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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