The Gure Auzune club of Amurrio has successfully celebrated its fourth 'Txapelas' Memorial at the Divino Maestro sports center. The event was a celebration of Alava handball, remembering José Miguel Larrea, better known as Txapelas, and honoring the club's founders and Pedro Amurrio, a key figure in the entity's history.

Arkaitz Moreno, the organizer of the Memorial since 2022, initiated the event "to, on one hand, honor Txapelas and, on the other, try to bring together Alava handball, which was in decline and not attracting many people." Both objectives have been "perfectly met" so far, and this new edition has reaffirmed it.

This year, the event also coincided with the 50th anniversary of Gure Auzune, leading to a tribute "to the first players and founders of the club." "Around 13 of those original players attended, and we gave them all a gift, especially to Pedro Amurrio, who knew nothing about it and is, as I say, the father of us all," explains Arkaitz Moreno.

Pedro Amurrio admits he was completely surprised by the tribute. The president of Gure Auzune explains that he was focused on ensuring everything ran smoothly during the day, unaware that part of the event was also dedicated to him.

The tribute to Pedro Amurrio held special significance for everyone present. It was a recognition of a man who has "been everything" at Gure, from "player and coach" to "delegate, president, or treasurer." Arkaitz Moreno summarizes his role within the club's structure with a statement that speaks volumes: "If it weren't for him, the club wouldn't exist."

Therefore, Gure Auzune aimed to prepare a tribute worthy of him, with "a great deal of participation." "We organized it secretly so that Pedro wouldn't find out. They danced an aurresku for him, we gave him a traditional Basque cap (txapela), and presented him with various gifts. We wanted to clearly separate the tribute to Txapelas from the recognition of the founders and especially Pedro," summarizes Arkaitz Moreno.

Pedro, whom Arkaitz affectionately describes as "a very tough and sometimes grumpy man," received such an emotional tribute that the organizer felt that "just seeing him cry made the entire homage worthwhile." Pedro himself admits the moment overwhelmed him. "Honestly, I got a little emotional, but it was very good," he acknowledges.

"My stomach clenched seeing him like that, emotional. He's not used to such displays of affection, nor to being honored, nor to feeling like the center of attention. Seeing him cry, moved and speechless was enough. All the work we've done was worth it just for that," details Arkaitz Moreno.

In addition to honoring Pedro, the day was filled with matches and events that served to celebrate another festival of Alava handball in the best possible way. The event, which began at 11:00 AM, kicked off with several school matches.

Later, starting at 4:00 PM, it was the turn of the veterans. Participants included Corazonistas, Gure, San Esteve, and Sant Martí Adrianenc – the latter two traveled from Catalonia – who played several 20-minute matches amongst themselves.

To conclude the veterans' block, the women's match was held, something that had only been done in the first edition and was once again well-received. In that game, Gloriosas Ehari faced Atlético Basauri.

Following this came the aforementioned tribute, and to close the Memorial, the senior match was played between Gure Auzune and Arrasate Eskubaloi. The fourth edition didn't truly conclude until later, with a lunch at Bar Vitoria where "certainly over 200 people" gathered, according to Arkaitz Moreno.

In this way, the 'Txapelas' Memorial fulfilled its original purpose once again: to remember those who have left their mark, to unite Alava handball, and to demonstrate that Gure Auzune remains much more than just a club. It is a family that, 50 years later, continues to keep its history alive both on and off the court.