Skip to main content

Konica Minolta and Universal Entertainment Win Third-Straight East Japan Corporate Titles

http://www.sankei.com/sports/news/141103/spo1411030028-n1.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

At the Nov. 3 East Japan Corporate Ekiden from Saitama to Kumagaya Sports Park Field, Konica Minolta won its third-straight and eighth overall title in the 7-stage, 77.5 km men's race in 3:49:34.  Universal Entertainment likewise won a third-straight title in 6-stage, 42.195 km women's race in 2:18:36.

Konica Minolta took the lead on the Second Stage thanks to rookie Keita Shitara, with Fifth Stage winner Hiroyuki Yamamoto opening a major lead.  Nissin Shokuhin was 2nd, with Honda 3rd.  Nanyo City Hall beat the classic Kanebo team for 13th, the last qualifying position for the Jan. 1 New Year Ekiden national corporate men's championships.

In the women's race, Universal Entertainment anchor Mizuho Nasukawa shook off Daiichi Seimei's Sakiko Matsumi for the win after the pair started almost even.  Daiichi Seimei took 2nd, with Panasonic 3rd.  The top 10 qualified for the Dec. 14 National Corporate Women's Ekiden.  The Shiseido team finished only 13th.

East Japan Corporate Ekiden
Saitama, 11/3/14

Men
55th running
24 teams, 7 stages, 77.5 km
click here for complete results

Top Team Performances
1. Konica Minolta - 3:49:34
2. Nissin Shokuhin Group - 3:50:18
3. Honda - 3:51:17
4. Fujitsu - 3:52:43
5. Yakult - 3:53:21
6. Press Kogyo - 3:54:22
7. Komori Corporation - 3:54:48
8. DeNA - 3:55:10
9. Hitachi Butsuryu - 3:55:24
10. Subaru - 3:55:51
11. Yachiyo Kogyo - 3:56:59
12. JR Higashi Nihon - 3:57:26
13. Nanyo City Hall - 3:59:36
----- top thirteen qualify for New Year Ekiden national championship
14. Kanebo - 4:01:25
15. Tokyo Police Department - 4:02:51

Stage Best Performances
First Stage - 11.6 km: Yuichiro Ueno (DeNA) - 33:30
Second Stage - 15.3 km: Keita Shitara (Konica Minolta) - 45:55
Third Stage - 9.2 km: Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA) - 26:06
Fourth Stage - 9.9 km: Hiroyuki Ono (Nissin Shokuhin) - 28:51
Fifth Stage - 7.4 km: Hiroyuki Yamamoto (Konica Minolta) - 23:22
Sixth Stage - 10.6 km: Keigo Yano (Nissin Shokuhin) - 29:48 - CR
Seventh Stage - 13.5 km: Akinobu Murasawa (Nissin Shokuhin) - 40:26

Women
25th running
14 teams, 6 stages, 42.195 km
click here for complete results

Top Team Performances
1. Universal Entertainment - 2:18:36
2. Daiichi Seimei - 2:19:03
3. Panasonic - 2:19:49
4. Yamada Denki - 2:22:03
5. Shimamura - 2:22:24
6. Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo - 2:22:25
7. Uniqlo - 2:22:51
8. Starts - 2:23:54
9. Sekisui Kagaku - 2:25:27
10. Hokuren - 2:25:42
----- top ten qualify for National Corporate Women's Ekiden
11. Hitachi - 2:28:01
12. Route Inn Hotels - 2:28:53
13. Shiseido - 2:30:18
14. Comodi Iida - 2:38:17

Stage Best Performances
First Stage - 6.795 km: Misaki Onishi (Sekisui Kagaku) - 21:32
Second Stage - 3.1 km: Rosemary Monica Wanjiru (Kenya/Starts) - 9:30
Third Stage - 12.2 km: Rina Yamazaki (Panasonic) - 40:22
Fourth Stage - 3.8 km: Felista Wanjugu (Kenya/Universal Entertainment) - 11:58
Fifth Stage - 10.0 km: Tomomi Tanaka (Daiichi Seimei) - 33:51
Sixth Stage - 6.3 km: Yuika Mori (Yamada Denki) - 20:17 - CR

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...

Mashiko Breaks U20 5000 m NR - Weekend Track Roundup

Saturday's Kanakuri Memorial Meet in Kumamoto was the weekend's main event in Japanese track, but there were good results at the Nittai University Time Trials meet in Yokohama too. Emmanuel Maru (Toyota Boshoku) led the men's 5000 m A-heat at Kanakuri in 13:14.06, with Tomonori Yamaguchi (SGH) clocking the fastest Japanese time in 13:16.38 in his first race as a corporate leaguer. Waseda University duo Rui Suzuki and Yota Mashiko went 6-7 in 13:20.64 and 13:22.87, the 18-year-old Mashiko shaving 0.04 off the U20 NR. In 8th, Yamato Yoshii (Toyota) ran a PB of 13:23.92. 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura (Subaru) continued to struggle after a weak indoor season, finishing 18th of 20 finishers in 13:45.10. 19-year-old Festus Kimorwo (Kurosaki Harima) was under 13:20 in the B-heat too, winning in a 13:19.59 PB. 2 more collegiate men broke 13:30, Daichi Fujita (Chuo Univ.) 8th in 13:28.93 and Riki Koike (Soka Univ.) 9th in 13:29.09. The top 6 in the men's 800 m A-hea...