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In Fourth Season As Team, Kansai Gaikokugo University To Run Its Third National University Women's Ekiden Sunday

http://www.sankeibiz.jp/business/news/161025/prl1610250913005-n1.htm

translated by Brett Larner

The Osaka-based Kansai Gaikokugo University women's ekiden team is set to make its third-straight appearance at the National University Women's Ekiden this Sunday, Oct. 30 in Sendai.  The race will be broadcast live on NTV beginning at noon.  26 teams including eight seeded schools, seventeen top teams from regional qualifiers, and one select team from the Sendai area will compete.

Kansai Gaikokugo University's women's ekiden team finished 5th at September's Kansai Region University Women's Ekiden in 1:41:50 to qualify for the national championship event.  The Kansai Region's share of the national field is six teams this year, down one from last year.  Three seeded teams finished ahead of Kansai Gaikokugo University in the regional race, meaning the school was the second to secure one of the three remaining places.

The Kansai Gaikokugo University women's ekiden team was founded in April, 2013.  With sixteen members on the team, this year's first-ever fourth-years make this season the first time the team has included members from all four class years.  It first qualified for the National University Women's Ekiden in 2014, finishing 21st out of 26 teams.  Last year it improved to 13th.  In its third appearance this year the team hopes to make it onto the eight-deep podium to score a place in the seeded bracket for 2017.

Translator's note: JRN will cover the National University Women's Ekiden live on @JRNLive.
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