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Rikuren Announces New Spring Grand Prix Series (updated)

http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/sports/Sp200904110067.html
http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/090410/spg0904102235000-n1.htm
http://www.jiji.com/jc/zc?k=200904/2009041000849
http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/sports/Sp200904140241.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Rikuren has announced the formation of a new Spring Japan Grand Prix Series aligning four of the season's biggest track and field meets in the leadup to August's World Track and Field Championships in Berlin, Germany. The series will consist of the Apr. 18-19 Japan Invitational in Wakayama, the Apr. 26 Hyogo Relay Carnival in Kobe, the Apr. 29 Oda Mikio Memorial in Hiroshima, and the May 3 Shizuoka International in Fukuroi.

The series will play host to a range of Olympians, national record holders and other international-level Japanese athletes. Results in the meets will count toward national team selection for the World Championships. Top entrants inlcude:

Japan Invitational - Apr. 18-19
Hiromasa Tanaka (Team Monteroza) - men's decathlon

Hyogo Relay Carnival - Apr. 26
Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya) - women's 10000 m
Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - women's 10000 m
Satoshi Irifune (Team Kanebo) - men's 10000 m

Oda Mikio Memorial - Apr. 29
Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya) - women's 5000 m
Hitomi Niiya (Team Toyota Jidoshoki) - women's 5000 m
Yu Mitsuya (Team Toyota Kyushu) - men's 5000 m
Naoki Okamoto (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - men's 5000 m
Hidekazu Sato (Team Toyota Boshoku) - men's 5000 m
Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC) - women's 3000 m SC
Yoshika Tatsumi (Team DeoDeo) - women's 3000 m SC
Yasuhiro Tago (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - men's 1500 m
Ruriko Kubo (Team DeoDeo) - women's 800 m
Kumiko Imura [Ikeda] (Sunny Side Up AC) - women's 100 m H
Chisato Fukushima (Hokkaido Hi-Tec AC) - women's 100 m
Shinji Takahira (Team Fujitsu) - men's 100 m
Naoki Tsukahara (Team Fujitsu) - men's 100 m
Yuka Murofushi (Team Mizuno) - women's hammer throw
Ikuko Nishikori (Team Izumo Marusan) - women's pole vault

Shizuoka International - May 3
Kumiko Imura [Ikeda] (Sunny Side Up AC) - women's 400 m, long jump
Yuzo Kanemaru (Hosei Univ.) - men's 400 m
Shinji Takahira (Team Fujitsu) - men's 200 m
Naoki Tsukahara (Team Fujitsu) - men's 200 m
Daichi Sawano (Chiba T&F Assoc.) - men's pole vault
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