The Tango University Ekiden, the 85th edition of the Kansai Region University Ekiden Championships, took place Nov. 18 on an 8-stage, 74.4 km course from Miyazu Civic Gymnasium in Kyoto to Hagoromo Field in Tango. Kyoto Sangyo University ran 3:48:08 to win for the first time in 8 years, its 33rd title in event history.
3rd-year Shunpei Awai led off for Kyoto Sangyo with a stage-winning 29:49 on the 9.9 km 1st leg. 2nd runner Kaito Kojima, the top KSU finisher at last month's Hakone Ekiden qualifier, won the 11.8 km 2nd leg to extend the team's lead to 1:16. By the end of the 5th leg the team's lead had continued to grow to 1:51, but 2 stages later it had shrunk to just 38 seconds. Anchor Koki Nakamura came through, though, running a stage best 31:18 for the 10.4 km 8th leg to deliver KSU the win.
Kyoto Sangyo didn't run either the Izumo Ekiden or National University Ekiden this season, but at the Hakone Ekiden qualifier it was the top team from outside the Kanto Region, finishing 27th in a performance that solidified its position as the top program in the Kansai Region.
Kansai University was 2nd at Tango in 3:49:34, its 7th runner Jinichiro Kameda passing 3 teams to win his 11.4 km stage in 34:12. Ritsumeikan University was 3rd in 3:49:56. The top 10 teams secured places at next year's race, with winner KSU scoring a place at next year's Izumo Ekiden. Competing in a non-scoring capacity, Kanto Region powerhouse Aoyama Gakuin University was the 4th team across the line in 3:50:12.
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