Skip to main content

November's Yokohama Marathon Canceled

In view of the continued development of the coronavirus crisis, the Yokohama Marathon organizing committee has decided to cancel the 2020 Yokohama Marathon, originally scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 1.

Despite uncertainty about the future development of the disease, the organizing committee believed that the situation would improve in time for this year's race and opened entries on Apr. 1. But with the extension of the national declaration of emergency announced earlier this week, the organizing committee consulted a wide range of experts on whether an event with 28,000 runners, more than 8,000 volunteers, and many more roadside supporters could safely be held in November.

The consensus was that at the present time it is not possible to plan adequate safety measures, recruit volunteers, or guarantee provision of on-site sanitation measures to combat the virus. Even if the coronavirus situation were to improve by November, due to the nature of the mass-participation marathon the view was that the risk could not be completely eliminated by then. For that reason, with the safety of everyone involved with the Yokohama in any capacity being the highest priority, the organizers reluctantly made the decision to cancel.

The decision was made at this early stage in order to minimize the inconvenience to everyone involved, including both participants and sponsors. The organizers extend their apologies to everyone who looked forward to this year's race and will do everything possible to ensure that next year's race is held in a safe and secure way. Thank you for your understanding.

Hiroshi Yamaguchi
Yokohama Marathon Organizing Committee Director

Translator's note: The current state of Japan's twenty main marathons from October through December, representing almost 230,000 finishers total in their last editions, and one new race with a field of 10,000:

Oct. 4: Tohoku Miyagi Fukko Marathon (7,457) - scheduled
Oct. 4: Matsumoto Marathon (6,455)- canceled
Oct. 18: Chiba Aqualine Marathon (9,541) - canceled
Oct. 25: Kanazawa Marathon (10,408) - entries suspended
Oct. 25: Mito Komon Marathon (9,995) - canceled
Oct. 25: Shimada Oikawa Marathon (6,589) - canceled
Oct. 25: Iwate Morioka City Marathon (5,729) - scheduled
Nov. 1: Yokohama Marathon (25,195) - canceled
Nov. 1: Toyama Marathon (12,603) - entries suspended
Nov. 8: Fukuoka Marathon (11,349) - canceled
Nov. 15: Kobe Marathon (19,444) - scheduled, lottery results TBA on June 16
Nov. 22: Tsukuba Marathon (11,461) - canceled
Nov. 23: Ohtawara Marathon (1,697) - canceled
Nov. 29: Osaka Marathon (31,594) - entries suspended
Nov. 29 Nagasaki Peace marathon (1st running, field of 10,000) - entries suspended
Dec. 6: Shonan International Marathon (16,821) - TBA
Dec. 6: Naha Marathon (14,660) - entries suspended until early July
Dec. 6: Fukuoka International Marathon (370) - TBA
Dec. 13: Saitama International Marathon (13,340) - canceled
Dec. 13: Nara Marathon (11,137) - entries suspended
Dec. 20: Hofu Marathon (2,724) - TBA

source article:
https://yokohamamarathon.jp/news/0508-1-message/
translated by Brett Larner

Buy Me A Coffee

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Japan Post Holds Off Sekisui Kagaku to Win Queens Ekiden National Title

  Japan Post  was back on top at the Queens Ekiden corporate women's national championships Sunday in Sendai, holding off last year's winner Sekisui Kagaku  over the second half of a race that came as close as 1 second to take 1st with a final margin of victory of 27 seconds. Sekisui Kagaku was out fast with a win on the 7.0 km opening leg by Erika Tanoura  and a new CR for the 12:56 second leg by Yuma Yamamoto , 17 seconds better than her own CR from last year. Last year's 4th-placer Shiseido  briefly led on the 10.6 km third leg with an excellent 33:17 stage win from Rino Goshima , but behind her Japan Post's Ririka Hironaka  returned from her latest injury problems to pass Sekisui Kagaku's Sayaka Sato  and hand off 6 seconds ahead. New recruit Caroline Kariba  ran Shiseido down on the 3.6 km fourth leg and put Japan Post 22 seconds ahead of Sekisui Kagaku, but a duel of marathoners between JP's  Ayuko Suzuki  and Sekisui's Hitomi Niiy...

Hakone Ekiden Entry Lists

With 3 weeks to go entry lists are out for the 101st Hakone Ekiden on Jan. 2-3, 2025. Things keep going up and up. With 21 teams of 16 entrants and 10 starters each a quick crunch of the numbers gives: 15 teams with a 10-man 5000 m average under 14 minutes 3 teams with a 10-man 5000 m average under 13:45 led by 2024 Hakone winner Aoyama Gakuin University in 13:40.07 10 teams with an individual under 13:30 for 5000 m, AGU, Komazawa University , Chuo University , Tokyo Kokusai University , and Yamanashi Gakuin University with 2 each 2 teams with an individual under 13:15 for 5000 m, TKU's collegiate record holder Richard Etir at 13:00.17 and Komazawa's indoor NR holder Keita Sato at 13:09.45 17 teams with a 10-man 10000 m average under 29 minutes 4 teams with a 10-man 10000 m average under 28:30, led by Chuo's incredible 28:15.62 11 teams with an individual under 28:00 for 10000 m, AGU and Chuo with 3 each, and Komazawa, Josai University , TKU, Waseda University and YG...

Olympian Hagitani Takes 10 Minutes Off Yodogawa Kanpei Half Marathon CR

At the Yodogawa Kanpei Half Marathon in Hirakata, Osaka on Dec. 15, Kaede Hagitani , 24, took over 10 minutes off the women's course record to win in 1:10:37. Hagitani ran the 5000 m at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and is targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Men's winner Koki Hosokawa , 31, broke his own CR with a 1:08:03 to win for the 2nd year in a row. In 5˚ temperatures the race set off along the Yodogawa river. Competing as a first step in her comeback after having left the sport post-Olympics, Hagitani had a spectacular record-breaking run that earned her a permanent invitation. "I usually train alone, so I never feel like I'm really on except in a race like this," she said. "The male runners in the race helped me have a good one." When asked why she ran a local race like the Kanpei Half when everyone else there was just a regular amateur Hagitani laughed and said, "My parents live near here." At the Tokyo Olympics Hagitani broke her 5000...