New Year Ekiden
The New Year Ekiden, (officially the 全日本実業団対抗駅伝競走大会 (All-Japan Men's Corporate Team Ekiden Championships)), is an annual men's ekiden (road running relay) over 100 kilometres which takes place in Japan's Gunma Prefecture on 1 January. The race is a national championship contested between Japan's corporate (business) running teams.[1] There is also an annual championship race for women in Japan – the Women's Corporate Ekiden Championships. The race starts and ends in the city of Maebashi and the course passes through the major cities within the prefecture, including Takasaki, Isesaki, Ota and Kiryu.[2] The relay is divided into seven legs of varying lengths that alternate on a frequent basis. The 2012 race was divided as follows: 12.3 km, 8.3 km, 13.6 km, 22 km, 15.8 km, 12.5 km and 15.5 km.[3]
Historically, the race was conducted around Kashiko Island in Mie Prefecture at its inauguration in 1957. Over the first 30 years of the competition's life it expanded from an 83 km race to a 99 km one. The 31st edition in 1986 was held around Hikone and the Shiga Prefecture, but the race moved again the following year to its current location of Gunma. At this point the distance was reduced to around 85 km and the full 100 km format was introduced at the 2001 ekiden. The first competition featured 14 corporate running teams and this number steadily increased until 1995, when the entry was limited to 37 teams. The 50th edition in 2006 proved to be an except in this respect, as 43 teams were allowed entry in respect of the five people killed during the East Japan Railway derailment accident on 25 December 2005.[4]
The competition has been broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System Television every year since 1988 and there is also coverage on TBS Radio. The main commercial sponsor of the relay race is Yamazaki Baking. It has been claimed that the high TV viewing figures of this meet makes it the central motivating event in the annual calendar for professional runners in Japan.[5]
Participation
Teams gain qualification into the final ekiden race through a series of preliminaries which are principally conducted on a regional basis.[6] Some qualifying competitions are for both men and women while others are single-sex qualifiers. The Eastern Japan Corporate Ekiden Championship qualifies men's and women's teams. The Kyushu men's qualifying race (Fukuoka City to Kita Kyushu city) is held in November.[7] and others include the Kansai Jitsugyodan Ekiden in Tabe, the Chubu and Hokuriku Jitsugyodan Ekidens in Gero, and the Chugoku Jitsugyodan Ekiden in Sera, Hiroshima.
Although the majority of the competing athletes are Japanese, a limited number of foreign runners are allowed to participate. These runners are mostly Kenyan immigrants and are often the best runners on the team. Companies are permitted foreign representatives on just one of the seven legs. Past Kenyans that have competed at the New Year Ekiden include Martin Mathathi, Josephat Ndambiri and Samuel Wanjiru.[8] Ethiopia's Ibrahim Jeylan is another prominent East African to have competed.[1]
Past results
| Edition | Date | Location | Distance | Teams | 1st (h:m:s) | 2nd (h:m:s) | 3rd (h:m:s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1957 3 March | Ise | 83.5km | 14 | Yawata Steel (4:27:58) | Asahi Kasei (4:32:21) | Japan National Railway (4:37:11) | |
| 2nd | 1958 3 February | Ise | 83.5km | 15 | Sewing Ricker (4:28:21) | Yawata Steel (4:33:02) | All Kanebo (4:38:25) | |
| 3rd | 1959 3 January | Ise | 83.5km | 14 | Sewing Ricker (4:27:56) | Yawata Steel (4:30:57) | Toyo Bearing (4:36:14) | |
| 4th | 1960 21 February | Ise | 83.5km | 15 | Yawata Steel (4:30:11) | Toyo Bearing (4:31:43) | Meiji Seika (4:39:14) | |
| 5th | 1960 18 December | Ise | 83.5km | 17 | Sewing Ricker (4:25:23) | Tokyo Express (4:30:17) | Kurashiki Rayon (4:32:17) | |
| 6th | 1961 17 December | Ise | 83.6km | 19 | Tokyu (4:25:35) | Sewing Ricker (4:28:10) | Yawata Steel (4:28:11) | |
| 7th | 1962 16 December | Ise | 83.6km | 16 | Yawata Steel (4:16:04) | Tokyu (4:19:27) | Kurashiki Rayon (4:22:53) | |
| 8th | 1963 15 December | Ise | 83.6km | 19 | Tokyu (4:16:13) | Asahi (4:18:37) | Toyo (4:19:11) | |
| 9th | 1964 20 December | Ise | 83.6km | 18 | Asahi (4:13:28) | Yawata Steel (4:14:34) | Tokyu (4:14:37) | |
| 10th | 1965 19 December | Ise | 83.6km | 21 | Asahi (4:14:21) | Tokyu (4:15:13) | Yawata Steel (4:15:25) | |
| 11th | 1966 18 December | Ise | 83.0 km | 23 | Asahi (4:15:44) | Kurashiki Rayon (4:16:40) | Ricker (4:17:04) | Distance reduced |
| 12th | 1967 17 December | Ise | 83.0 km | 26 | Charging China (4:14:57) | Kurashiki Rayon (4:15:21) | Kyushu Electric Works (4:15:51) | |
| 13th | 1968 22 December | Ise | 83.0 km | 24 | Asahi (4:11:45) | Yawata Steel (4:13:15) | Toyo Bearing (4:13:30) | |
| 14th | 1969 21 December | Ise | 83.0 km | 23 | Toyo (4:08:11) | Asahi (4:08:23) | Charging China (4:08:55) | |
| 15th | 1970 20 December | Ise | 99.4km | 23 | Charging China (5:00:59) | Asahi (5:02:30) | Ricker (5:02:40) | Distance extended |
| 16th | 1971 19 December | Ise | 99.4km | 25 | Toyo (5:02:08) | All Kanebo (5:03:57) | Kuraray (5:04:21) | |
| 17th | 1972 17 December | Ise | 99.4km | 26 | Kuraray (4:58:10) | Toyo (4:58:54) | Asahi (4:59:03) | |
| 18th | 1973 16 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 26 | Asahi (5:06:47) | Nippon Steel (5:06:53) | Toyo (5:06:54) | Distance reduced |
| 19th | 1974 15 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 25 | Kanebo (5:01:42) | Asahi (5:05:47) | Kobe Steel (5:05:47) | |
| 20th | 1975 21 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 25 | Asahi (4:58:48) | Kanebo (4:59:05) | Ricker (4:59:24) | |
| 21st | 1976 19 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 27 | Kanebo (4:58:42) | Asahi (5:02:05) | Kobe Steel (5:03:35) | |
| 22nd | 1977 18 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 27 | Kanebo (5:00:10) | Kyushu Electric Works (5:02:40) | Asahi (5:03:07) | |
| 23rd | 1978 17 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 27 | Asahi (5:00:09) | Kanebo (5:03:35) | Nippon Steel (5:05:55) | |
| 24th | 1979 16 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 28 | Asahi (4:57:15 | Kyushu Electric Works (5:03:12) | Ricker (5:04:16) | |
| 25th | 1980 21 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 26 | Asahi (4:56:00) | Kobe Steel (5:00:56) | Ricker (5:03:56 | |
| 26th | 1981 20 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 28 | Asahi (4:59:18) | Kanebo (5:01:38) | Ricker (5:02:06) | |
| 27th | 1982 19 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 28 | Asahi (4:56:42) | Kanebo (4:57:07) | Kobe Steel (5:00:48) | |
| 28th | 1983 18 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 28 | Asahi (4:57:11) | Kobe Steel (4:59:08) | Kanebo (5:00:48) | |
| 29th | 1984 16 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 30 | S & B Foods (4:48:32) | Asahi (4:54:46) | Nissan (4:56:45) | |
| 30th | 1985 15 December | Ise | 99.0 km | 29 | S & B Foods (4:48:32) | Asahi (4:54:46) | Nissan (4:56:45) | |
| 31st | 1986 21 December | Hikone | 84.4km | 30 | S & B Foods (4:04:01) | Asahi (4:07:39) | Nissan (4:08:55) | Distance reduced |
| 32nd | 1988 1 January | Gunma | 84.9km | 27 | S & B Foods (4:05:45) | Nissan (4:07:40) | Asahi (4:09:32) | Distance extended |
| 33rd | 1989 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 25 | Nissan (4:14:52) | Asahi (4:16:53) | NEC HE (4:19:26) | Distance extended |
| 34th | 1990 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 24 | Asahi (4:13:52) | Kyushu Electric Works (4:14:51) | Nissan (4:16:16) | |
| 35th | 1991 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 25 | Asahi (4:10:04) | Nissan (4:13:20) | Honda Saitama (4:13:55) | |
| 36th | 1992 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 26 | Asahi (4:08:24) | Kyudenko Corporation (4:12:24) | Yaskawa (4:13:30) | |
| 37th | 1993 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 32 | Asahi (4:10:50) | Kyudenko Corporation (4:14:22) | Honda (4:15:33) | |
| 38th | 1994 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 32 | Asahi (4:14:21) | Honda (4:18:22) | Kanebo (4:18:38) | |
| 39th | 1995 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 37 | Asahi (4:15:02) | Kanebo (4:17:00) | S & B Foods (4:17:05) | |
| 40th | 1996 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 37 | Kanebo (4:14:33) | Asahi (4:14:34) | S & B Foods (4:19:29) | |
| 41st | 1997 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 37 | Asahi (4:07:54) | S & B Foods (4:07:57) | Daiei (4:12:00) | |
| 42nd | 1998 1 January | Gunma | 86.3km | 37 | Asahi (4:06:28) | S & B Foods (4:06:43) | Daiei (4:10:07) | |
| 43rd | 1999 1 January | Gunma | 86.4km | 37 | Asahi (4:11:34) | S & B Foods, Inc. (4:12:24) | Chugoku Electric Power (4:14:54) | Distance extended |
| 44th | 2000 1 January | Gunma | 86.4km | 37 | Fujitsu Limited (4:12:07) | Asahi (4:12:45) | NEC (4:15:37) | |
| 45th | 2001 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Konica (4:49:44) | Fujitsu Limited (4:50:59) | Chugoku Electric Power (4:53:25) | Distance extended |
| 46th | 2002 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Konica (4:45:32) | Chugoku Electric Power (4:46:21) | Nissin (4:49:38) | |
| 47th | 2003 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Konica (4:44:48) | Nissin (4:47:02) | Chugoku Electric Power (4:47:11) | |
| 48th | 2004 1 May 1 | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Chugoku Electric Power (4:47:03) | Konica Minolta (4:49:05) | Nissin (4:50:35) | |
| 49th | 2005 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Konica Minolta (4:48:57) | Chugoku Electric Power (4:49:44) | Nissin (4:50:41) | |
| 50th | 2006 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 43 | Konica Minolta (4:44:54) | Chugoku Electric Power (4:45:53) | Fujitsu Limited (4:46:52) | Memorial race |
| 51st | 2007 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Chugoku (4:47:02) | Kasei (4:47:53) | Nissin (4:48:16) | |
| 52nd | 2008 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Konica Minolta (4:46:28) | Chugoku Electric Power (4:49:45) | Honda (4:49:56) | |
| 53rd | 2009 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Fujitsu (4:51:55) | Nissin Group (4:51:56) | Kasei (4:51:56) | |
| 54th | 2010 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Nissin Group (4:50:07) | Konica Minolta (4:50:36) | Fujitsu (4:51:37) | |
| 55th | 2011 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Toyota (4:51:56) | Fujitsu (4:51:57) | Nissin Group (4:52:05) | |
| 56th | 2012 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Nissin Group (4:49:32) | Konica Minolta (4:50:52) | Kasei (4:51:16) | |
| 57th[9] | 2013 1 January | Gunma | 100.0 km | 37 | Konica Minolta (4:51:32) | Toyota Kyushu (4:55:24) | Honda (4:55:25) |
Stage records
| Stage | Distance | Time (m:s) | Runner | Team | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 12.3 km | 34:16 | Martin Mathathi | Suzuki | 2007 |
| 2nd | 8.3 km | 21:54 | Josephat Ndambiri | Komori | 2009 |
| 3rd | 13.7 km | 37:52 | Chihiro Miyawaki | Toyota | 2012 |
| 4th | 22.0 km | 1:02:51 | Yuki Sato | Nissin Foods | 2012 |
| 5th | 15.8 km | 44:57 | Tomoo Tsubota | Konica | 2002 |
| 6th | 12.5 km | 36:35 | Kazuharu Takai | Kyudenko | 2012 |
| 7th | 15.5 km | 44:53 | James Ndungu | Honda | 2002 2003 |
Stage-by-stage results
| Place → | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 54th Cup |
Nissin Shokuhin 4:50:07 |
Konica Minolta 4:50:36 |
Fujitsu 4:51:37 |
Chugoku Denryoku 4:52:26 |
Toyota 4:52:55 |
Honda 4:54:12 |
Otsuka Seiyaku 4:56:29 |
Asahi Kasei 4:56:29 |
Toyota Boshoku 4:56:31 |
Kyudenko 4:56:31 |
| 2011 55th Cup |
Toyota 4:51:56 |
Fujitsu 4:51:57 |
Nissin Shokuhin 4:52:05 |
Yasukawa Denki 4:52:49 |
Asahi Kasei 4:54:15 |
Chugoku Denryoku 4:54:31 |
Honda 4:54:38 |
Toyota Kyushu 4:54:39 |
Konica Minolta 4:54:44 |
Toyota Boshoku 4:56:35 |
| 2012 56th Cup |
Nissin Shokuhin 4:49:32 (CR) |
Konica Minolta 4:50:52 (CR) |
Asahi Kasei 4:51:16 (CR) |
Toyota 4:51:33 (CR) |
Kyudenko 4:52:49 |
Yasukawa Denki 4:53:26 |
Toyota Kyushu 4:53:54 |
Honda 4:54:13 |
Chugoku Denryoku 4:54:56 |
Fujitsu 4:55:19 |
| Stage → | 1st (12.3 km) | 2nd (8.3 km) | 3rd (13.6 km) | 4th (22.0 km) | 5th (15.8 km) | 6th (12.5 km) | 7th (15.5 km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 54th Cup |
Masato Kihara Team Kanebo 35:28 |
Paul Tanui Team Kyudenko 22:02 |
Yuki Sato Team Nissin Shokuhin 38:29 |
Atsushi Sato Team Chugoku Denryoku 1:03:11 |
Naoki Okamoto Team Chugoku Denryoku 46:48 |
Takayuki Matsumiya Team Konica Minolta 34:23 |
Hiroyuki Ono Team Nissin Shokuhin 47:32 |
| 2011 55th Cup |
Tomoya Onishi Team Asahi Kasei Yoshihiro Wakamatsu Team Tokyo Denryoku 36:01 |
Ibrahim Jeilan Team Honda 22:14 |
Yusuke Takabayashi Team Toyota 38:02 - CR |
Yuki Sato Team Nissin Shokuhin 1:03:25 |
Keita Akiba Team Komori Corp. 46:41 |
Shoji Akutsu Team Fujitsu 36:45 |
Takeshi Kumamoto Team Toyota 45:55 |
| 2012 56th Cup |
Yoshihiro Wakamatsu Team Nissin Shokuhin 135:55 |
Edward Waweru Team NTN 22:29 |
Chihiro Miyawaki Team Toyota 37:52 - CR |
Yuki Sato Team Nissin Shokuhin 1:02:51 - CR |
Muryo Takase Team Nissin Shokuhin Masato Imai Team Toyota Kyushu 46:16 |
Kazuharu Takai Team Kyudenko 36:35 - CR |
Yusuke Takabayashi Team Toyota 45:16 |
References
- Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-01). Toyota takes first New Year Ekiden title. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- Nakamura, Ken (2010-01-01). Nissin Foods finally wins New Year Ekiden in Maebashi. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- Nakamura, Ken (2012-01-01). Nissin Foods wins men’s corporate Ekiden title in Maebashi. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- Champions (in Japanese). TBS TV. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- web page
- Nakamura, Ken (2005-12-30). Preview of the 50th ‘New Year Ekiden’. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- 2010 video.
- Nakamura, Ken (2006-01-01). Konica-Minolta wins 50th New Year’s Ekiden. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- Nakamura, Ken (2013-01-01). Konica Minolta wins Japan Corporate Men's Ekiden. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-17.
- English Results Jan. 1 2010
- English Results Jan. 1 2011
- English Results Jan. 1 2012
- Winners and stage records
- 全日本実業団対抗駅伝競走大会歴代成績（1～3位） (in Japanese). Japanese Corporate Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- Course records. (in Japanese). Japanese Corporate Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
External links
- Official website at TBS (in Japanese)
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