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With Half a Year to Go It’s Time to Figure Out How to Save Hakone



an editorial by Tadasu Imamura

It’s still half a year away, but considering the current state of the coronavirus crisis it’s no sure bet that the Jan. 2-3 Hakone Ekiden will happen. The Yosenkai, Hakone’s Oct. 17 qualifying race, won’t be held on its traditional course starting at the Tachikawa SDF Base airfield and finishing inside Showa Kinen Park. To combat the spread of the virus the Yosenkai will instead be held without spectators on a multi-lap course inside the base.

The Kanto Region’s qualifying event for November’s National University Ekiden was scheduled to have been held in June. But again, due to the coronavirus crisis that has changed, with the KGRR now planning to send the seven teams with the fastest combined eight-man 10000 m times to fill the region’s quota of non-seeded teams. The fact that the Hakone Yosenkai is happening probably indicates a hard-edged sense that the Hakone main event simply has to happen.

With many universities still limiting team activities the word is that there are a lot of teams that can’t get in their all-important summer mileage base. But ekiden runners have the reputation of being stoic, and, already conscious of the ever-present ekiden season risk of influenza and other illnesses spreading rapidly throughout a team they avoid crowds, and handwashing, gargling and other basic preventative measures are already the norm. They are highly aware of the risks posed by the coronavirus, and within the team dormitories and in their other group activities the risk of a cluster infection is surely low.

So the main problem, without a doubt, is the congregation of fans along the course. A true national-level event, ever year millions of people turn out to see Hakone in person. A road race being what it is, even if you ask nicely it’s not easy to stop people from coming out to see it from the sidewalks on public roads under open skies. But the numbers aren’t the same everywhere, and special focus and restrictions can be put on the places where the largest numbers of people always turn out.

At the Tokyo Marathon in March this year, despite a public request to stay home about 70,000 people cheered on the race along the course. There's a limit to how much clout a call from the KGRR not to come out in person would have. But it could pull in celebrities and actors to take part in a promotional campaign asking people to cheer for Hakone at home. Half a year goes by fast. It needs to be used to find effective solutions to the situation.

source article:
https://www.sanspo.com/etc/news/20200709/amk20070905000001-n1.html
translated by Brett Larner

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