Skip to main content

Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon Announces Flatter New Course

https://www.oita-press.co.jp/1010000000/2015/09/02/001710317
http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20150901/ath15090118280005-n1.html
http://mainichi.jp/sports/news/20150902k0000m050018000c.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

The organizers of the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon have announced course changes for the event's 65th running on Feb. 7, 2016, the first course changes since 2010.  The start at Umitamago and finish at Oita Municipal Field will remain the same, but the two turnaround points will each be extended roughly a kilometer while the loop section through the city of Oita will be eliminated.  By reducing the number of times the course crosses bridges over the Oita River organizers believe the race will become flatter and faster, their main goal in making the changes.

The Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon has also been named as the final selection race for the Japanese national team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics in the visually impaired marathon category.  2015 IPC World Championships medalists Tadashi Horikoshi (Team NTT Nishi Nihon) and Misato Michishita (OBRC) have already been chosen for the 3-man, 3-woman Rio teams, with the second members to be selected at Beppu-Oita.  The remaining members will be chosen from the top Japanese finishers at the 2015 Hokkaido Marathon and 2015 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon.

Governor Katsusada Hirose commented, "A flatter course means that runners can produce better times, and my hope is that that will elevate this event's stature as an elite marathon.  There is a good chance that it will also become a selection race for the Tokyo Paralympics, so next year's race will be extremely important."
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
3 comments
Read more