Osaka Geijutsu University Takes Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden

13 teams from 12 universities raced the 4th edition of the all-uphill Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden Nov. 26 in Nikko, Tochigi. Osaka Geijutsu University took the top spot for the first time in 1:32:53, with Hakuoh University the top-finishing Tochigi school at 5th.

The first runners in the ekiden started in Nikko's Daiyagawa Park. Running around the Nikkonoshaji UNESCO World Heritage Site, the women in the race handed off the tasuki on the sharp curves leading up the mountain to the finish at Nikko Futarasan Shrine on the shores of Lake Chuzenji. All together the six women on each teach covered 23.4 km with 875 m of net climb, local residents and each school's supporters cheering them on from the roadside the entire way.

Starting the Fourth Stage in 3rd, Osaka Geijutsu fourth-year Riri Shiraishi moved up to 1st, and on the Fifth and Sixth Stages the team increased its lead over the rest of the field. First-year anchor Yumika Nagahama smiled and raised both arms in the air as she broke the finishing tape. Shiraishi looked back on the race with satisfaction at achieving the win, saying, "We were here to win. The uphill was harder than I expected, but we'd done the hard training for it and I was confident that we wouldn't loose on the climb."

Hakuoh's result was an improvement on its 7th-place finish last year. Running the Fifth Stage for the third year in a row, fourth-year Rumi Sakata smiled as she said, "Going around the curves one by one I focused on improving our position, and that helped me stay on the attack. I hope that next year's team can take strength from the local support and target the win."

Translator's note: Osaka Geijutsu anchor Yumika Nagahama may be better remembered as the snow-covered leader at January's National Women's Ekiden, a race criticized in Chinese media for being too cruel due to the conditions. Needless to say, she evidently survived that race to go on to bigger things.

4th Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden

Nikko, Tochigi, 11/26/17
13 teams, 6 stages, 23.4 km, 875 m net climb
click here for complete results

Top Team Results
1. Osaka Geijutsu University - 1:32:53
2. Tokyo Nogyo University A - 1:34:24
3. Kansai Gaikokugo University - 1:36:49
4. Tokyo Nogyo University B - 1:39:01
5. Hakuoh University - 1:39:10

Top Individual Stage Performances
First Stage (4.7 km, ~100 m climb) - Kanoko Otsu (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) - 17:05
Second Stage (5.2 km, ~200 m climb) - Rino Kojima (Chuo Univ.) - 18:12
Third Stage (3.5 km, ~100 m climb) - Sae Harada (Tokyo Nogyo Univ. A) - 15:26
Fourth Stage (3.0 km, ~100 m climb) - Riri Shiraishi (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) - 13:54
Fifth Stage (3.5 km, ~100 m climb) - Chisato Nagai (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) - 14:22
Sixth Stage (3.5 km, ~25 m descent) - Yumika Nagahama (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) - 12:10

source article:
http://www.sankei.com/region/news/171127/rgn1711270031-n1.html
translated by Brett Larner

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...

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...

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...

japan running news

Search This Blog