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Komori Corporation Wins 76th Towada Hachimantai Ekiden


After making a post-corona return last year it time for its 75th anniversary year, the Towada Hachimantai Ekiden returned this year for its 76th. Without enough teams entered the women's race was canceled, but 15 teams of 5 men each raced the 5-stage, 71.4 km race in Akita on Aug. 7.

Daichi Kimoto got the Hokuriku Corporate Select Team off to a good start with a 36-second lead on the 13.0 km First Stage, but the Komori Corporation B team's Benard Langat cut that down easily with a 36:33 CR for the the 13.0 km Second Stage, putting KCB 2:07 ahead. That didn't last, though, as the Komori Corporation A team's Antipas Kibet dropped a 46:20 CR for the 15.7 km Third Stage to put his team into the lead by 2:03. KCA's fourth runner Takuma Shibata turned that into an unbreakable 3:37 lead with a stage win, leaving anchor Yusuke Baba to bring them home for the win in 3:51:14.

The winner on the uphill Fifth Stage last year, Comodi Iida's Akihiro Kaneko did it again this year but was too far back to catch Baba, finishing 2nd overall in 3:52:41. Fujisan no Meisui was 3rd in 3:53:55 thanks to strong runs from its last two runners and former Yamanashi Gakuin University teammates Kaede Shinohara and Paul Onyiego.

76th Towada Hachimantai Ekiden

Kazuno, Akita, 7 Aug. 2023
15 teams, 5 stages, 71.4 km

Top Team Results
1. Komori Corporation A - 3:51:14
2. Comodi Iida - 3:52:41
3. Fujisan no Meisui - 3:53:55
4. Komori Corporation B - 3:57:56
5. Hokuriku Corporate Select Team - 4:01:48

Top Individual Stage Results
First Stage (13.0 km) - Daichi Kimoto (Hokuriku) - 40:36
Second Stage (13.0 km) - Benard Langat (Komori B) - 36:33 - CR
Third Stage (15.7 km) - Antipas Kibet (Komori A) - 46:20 - CR
Fourth Stage (15.9 km) - Takuma Shibata (Komori A) - 51:29
Fifth Stage (13.8 km) - Akihiro Kaneko (Comodi Iida) / Paul Onyiego (Comodi Iida) - 51:02

© 2023 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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