Skip to main content

Daito Bunka University Defends Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden Title

http://mainichi.jp/articles/20161128/ddl/k09/050/090000c

translated and edited by Brett Larner

The 3rd edition of the Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden took place Nov. 27 in Nikko, Tochigi.  Fifteen teams from fourteen universities six stage, 23.4 km course with 875 m net elevation gain, with Daito Bunka University winning for the second year in a row in 1:32:41.  Hakuoh University was the top Tochigi team at 7th. Daito Bunka started slow, in 8th at the end of the First Stage but its second runner Kasumi Yamaguchi setting a new stage record. Daito Bunka moved up gradually through the field from there, finally going from 2nd to 1st on the anchor stage.  Osaka Geijutsu University was 2nd, with the Tokyo Nogyo University A-team taking 3rd.

The Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden is organized by local businesses and the Nikko city government, who together aim to earn a name for Nikko as "The runner's holy land."  The ekiden was established in 2014 with the hope of creating a "women's Hakone Ekiden."  Its course begins at 410 m elevation at Nikko Daiyagawa Park, passing the World Heritage Site shrines of Nikko before climbing up the Irohazaka ascent to Nikko Futarasan Shrine at 1285 m elevation.  According to organizers, with an almost entirely uphill route it is one of Japan's best mountain race courses.

Translator's note: The Nikko Irohazaka course almost perfectly matches the length and elevation gain of the Hakone Ekiden's legendary Fifth Stage. However, while one university man on a ten-man team runs Hakone's Fifth, Nikko Irohazaka divides it into six short sections with no woman running longer than 5.2 km.

3rd Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden
Nikko, Tochigi, 11/27/16
15 teams, 6 stages, 23.4 km
click here for complete results

Top Team Results
1. Daito Bunka Univ. - 1:32:41
2. Osaka Geijutsu Univ - 1:33:06
3. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. A - 1:33:36
4. Kansai Gaikokugo Univ. - 1:33:47
5. Chuo Univ. - 1:34:47
6. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. B - 1:37:32
7. Hakuoh Univ. - 1:37:43
8. Toyo Univ. - 1:38:33
9. Seitoku Univ. - 1:38:35
10. Nihon Joshi Taiiku Univ. - 1:39:08

Stage Best Performances

 First Stage (4.7 km, ~100 m ascent)  
1. Rino Goshima (Chuo Univ.) - 16:55

 Second Stage (5.2 km, ~200 m ascent) 
1. Kasumi Yamaguchi (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 18:11 -  CR

 Third Stage (3.5 km, ~100 m ascent) 
1. Ayano Morita (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) - 14:53

 Fourth Stage (3.0 km, ~100 m ascent) 
1. Noe Ito (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 13:30

 Fifth Stage (3.5 km, ~400 m ascent) 
1. Nana Ogawa (Tokyo Nogyo Univ. A) - 14:40

 Sixth Stage (3.5 km, ~25 m descent) 
1. Saki Minakawa (Tokyo Nogyo Univ. B) - 12:10

© 2016 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Ichiyama 8th at Copenhagen Marathon

Currently the #10-ranked Japanese man in the marathon with the fastest-ever domestic time at the elite Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Tsubasa Ichiyama (Sunbelx) made his international debut at Sunday's Copenhagen Marathon , literally an international debut as it was his first time outside the country. Ichiyama hoped to be in contention to break the 2:08:23 CR and go for the win, and with cool and breezy conditions ran easy in the lead group through 30 km. But something ate away at almost everyone as time went by, several people in the lead men's and women's groups saying humidity, and past 30 km Ichiyama fell off. Falling as low as 9th, he rallied after 40 km to finish 8th in 2:13:07. "It was different than in Japanese races," he said. "I'm used to bigger packs and more even pacing, but this was a kind of racing I hadn't done before. There's a lot to think about. I didn't feel like I was sweating a lot, but I got really thirsty and started sk
Post a Comment
Read more

Wanjiru Breaks Own MR, Fuwa and Ishida Return - Kanto Regionals Day 1 Highlights

Japan's best college meet kicked off Thursday at Tokyo's National Stadium at the 103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships . Looking like she was doing a controlled tempo run, 2nd-yr Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) lapped the entire field to win the women's 10000 m in a meet record 32:02.87, almost 15 seconds under the record she last year in her debut. 3rd-yr Aoi Takahashi (Josai Univ.) was 2nd in 33:29.22 and 2nd-yr Nana Nagashima (Josai Kokusai Univ.) 3rd in a PB 33:30.28, but the other main news alongside Wanjiru's new record was the return of collegiate 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) in her first 10000 m in 19 months. Fuwa hung at the back of the chase pack for the first half, made a move to lead it in the second half, and ultimately faded to 9th in 33:40.20. Every comeback has to start somewhere. The D1 men's 10000 m had a tight group up front with the top 6 all finishing within 6 seconds and under 28:10. 3rd-yr Jam
1 comment
Read more

Two-Time Olympic Marathon Medalist Erick Wainaina Referred to Prosectors on Suspicion of Assault

  According to investigators, two-time Olympic marathon medalist Erick Wainaina has had his case referred to prosecutors after allegedly injuring a railway employee by striking him in the face at a station in Setagaya, Tokyo. Wainaina, 50, was the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and won silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Wainaina is suspected of assaulting a woman in her late teens and a male Tokyo Denentoshi Line employee by hitting them in the face during an altercation at Komazawa University Station in March this year, resulting in minor injuries to the man's face. According to investigators, the incident began on the train between Wainaina and the woman, and after getting off at Komazawa University Station he hit her in the face when she asked him to go to the station office with her to report it. When the male railway employee responded to the situation Wainaina reportedly hit him too. In response to questioning Wainaina is said to have answered,
Post a Comment
Read more