http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20131222-00000075-spnannex-spo
translated and edited by Brett Larner
click photo for video highlights courtesy of NHK
The 25th edition of the National High School Girls Ekiden Championships took place Dec. 22 in Kyoto. In honor of the event's anniversary, eleven extra teams were added to the forty-seven champion high schools from each of Japan's prefectures to bring the field up to fifty-eight schools competing over five stages totalling 21.0975 km.
After missing out on defending its 2011 win last year, Toyokawa H.S. of Aichi returned to the top this year with its fourth national title, the most in Nationals history. 2010 national champion Kojokan H.S. (Okayama) took 2nd, battling Suma Gakuen H.S. (Hyogo) all the way to the final Fifth Stage before pulling ahead for the runner-up position. Defending champion Ritsumeikan Uji H.S. (Kyoto) was 4th.
Winner Toyokawa's time of 1:06:54 tied the second-fastest mark ever at the National Champion…
translated and edited by Brett Larner
click photo for video highlights courtesy of NHK
The 25th edition of the National High School Girls Ekiden Championships took place Dec. 22 in Kyoto. In honor of the event's anniversary, eleven extra teams were added to the forty-seven champion high schools from each of Japan's prefectures to bring the field up to fifty-eight schools competing over five stages totalling 21.0975 km.
After missing out on defending its 2011 win last year, Toyokawa H.S. of Aichi returned to the top this year with its fourth national title, the most in Nationals history. 2010 national champion Kojokan H.S. (Okayama) took 2nd, battling Suma Gakuen H.S. (Hyogo) all the way to the final Fifth Stage before pulling ahead for the runner-up position. Defending champion Ritsumeikan Uji H.S. (Kyoto) was 4th.
Winner Toyokawa's time of 1:06:54 tied the second-fastest mark ever at the National Champion…