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Hokuren Distance Challenge Series Begins June 4

by Brett Larner

The Hokuren Distance Challenge is set to kick off June 4 in Sapporo, sponsored by the Hokkaido-based Hokuren company. The series of six track meets throughout June and July in locations around Japan`s northernmost island of Hokkaido attracts top male and female jitsugyodan and university runners hoping to tune up for the National Championships at the end of June and for the start of the ekiden training season, as well as a number of Korean professional runners. The meets focus on long distance and, to a lesser degree, middle distance events and are scheduled to take place:

June 4: Sapporo
June 8: Shibetsu
June 11: Fukagawa
July 9: Abashira
July 13: Kitami
July 16: Kushiro

Click here for a complete timetable of all six meets. Entry lists are available here.

Today`s Sapporo meet includes men`s and women`s 1500 m, 3000 m, 3000 m SC, 5000 m and 5000 m RW events. A complete start list for all events is available here. The most notable entrant of the day is women`s 1500 m national record holder Yuriko Kobayashi (Team Toyota Jidoshokki). Kobayashi is the only Japanese woman to run the Olympic A-standard in the 5000 m so far this year, but she has yet to run even the Olympic B-standard this year in the 1500 m after setting the national record with a B-standard 4:07.87 as a high school student in 2006. Kobayashi is slated to run the 3000 m in Sapporo.

Results will be posted in English following today`s meet.

(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

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