by Brett Larner
2011 New Year Ekiden national champion Team Toyota added another win to its resume, running 2:30:45 to set the course record at the 66th running of the six-stage, 52.6 km Meigi Ekiden, Feb. 5 in Nagoya. Runner-up Team Toyota Boshoku also went under the old course record, recording a time of 2:31:58. Suzuki Hamamatsu AC, featuring the superb Martin Mathathi and Toyota Boshoku's former ace Yusei Nakao, had an improvement over last year's performance thanks to the addition of Nakao, finishing 3rd in 2:32:34. Defending champion Team Aichi Seiko was only 4th in 2:33:55.
Nakao led off strongly for Suzuki, winning the first stage with a few seconds to spare. Nicholas Makau (Kenya) put the small Team Yachiyo Kogyo into the lead with a course record 20:51 for the 7.3 km Second Stage, but Toyota's Yuya Ito responded with a course record of his own on the 6.0 km Third Stage, clocking 16.58 to put Toyota into the lead. Fourth Stage record holder Mathathi overtook …
2011 New Year Ekiden national champion Team Toyota added another win to its resume, running 2:30:45 to set the course record at the 66th running of the six-stage, 52.6 km Meigi Ekiden, Feb. 5 in Nagoya. Runner-up Team Toyota Boshoku also went under the old course record, recording a time of 2:31:58. Suzuki Hamamatsu AC, featuring the superb Martin Mathathi and Toyota Boshoku's former ace Yusei Nakao, had an improvement over last year's performance thanks to the addition of Nakao, finishing 3rd in 2:32:34. Defending champion Team Aichi Seiko was only 4th in 2:33:55.
Nakao led off strongly for Suzuki, winning the first stage with a few seconds to spare. Nicholas Makau (Kenya) put the small Team Yachiyo Kogyo into the lead with a course record 20:51 for the 7.3 km Second Stage, but Toyota's Yuya Ito responded with a course record of his own on the 6.0 km Third Stage, clocking 16.58 to put Toyota into the lead. Fourth Stage record holder Mathathi overtook …