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Kawauchi Wins Yaizu Minato Half Marathon

by Brett Larner


Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) won Sunday's Yaizu Minato Half Marathon by almost a minute in 1:03:47, outrunning dozens of university men to turn in his fastest half marathon since November.  His third time at Yaizu Minato, it was Kawauchi's fastest run on the flat seaside course and the fastest-ever by a general division entrant.  For his win Kawauchi was awarded the fishing town of Yaizu's local specialty, a large bonito.


Ryota Yabushita (Meiji Univ.) was 2nd across the line, beating Takumi Komatsu (Nittai Univ.) by 5 seconds to lead the university division in 1:04:39.  University teams in Yaizu Minato are scored by the combined times of their fastest two finishers, the Pair Marathon winners earning more bonito for their team.  Komatsu led Nittai to the title in 1:04:44, teammate Shun Onoki taking 4th in 1:04:57 for a combined Nittai time of 2:09:41.

 31st Yaizu Minato Half Marathon
Yaizu, Shizuoka, 4/10/16

Men
1. Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 1:03:47
2. Ryota Yabushita (Meiji Univ.) - 1:04:39
3. Takumi Komatsu (Nittai Univ.) - 1:04:44
4. Shun Onoki (Nittai Univ.) - 1:04:57
5. Ryusei Matsumoto (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 1:05:18
6. Kento Tamura (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:05:22
7. Daisuke Sakamoto (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 1:05:31
8. Kohei Yamamoto (Nittai Univ.) - 1:05:32
9. Naoyuki Fujihana (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 1:05:38
10. Yusei Shirokoshi (Nittai Univ) - 1:05:46

Pair Marathon
1. Nittai Univ. - 2:09:41
2. Chuo Gakuin Univ. - 2:11:09
3. Meiji Univ. - 2:11:36

©2016 Brett Larner
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