71% of Poll Respondents Say They Plan to Watch 100th Hakone Ekiden

On Jan. 2nd and 3rd the Hakone Ekiden will celebrate its 100th running. The race has become a part of the New Year's tradition, and its broadcast produces extremely high ratings. Asked in a poll by the Asahi Newspaper whether they plan to watch the 100th edition, over 70% of 2,878 respondents answered yes. At the same time, when asked whether they wanted to cheer in person along the course, almost as many people answered no. Spending the New Year's holidays watching the race on TV seems to be the majority preference. Questions asked in the poll and top responses:

Do you plan to watch the Hakone Ekiden?

71% - yes

29% - no

Among people who responded yes, why will you watch?

・It's a New Year's tradition. - 1406 people

・I like the team aspect of the ekiden as a sport. - 924 people

・Collegiate athletes competing from the heart moves me. - 865 people

・My alma mater or another university I like is running. - 553 people

・There's nothing else to watch. - 403 people

・The scenery along the course is beautiful. - 228 people

・I enjoy the commentators. - 103

Among people who answered no, why not?

・I’m not interested in ekidens. - 485 people

・It's too long. - 320 people

・All the universities in it are from the Tokyo area. - 151 people

・There's another show I want to watch. - 125 people

・I don't like the commentators. - 84 people

・I'm going to pay my respects at a shrine. - 64 people

・Guests are coming for New Year's and I'm too busy. - 60 people

Among people who answered yes, which stage are you most looking forward to?

・5th Stage (20.8 km uphill from Odawara to Lake Ashi in Hakone) - 1412 people

・10th Stage (23.0 km anchor stage from Tsurumi to finish in Otemachi) - 1052 people

・6th Stage (20.8 km downhill from Lake Ashi in Hakone to Odawara) - 791 people

・2nd Stage (23.1 km from Tsurumi to Totsuka) - 586 people

・1st Stage (21.3 km from start in Otemachi to Tsurumi) - 563 people

Among people who answered no, what do you plan to watch instead?

・A drama show - 326 people

・A comedy or variety show - 318 people

・A documentary - 262 people

・I don't watch TV - 167 people

・A music show - 159 people

・Other sports - 98 people

・Other - 67 people

Among people who answered yes, what other ekidens do you want to watch this season?

・New Year Ekiden corporate men's national championships - 974 people

・National Men's or National Women's Ekiden - 922 people

・National High School Ekiden - 899 people

Among people who answered yes, if you could watch in person along the course, would you want to?

66% - no

34% - yes

source article:

https://digital.asahi.com/articles/DA3S15816395.html?_requesturl=articles%2FDA3S15816395.html&pn=3

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Nat'l University Ekiden Updates Here

Looks like I just went over my update limit on Twitter - sorry, it's the first time I've tried to use it for this. I'll look for another option next time. In the meantime I'll add updates to the comments below. Not sure if that has a max too but I guess we'll find out. Update: Part one of the Nationals commentary can be found here .

Keita Satoh Running New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile

1500 m U20 NR holder Keita Satoh (Nike Swoosh TC) is running this weekend's New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile , the first time that a Japanese man has been invited in the race's 45-year history. In university Sato had to change focus away from middle distance to the half marathon-scale lengths of the Hakone Ekiden stages, but since graduating in March and relocating to Flagstaff he has refocused on the 1500 m, going from 3:43.19 in April in his first 1500 m in almost 4 years to 3:38.30 over the course of 5 races. Fifth Avenue will be his last race before heading back to Japan for one more track 1500 m and some down time. Men's entries with best 1500 m times in last 3 years: Stefan Nillessen (NED) - 3:29.23 (2025) Flavien Szot (FRA) - 3:30.74 (2025) Oliver Hoare (AUS) - 3:31.07 (2024) Jake Heyward (GBR) - 3:31.18 (2026) Titouan Le Grix (FRA) - 3:31.46 (2026) Romain Mornet (FRA) - 3:31.62 (2025) Adam Spencer (AUS) - 3:31.83 (2026) Pieter Sisk (BEL) - 3:31.85 (2025) Gary Martin (...

Australian YouTuber Handed Lifetime Ban by Ageo City Half Marathon After Running 1:06 with Another Runner's Bib (updated)

After discussion with their race's chief JAAF referee, on Nov. 27 the organizers of the Ageo City Half Marathon handed down a lifetime ban from their event against 36-year-old Australian Matt Inglis Fox for running the Nov. 15 race wearing the bib number of another JAAF-registered runner. The incident came to light after Fox posted on his personal Instagram account that he had run a PB of 1:06:33 and finished 203rd in Ageo with a 10 km split of 31:03, along with photos and video of himself in the race wearing a bib number beginning with 11. Fox did not appear in the results by name or in that time or place, the closest match being a 1:06:54 gross, 1:06:50 net finish time with a 31:21 10 km split for 18th place in the JAAF-registered division and 209th overall by bib number 1129, registered to a non-Japanese Tokyo-resident club runner. The club runner, Harrisson Uk , readily confirmed that he had given his bib to Fox, saying, "I gave my number to Matt. It wasn't me."...

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