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Takigahara SDF Base Wins Mt. Fuji Ekiden for 8th Year


Two classic midsummer ekidens happened during the Paris Olympics, the 77th Towada Hachimantai Ekiden in Akita and the 49th Mount Fuji Ekiden in Shizuoka. We didn't have time to cover them then, but better late than never.

The Mount Fuji Ekiden was held Aug. 4 in Gotemba, Shizuoka starting at Gotemba Field, climbing 3258 m to the peak of Mt. Fuji, then making the return trip for a total distance of 48.19 km in 11 stages. Each runner on the 6-member teams handled one uphill leg and one downhill leg except the sixth runner, whose stage included the final climb to the peak and then the start of the descent after getting the tasuki stamped by a monk waiting at the top.

For the 8th year in a row the Takigahara SDF Base team won the overall title, running 3:51:35 to win just 24 seconds off last year's mark. Individual stage winners from Takigahara included 2-time Hasetsune Cup winner Yuya Kawasaki on the uphill 4th leg, vertical king Toru Miyahara on the 5th leg, and Hiroya Moriguchi on the summit leg. Last year's runner-up Moriyama 35th Infantry Regiment was over 2 minutes faster than last year but was still a distant 2nd in 3:57:22. 4th in a photo finish with 3rd last year, the 1st Airborne Brigade had another last-second heartbreak this time, 3rd by 2 seconds behind Moriyama in 3:57:24.

With stage wins by Ryunosuke Omi and Hiroki Kai, the Heisei Sangakukai team was the top non-military team at 7th overall in 4:03:22, beating the Toyota Sportsman Club by 44 seconds.

49th Mount Fuji Ekiden

Gotemba, Shizuoka, 4 Aug. 2024
11 stages, 48.19 km, 3258 m ascent, 3199 m descent, 100 teams, 6 runners per team

Top Individual Stage Results
First Stage (6.54 km, 243 m gain)
Yuya Asaka (2nd Infantry Regiment) - 20:44 (3:10/km)

Second Stage (4.64 km, 345 m gain)
Kosuke Edamura (Shimizu Running Club) - 18:24 (3:58/km)

Third Stage (4.54 km, 371 m gain)
Satoshi Nakamitsu (Nerima 1st Infanty Regiment) - 19:41 (4:20/km)

Fourth Stage (2.84 km, 664 m gain)
Ryunosuke Omi (Heisei Sangakukai) - 26:07 (9:12/km)

Fifth Stage (4.24 km, 1017 m gain)
Toru Miyahara (Takigahara SDF Base) - 44:17 (10:27/km)

Sixth Stage (4.92 km, 618 m gain to summit, 618 m loss)
Hiroya Moriguchi (Takigahara SDF Base) - 42:30 (8:38/km)

Seventh Stage (3.66 km, 1017 m loss)
Suguru Wakushima (Fuji Sky) - 8:05 (2:13/km)

Eighth Stage (2.59 km, 664 m loss)
Seiya Okimoto (Hachioji Fuji Running Club) - 6:31 (2:31/km)

Ninth Stage (4.44 km, 371 m loss)
Tatsuhiko Takahashi (2nd Infantry Regiment) - 11:34 (2:36/km)

Tenth Stage (4.64 km, 345 m loss)
Hayato Furukawa (Nerima 1st Infantry Regiment) - 11:34 (2:30/km)

Eleventh Stage (4.88 km, 184 m loss)
Shogo Yokoi (Akagi Climbers) - 15:27 (3:10/km)

Top Team Results
1. Takigahara SDF Base - 3:51:35
2. Moriyama 35th Infantry Regiment - 3:57:22
3. 1st Airborne Brigade - 3:57:24
4. Rumoi SDF Base - 3:59:44
5. Nerima 1st Infantry Regiment - 4:01:04
6. 2nd Infantry Regiment - 4:01:34
7. Heisei Sangakukai - 4:03:22
8. Toyota Sportsman Club - 4:04:06
9. Engaru SDF Base - 4:07:59
10. Sapporo 18th Infantry Regiment - 4:09:44

source article:
translated and edited by Brett Larner

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