Every year on New Year’s Day, the “All Japan Business Ekiden” and “New Year Ekiden”, which determine the best men’s Ekiden in Japan, are held in Gunma Prefecture. Last year, Honda, who won its first victory, defended the top position and entered the final 7th ward.
We will keep you up to date with the latest race information.
《Race Bulletin》
[Last 7th ward]Honda defends top position with only a few spots left
Honda is defending the top by Makoto Kimura. Second place is Fujitsu.
And the battle for 3rd place is getting fiercer. Japan’s marathon representative for the Tokyo Olympics, Yuma Hattori of Toyota Motor Corporation, is steadily catching up. It is a battle between four teams, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, SG Holdings, and GMO Internet Group.
▽District 6→District 7 (15.7km) Honda, aiming for consecutive wins, goes to the final 7th division at the top
Honda, who is aiming for consecutive victories in the 6th section, defended its lead with Akira Nakayama’s 2nd place run in the section. Fujitsu, who won the year before, has moved up to 2nd place.
[6th Section Section Award]Takuya Hanyu (Toyota Boshoku) 34:58
* Section 2nd Akira Nakayama (Honda) 35:15
* Section 3rd Toshiki Sadakata (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) 35:19
The last 7 wards are 15.7 km from Nishikubo-cho, Isesaki City to Gunma Prefectural Office.
＜Passing order in District 6＞
1 4:01:53 Honda
2 4:02:39 Fujitsu
3 4:02:52 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
4 4:02:59 SG Holdings
5 4:03:18 GMO Internet Group
6 4:04:02 Toyota
7 4:04:15 Toyota Boshoku
8 4:04:34 Chudenko
9 4:04:54 SUBARU
10 4:05:07 Harima Kurosaki
11 4:05:34 Hitachi Transport System
12 4:05:38 Yakult
13 4:05:56 JR East Japan
14 4:05:57 Toyota Motor Kyushu
15 4:06:08 Asahi Kasei
16 4:06:22 Sanberx
17 4:06:26 Ｋａｏ
18 4:06:26 Mazda
19 4:07:32 Kyudenko
20 4:07:35 China Power
21 4:07:48 Konica Minolta
22 4:08:09 NTT West Japan
23 4:08:29 Aisan Industry
24 4:09:08 Otsuka Pharmaceutical
25 4:09:08 Sumitomo Electric
26 4:09:10 Toenek
27 4:09:41 Osaka Gas
28 4:10:12 Aichi Steel
29 4:11:09 ＮＴＮ
30 4:11:25 Saitama Medical University G
31 4:12:07 JFE Steel
32 4:12:49 comodiiida
33 4:13:35 Central strip
34 4:14:13 Togami Electric Works
35 4:14:15 Nishitetsu
36 4:15:52 ＹＫＫ
▽ 5th ward → 6th ward (11.9km) Honda Aoki pulls away from second place and below in the section award
Honda, who is aiming for consecutive wins, defended the top with Ryoma Aoki’s section award run in the 5th section. GMO Internet Group ranked second, and Fujitsu ranked third.
[5th Section Award]Ryoma Aoki (Honda) 45:47
The 6th ward is 11.9 km from Kiryu City Hall to Nishikubocho, Isesaki City.
＜Passing order in District 5＞
1 3:26:38 Honda
2 3:27:12 GMO Internet Group
3 3:27:16 Fujitsu
4 3:27:19 Toyota
5 3:27:33 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
6 3:27:34 SG Holdings
7 3:28:28 SUBARU
8 3:28:30 Chudenko
9 3:28:35 Harima Kurosaki
10 3:28:53 Ｋａｏ
11 3:29:04 Hitachi Transport System
12 3:29:11 Asahi Kasei
13 3:29:17 Toyota Boshoku
14 3:29:57 JR East Japan
15 3:30:04 Yakult
16 3:30:08 Toyota Motor Kyushu
17 3:30:12 Mazda
18 3:30:22 Sanberx
19 3:30:31 Power China
20 3:30:47 NTT West Japan
21 3:31:22 Konica Minolta
22 3:31:22 Kyudenko
23 3:32:03 Otsuka Pharmaceutical
24 3:32:05 Toenek
25 3:32:12 Sumitomo Electric
26 3:32:13 AISAN INDUSTRY
27 3:32:22 Osaka Gas
28 3:33:08 Aichi Steel
29 3:33:29 Saitama Medical University G
30 3:34:24 ＮＴＮ
31 3:34:36 JFE Steel
32 3:35:07 comodiiida
33 3:36:05 Central strip
34 3:37:26 Nishitetsu
35 3:37:26 Togami Electric Works
36 3:37:49 ＹＫＫ
▽Section 4→Section 5 (15.8km) Honda, aiming for consecutive wins, takes the top spot in Section 4
Honda, aiming for consecutive victories in the longest 4th section, took the lead with Naoki Koyama’s run of 3rd place in the section.
[4th Section Award]Yohei Ikeda (Kao) 1:04:04
* Section 2nd Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Harima) 1:04:37
* Section 3rd Naoki Koyama (Honda) 1:04:38
Ward 5 will be contested over 15.8km from Ota City Hall to Kiryu City Hall.
＜Pass order in District 4＞
1 2:40:51 Honda
2 2:41:03 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
3 2:41:03 Toyota
4 2:41:08 GMO Internet Group
5 2:41:14 SG Holdings
6 2:41:18 Fujitsu
7 2:41:24 Harima Kurosaki
8 2:41:28 Ｋａｏ
9 2:42:15 SUBARU
10 2:42:21 Chudenko
11 2:42:25 Toyota Motor Kyushu
12 2:42:26 China Power
13 2:42:30 Toyota Boshoku
14 2:42:31 Yakult
15 2:42:33 Asahi Kasei
16 2:42:40 Hitachi Transport System
17 2:43:07 JR East Japan
18 2:43:07 Mazda
19 2:43:26 Sanberx
20 2:43:30 NTT West Japan
21 2:44:10 Konica Minolta
22 2:44:12 Kyudenko
23 2:44:13 Otsuka Pharmaceutical
24 2:44:26 Toenek
25 2:44:26 Sumitomo Electric
26 2:44:34 Aisan Industry
27 2:44:52 Osaka Gas
28 2:45:00 Saitama Medical University G
29 2:45:01 Aichi Steel
30 2:46:15 Central strip
31 2:46:16 ＮＴＮ
32 2:46:55 JFE Steel
33 2:47:15 comodiiida
34 2:47:33 Nishitetsu
35 2:49:29 Togami Electric Works
36 2:50:03 ＹＫＫ
[4th Ward (22.4km)]Isesaki City Hall – Ota City Hall
Ward 4 is from Isesaki City Hall to Ota City Hall. It is a battle for the ace of each team in the longest distance in all 7 sections. MHI is followed by GMO Internet Group, Honda and Fujitsu.
＜Intermediate point ranking (up to 10th place)＞
1 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
2 GMO Internet Group
3 Honda
4 Fujitsu
5 SG Holdings
6 Toyota Motor Corporation
7 SUBARU
8 Yakult
9 Kurosaki Harima
10 Asahi Kasei
▽ 3rd ward → 4th ward (22.4km) Section prize is Tomoki Ota Suguru Osako is 2nd in section
The 3rd ward will be a 13.6-kilometer race between Kodencho, Maebashi City and Isesaki City Hall. In the closing stages, SUBARU and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries escaped, and the two teams battled each other to connect to the 4th ward. Honda, who is aiming for consecutive victories, is also in 3rd place.
Tomoki Ota of Toyota Motor Corporation won the section award. We moved up from 23rd to 5th place.
Suguru Osako (GMO Internet Group), the pre-marathon Japanese record holder, was the second runner in the segment.
[Section 3 Section Award]Tomoki Ota (Toyota) 37:40
* Section 2nd Suguru Osako (GMO Internet Group) 37:57
Ward 4 is from Isesaki City Hall to Ota City Hall. Each team’s ace will line up at the longest distance in all seven sections.
＜Passing order in District 3＞
1 1:35:48 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
2 1:35:49 SUBARU
3 1:36:13 Honda
4 1:36:13 SG Holdings
5 1:36:16 Toyota Motor
6 1:36:17 Yakult
7 1:36:19 GMO Internet Group
8 1:36:35 Fujitsu
9 1:36:35 China Power
10 1:36:43 Hitachi Transport System
11 1:36:44 Toyota Motor Kyushu
12 1:36:44 Asahi Kasei
13 1:36:45 Toyota Boshoku
14 1:36:46 Mazda
15 1:36:47 Harima Kurosaki
16 1:37:14 Kyudenko
17 1:37:23 JR East Japan
18 1:37:24 Ｋａｏ
19 1:37:25 Sunberx
20 1:37:25 Chudenko
21 1:37:42 AISAN INDUSTRY
22 1:37:52 Konica Minolta
23 1:37:56 Aichi Steel
24 1:37:57 NTT West Japan
25 1:38:24 Otsuka Pharmaceutical
26 1:38:26 Osaka Gas
27 1:38:41 Saitama Medical University G
28 1:38:46 ＮＴＮ
29 1:38:56 Central strip
30 1:38:56 Sumitomo Electric
31 1:39:08 Toenek
32 1:39:19 Commody Iida
33 1:39:33 JFE Steel
34 1:39:39 ＹＫＫ
35 1:40:48 Nishitetsu
36 1:41:41 Togami Electric Works
▽District 2→District 3 (13.6km)
The 2nd ward was a speed match with foreign players, and the ranking changed greatly.
Kyudenko’s Benard Koech, who overtook 22 runners from 25th and moved up to 3rd place, won the 2nd section award.
[Second Section Section Award]Benard Koechi (Kyudenko) 21:54
The 3rd ward is a 13.6-kilometer race from Kodencho, Maebashi City to Isesaki City Hall.
＜Passing Order in District 2＞
1 57:41 SUBARU
2 57:42 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
3 57:47 Kyudenko
4 57:47 Fujitsu
5 57:54 Toyota Motor Kyushu
6 58:02 Hitachi Transport System
7 58:03 Honda
8 58:04 Yakult
9 58:04 SG Holdings
10 58:06 JR East
11 58:13 Toyota Boshoku
12 58:15 Asahi Kasei
13 58:16 Chudenko
14 58:20 Harima Kurosaki
15 58:20 Aisan Industry
16 58:21 Ｋａｏ
17 58:21 Aichi Steel
18 58:22 GMO Internet Group
19 58:25 JFE Steel
20 58:25 China Power
21 58:26 mazda
22 58:30 Konica Minolta
23 58:36 Toyota
24 58:37 Sunberx
25 58:40 NTT West Japan
26 58:41 Saitama Medical University G
27 58:42 ＹＫＫ
28 58:55 ＮＴＮ
29 58:59 Central strip
30 59:18 Sumitomo Electric
31 59:19 Togami Electric Works
32 59:50 Komodyida
33 59:51 Otsuka Pharmaceutical
34 59:54 Osaka Gas
35 59:59 Toenek
36 1:00:15 Nishitetsu
▽ Section 1 → Section 2 (8.3km) Section award goes to Kota Murayama
The 1st ward remained a melee and was connected to the shortest 2nd ward.
[Section 1 Section Award]Kota Murayama (GMO Internet Group) 35:35
Ward 2 extends from Takasaki City Hall to Kodencho, Maebashi City. The shortest distance of all sections. It will be a battle of speed.
＜Passing Order in District 1＞
1.35:35 GMO Internet Group
2.35:35 Honda
3.35:35 Yakult
4.35:36 Fujitsu
5.35:37 JR East
6.35:37 Mazda
7.35:37 Toyota Motor
8.35:39 Komody Iida
9.35:40 Toyota Boshoku
10.35:40 SG Holdings
11.35:42 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
12.35:42 SUBARU
13.35:42 Hitachi Transport System
14.35:43 Konica Minolta
15.35:44 Asahi Kasei
16.35:44 Toyota Motor Kyushu
17.35:45 Sunberx
18.35:49 Otsuka Pharmaceutical
19.35:49 Togami Electric Works
20.35:50 JFE Steel
21.35:51 Aichi Steel
22.35:51 Osaka Gas
23.35:52 Ｋａｏ
24.35:53 Chudenko
25.35:53 Kyudenko
26.35:54 NTT West Japan
27.35:55 ＮＴＮ
28.35:56 Sumitomo Electric
29.35:59 Saitama Medical University G
30.36:00 Aisan Industry
31.36:05 China Power
32.36:06 Central strip
33.36:07 6 Kurosaki Harima
34.36:14 30 ＹＫＫ
35.36:14 18 Toenek
36.37:08 33 Nishitetsu
[Section 1 (12.3km)]9:15 start
36 teams of business groups that won the preliminary round participated and started in front of the Gunma Prefectural Office in Maebashi City. District 1 is 12.3 kilometers to Takasaki City Hall. It will be interesting to see which team pulls out.
highlight
In the annual race on New Year’s Day, 36 business teams that have won the preliminary rounds will participate, starting and finishing in front of the Gunma Prefectural Office in Maebashi City, and connecting sashes on a 100-kilometer course in seven sections.
The battle for the championship will be tight-knit, with Honda, who is aiming for the second straight victory, Fujitsu, the two-time champion, and Toyota, which boasts leading marathon runners, expected to be the pillars.
【Honda】
For Honda, four of the seven members who won their first victory last time remain. Tatsuhiko Ito, who finished 5th in the 4th ward last time and was a 10,000-meter representative at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, was not in perfect condition and withdrew from the race. The key will be how Ryoma Aoki in the 5th ward and Akira Nakayama, who won the last section award in the 6th ward, can demonstrate their strength.
【Fujitsu】
Fujitsu, which sank to 12th place last time, is without Japanese marathon record holder Kengo Suzuki and Tokyo Olympics representative Shogo Nakamura. The layer was thick, and the East Japan tournament in November was won despite the absence of two people. Ken Yokote in the 4th section set a new section record in eastern Japan. I will aim for a fast run in the ace section with momentum.
[Toyota]
Toyota Motor Corporation, aiming for the top spot for the first time in seven years, will run the longest section again with Yusuke Nishiyama, who finished 6th in Section 4 last time. He will participate in the marathon at the World Championships in July, and is expected to run strongly. Yuma Hattori, a representative of the Tokyo Olympics, will be the anchor.
[GMO Internet Group]
Suguru Osako, the pre-marathon Japanese record holder, entered in the 3rd ward. Its running is noteworthy.
[Participating teams (36 teams)]
1. Honda / 2. SUBARU / 3. Asahi Kasei / 4. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries / 5. Toyota Motor / 6. Kurosaki Harima / 7. SG Holdings / 8. Toyota Motor Kyushu / 9. GMO Internet Group / 10. Hitachi Transport System / 11 Toyota Boshoku / 12. Fujitsu / 13. Yakult / 14. Mazda / 15. NTT West Japan / 16. Chugoku Electric Power /
17. Chudenko / 18. Toenek / 19. JR East / 20. NTN / 21. Konica Minolta / 22. Aisan Industry / 23. Sumitomo Electric / 24. Kao / 26. Kyudenko / 27. Otsuka Pharmaceutical / 28. Chuo Spring / 29. Sunberx / 30. YKK / 31. Togami Electric Works / 32. Comody Iida / 33. Nishitetsu / 34. JFE Steel /
35.Saitama Medical University G/36.Aichi Steel/37.Osaka Gas
*Yaskawa Electric Co., Ltd. withdrew from participating due to a positive case of the new coronavirus.
[Course introduction]
▽ Ward 1 (12.3km) Gunma Prefectural Office – Takasaki City Hall
▽Second Ward (8.3km) Takasaki City Hall – Kodencho, Maebashi City
The shortest distance of all sections. It will be a battle of speed.
▽ 3rd ward (13.6km) Maebashi-shi Koden-cho to Isesaki City Hall
▽ 4th Ward (22.4km) Isesaki City Hall – Ota City Hall
Run the longest distance in all 7 sections. Each team has an ace.
▽5th Ward (15.8km) Ota City Hall – Kiryu City Hall
▽ 6th ward (11.9km) Kiryu City Hall – Nishikubocho, Isesaki City
▽7th ward (15.7km) Nishikubo-cho, Isesaki-Gunma Prefectural Office
[Last year’s tournament]
The Japanese national team at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago participated as the main force of each team.
While Fujitsu, which was aiming for consecutive victories, was struggling, Honda steadily improved the rankings of Tokyo Olympic 10000m representative Tatsuhiko Ito in the 4th section and 3000m steeplechase representative Ryoma Aoki in the 5th section. Akira Nakayama won the section prize and stood at the top for the first time.
After that, Honda kept the lead and won the race for the first time with a time of 4 hours 51 minutes 4 seconds.
2nd place is local SUBARU.
Asahi Kasei came in 3rd place, and Fujitsu, who was aiming for consecutive wins, was 12th.
