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Asahi Kasei Scores 49th Kyushu Corporate Ekiden Title in Race's Final Edition


Held for the last time on a 7-stage, 89.3 km course in Oita, the 63rd Kyushu Corporate Ekiden, the regional qualifying race for the Jan. 1 New Year Ekiden national championships, took place Nov. 3. The Miyazaki-based Asahi Kasei took a record 49th win after losing last year setting a new CR of 4:18:46.

Asahi Kasei's 2nd runner Shota Shiode put them into the lead by 3 seconds, and 3rd runner Ayumu Yamamoto built on that with a 31:40 CR for his 11.1 km leg. Head coach Hiroshi Miki commented, "Shota Morishita got us off to a good start, only 3 seconds down on the First Stage. Shiode really built the momentum on this race's longest stage, staying patient until it was time to make a move near the end. We were only 8th last year, so I'm extremely happy that we are back on top this time."

The current system of regional qualifying races for the New Year Ekiden comes to an end this season, with a new single national-level qualifying race replacing it next year. Looking back on Asahi Kasei's record of 49 Kyushu wins, Miki reflected on saying goodbye to the historic event, saying, "In this race's 63-year history, we have built an incredible record of victory. With so many of our past team members having contributed to that legacy, it's a great honor to be the event's final champions."

63rd Kyushu Corporate Ekiden

Oita, 3 Nov. 2026
18 teams, 7 stages, 89.3 km

Top Team Results - top 9 qualify for 2027 New Year Ekiden
1. Asahi Kasei - 4:18:46 - CR
2. Kraftia - 4:21:06
3. Yasukawa Denki - 4:21:37
4. Nishitetsu - 4:22:11
5. Kurosaki Harima - 4:22:15
6. Toyota Kyushu - 4:22:46
7. Mitsubishi Juko - 4:22:53
8. Hiramatsu Byoin - 4:26:06
9. Corporate Select Team A - 4:27:06 - non-qualifier
10. Corporate Select Team B - 4:30:30 - non-qualifier
11. Togami Denki - 4:36:45
-----
12. JR Kyushu - 4:38:42

Top Individual Stage Results
First Stage (12.8 km)
1. Yuga Sakurai (Kraftia) - 37:31
2. Shota Morishita (Asahi Kasei) - 37:34
3. Rinto Nakayama (Nishitetsu) - 37:35

Second Stage (18.3 km)
1. Wataru Tochigi (Hiramatsu Byoin) - 52:55 - CR
2. Shota Shiode (Asahi Kasei) - 53:09
3. Masaki Tominaga (Nishitetsu) - 53:13

Third Stage (11.1 km)
1. Ayumu Yamamoto (Asahi Kasei) - 31:40 - CR
2. Tomoya Ogikubo (Hiramatsu Byoin) - 31:47 (CR)
3. Yujiro Kanno (Yasukawa Denki) - 32:16

Fourth Stage (6.6 km)
1. Robert Kiptanui (Nishitetsu) - 17:59
2. Victor Kiptum (Yasukawa Denki) - 18:00
2. Emmanuel Kiplagat (Mitsubishi Juko) - 18:00

Fifth Stage (15.5 km)
1. Jinichiro Kameda (Asahi Kasei) - 45:07 - CR
2. Sota Fukutani (Kurosaki Harima) - 45:13 (CR)
3. Haruki Abe (Yasukawa Denki) - 45:14 (CR)

Sixth Stage (11.1 km)
1. Koki Yoshioka (Kraftia) - 32:13
2. Yoshiki Oshiro (Toyota Kyushu) - 32:25
3. Kota Fujiki (Select Team A) - 32:27

Seventh Stage (13.9 km)
1. Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) - 40:12 - CR
2. Kotaro Hayashi (Nishitetsu) - 41:02
3. Koji Suzuki (Kurosaki Harima) - 41:17

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