Within the V Euskal Herria Pintxos Championships (Basque Country Tapas Championships), to be held between 18 and 26 October, 2010 in Hondarribia, the AZTI-Tecnalia technological centre - experts in marine and food research - will present in the final phase of the contest the II AZTI-Tecnalia Innovation Award to the participating pintxo that best represents the idea of innovation, whether in the application of novel techniques, new gastronomic proposals or adaptations and updates of traditional proposals; in short, the award goes to the most enterprising, imaginative and creative of this kind of eating experience, taking into account its practical and real application in a " pintxo" bar.

Sponsored by AZTI-Tecnalia, the prize involves the free attendance at one of the haute-cuisine gastronomic training courses, organised by AZTI-Tecnalia, De Dietrich and the Mugaritz Restaurant and which is to be held in the experimental kitchen at the AZTI-Tecnalia Centre in the Bizkaia Technological Park.

The V Euskal Herria Pintxos Championships is a great spectacle of culinary art in its miniature form - the "pintxo" - in which chefs prepare their pintxos on the spot, while each moment will be transmitted by the Basque Television Authority (EITB.com).

The contest has significant cash prizes and is sponsored by the Basque Government-Eusko Jaurlaritza, the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa-Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia, the Town Council of Hondarribia-Hondarribiko Udala, La Bacaladera, Norge Productos del Mar from Norway, Keler brewery, Bodegas Luis Alegre, Café Fortaleza, Fagor, EiTB, AZTI-Tecnalia, Kalitatea, Akropost, TVPI, Comunitac, Ecogras and Cebanc.

Moreover, the Panel have the powers, if they deem appropriate, to make special mention when any of the creations taking part in the event encompass a series of outstanding values, although they may not be considered for an award of the competition.

Together with these main II Azti Innovation prizes, the III Eusko Label Prize will be awarded for the best pintxo with labelled (Basque certificated) products, the II Premio Norge for the best cod fish pintxo and the I Keler Beers Award for the best pintxo to go with beer.

The competition is open to all establishments within the hotel and catering trade in Euskadi, Navarre and Iparralde (the North or French Basque Country) who wish to enter, as long as they have a bar that offers pintxos on a daily basis. Each participant can only enter one pintxo in the contest.

Registration for the championship is now open and the entry date is until the 8 October, 2010. Not only is the competition totally free, but all participants are invited to a night in a hotel in Hondarribia and a fraternity dinner will be put on for all.

ALL INFORMATION ON: www.campeonatodepintxos.com

All those aficionados of gastronomy may follow the news, recipes and the pintxo chefs of Euskadi, Navarra and Iparralde on the Facebook Campeonato de Pintxos web page.