First-Years Kubota and Ogura 59:28 and 59:59 to Lead Aoyama Gakuin Sweep at Takashimadaira 20 km

by Brett Larner

Less than two weeks after their unexpected course record win at the Izumo Ekiden, Aoyama Gakuin University fired a serious warning shot across the bows of impending Hakone Ekiden rivals Toyo University, Komazawa University, Waseda University and Meiji University. Despite the absence of captain and course record holder Takehiro Deki, Aoyama Gakuin runners swept the top ten at the Takashimadaira 20 km in Tokyo on Oct. 21. First-years Kazuma Kubota and Yusuke Ogura, key elements in their team's Izumo win, led the way with solid 59:28 and 59:59 clockings for 1-2, but the team as a whole was impressive as its tenth finisher was under 1:00:30. Even without 58:51 man Deki. Any questions about Aoyama Gakuin's ability to translate its improvement over the relatively short distances at Izumo to the longer half-marathon stages of Hakone appear to be answered two and a half months out from the main event.

2012 Takashimadaira Road Race 20 km
Takashimadaira, Tokyo, 10/21/12
click here for complete results

1. Kazuma Kubota (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 59:28
2. Yusuke Ogura (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 59:59
3. Takuya Fujikawa (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:16
4. Ryotaro Otani (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:17
5. Shunsuke Ishida (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:20
6. Isshin Nakai (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:21
7. Daichi Kamino (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:23
8. Yukiho Aihara (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:24
9. Masato Endo (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:26
10. Soshi Takahashi (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:00:29

(c) 2012 Brett Larner
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