Kurashiki and Osaka Kunei Joshi Win Season-Opening High School Ekidens

The 37th Nihonkai High School Boys Ekiden and 32nd Kurayoshi High School Girls Ekiden, the first major national-level high school races of the season, took place Oct. 8 in Kurayoshi, Tottori on courses starting and finishing at Kurayoshi Municipal Field.

In the seven-stage, 42.195 km Nihonkai Ekiden, the 2016 national champion Kurashiki H.S. boys ran 2:07:09 to return to the winner's circle after a loss last year. Running 3rd after the First Stage, Kurashiki moved up into the lead on the Fifth Stage and held that position the rest of the way. For the third year in a row Tottori Johoku H.S. was the top-fnishing school from within Tottori prefecture.

Defending girls' national champions Osaka Kunei Joshi Gakuin H.S. won the five-stage, 21.0975 km Kurayoshi Ekiden for the first time in 1:09:44. The Osaka Kunei girls took over 1st on the Third Stage and ran on to the finish without challenge. For the first time in nineteen years Yazu H.S. was the first Tottori school to finish.

A total of 222 teams from across the country raced in the two ekidens, which commemorate the Tottori Chubu Earthquake and its recovery. The popular and exciting events pass through the towns of Kurayoshi, Yurihamacho and Misasacho.

source article: http://www.nnn.co.jp/news/171009/20171009035.html
translated by Brett Larner

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