistera xistera events. France, Spain, Mexico, Cuba, and the United States are leading nations. Xistera pelota appeared as a demonstration sport at the 1924, 1968, and 1992 Olympic Games.
Find more sports by letter
Xistera Pelota starts with X and ends with A. Browse other sports along the same letter.
Sports that contain a letter from "Xistera Pelota":