1. PALETA FRONTÓN A PERUVIAN SPORT
FEDERACION DEPORTIVA PERUANA DE PALETA FRONTON
PALETA FRONTÓN
A PERUVIAN SPORT
FEALAC Forum on Promotion of Traditional Sports
Seoul, Republic of Korea
November 17-18, 2011

2. PERU IN THE WORLD
PERÚ

3. PALETA FRONTÓN: AN ANCESTRAL ORIGINED SPORT
Paleta Frontón is a very popular peruvian sport and it is considered the national sport. Paleta Frontón has a millenary origin. Pre-Inca cultures show in their drawings references of balls and paddles. In history books, we can see that during colonial times, when the Spanish still dominated America, a sport was practiced, which finally origined Paleta Frontón.

4. PALETA FRONTÓN: THE OFFICIAL BIRTH
It is born officially in 1945 in Club Regatas Lima, an exclusive club in Lima, when a group of young people started experimenting with a tennis ball, which was hit with the hand against a wooden wall set specially in the club.

5. PALETA FRONTÓN: SUPPLIES
Later, the sport was developed and paddles, back then made using the wood from whiskey boxes, were included in the game.
After some time, tennis balls were replaced for black rubber.

6. PALETA FRONTÓN: SUPPLIES
Nowadays, the sport is played with a wooden, fiberglass or carbon paddle which should have between 200 and 400 grms. weight, 19 cms. width and 50 cms. Lenght and a black rubber ball 43 grams weight and with a diameter of 71 mm. These are inexpensive materials compared to those used in other sports such as Tennis or Squash.

7. HOW IS IT PLAYED?
The ball is hit with the paddle against the wall, bouncing on the floor before, and then the opponent has to hit back. A score is made when the ball bounces twice or hits the floor out of bounce. Paleta Frontón is a sport which requires only a few people to play, unlike Football or Volleyball, as it can be played with only four or two people. It can be played by oneself, as practice, to improve the shots.

8. PALETA FRONTÓN: A SPORT FOR EVERYONE
It is an anaerobic sport, which provides both good health and the chance to share good times with friends and family, staying away from bad, unhealthy habits.
Paleta Frontón is a sport that makes no distinction between social or economic classes and can be played by women and men of all ages and which is spread in the media with increasing interest.

9. THE COURTS FOR PALETA FRONTÓN
Only in Lima, there are at least 1200 courts spread in clubs, houses, shanty towns, educational centres, etc.
Every day, there are more and more followers of this sport, being now more than 15 thousand around the country.
Apart from being played in Peru, it is practiced also in Costa Rica, Venezuela and in the USA, where it was taken by peruvians themselves.

10. ADVANTAGES OF BUILDING A PALETA FRONTÓN COURT
One of the advantages of building a Paleta Frontón court is that, by building only one wall, we have two courts available, since both sides of the wall can be used.
Paleta Frontón is a fun sport, in which all the body is put into work and in which strategies must be created to beat the opponent. It is a sport that excercises body and mind.

11. PARTS OF THE PALETA FRONTÓN COURT
The court consist of a vertical front wall, called “frontis” with a width of 6 meters and 5 meters height and the floor, framed by lines making a rectangle of 8.5 meters with and 12.8 meters long. These lines frame the singles and doubles zone. It also has a metal part and a mandatory extension of 1.5 meters on each side and 3 meters on the back side
Net
Wall or Frontis
Metal
Extension
Stand
Floor

12. MEASUREMENT OF A PALETA FRONTÓN COURT
6 meters width
Lines for doubles are yellow or white.
Latex paint must be used, not enamel or oil paint.
Lines for singles are white.
White or yellow metal
6.50 m
5.50 m
0.20 m
0.80 m
3.75 m
0.50 m
Width of the lines: 5 cms
Depth of the wall: 0.25 mts
Metal must be separated 1 cm from the wall.
5 meters height
MEASUREMENT OF A PALETA FRONTÓN COURT
Light green, light blue or natural cement colour.
Latex paint must be used, not enamel or oil paint.
Extensions are ocher-red.
Latex paint must be used, nor enamel or oil paint.
They must have a minimum of 1.5 meters on the sides and a minimum of 3 meters on the back side.

13. COST OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PALETA FRONTÓN COURT
The cost of the construction of a Paleta Frontón court is of taxes approximately.
Two courts can be built for taxes. The price is lower because the same wall can be used for both courts.
Top view of 6 Paleta Frontón courts.

14. PROMOTING PALETA FRONTÓN
TWS Video
Being a very simple game, international programs, such as Trans World Sports, have broadcasted reports about this sport.
Nintendo Wii Video
It is also such an attractive and easy-to-learn game, that even Nintendo Wii has launched a game of this sport.
This could be the game of the future, as it requires little space and investment to run

15. SUPPORT FROM THE FEDERATION
The Federación Deportiva Peruana de Paleta Frontón (FDPPF), through this presentation, intends to promote the sport of Paleta Frontón, its Rulebook and the construction of official courts. The FDPPF supports with the construction of courts, sport clinics and lectures about the regulations of the game.
Contact the FDPPF: Phone numbers /
Mail: Web: