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 which alter 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] 2012 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

Men's Japan Corporate Ekiden Championship (100.0 km)
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
All-Japan Men's Corporate Ekiden Championship Stage Winners
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

  1. 1.0 1.1 Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-01). Toyota takes first New Year Ekiden title. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
  2. Nakamura, Ken (2010-01-01). Nissin Foods finally wins New Year Ekiden in Maebashi. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
  3. Nakamura, Ken (2012-01-01). Nissin Foods wins men’s corporate Ekiden title in Maebashi. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
  4. Champions (Japanese). TBS TV. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
  5. web page
  6. Nakamura, Ken (2005-12-30). Preview of the 50th ‘New Year Ekiden’. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
  7. 2010 video.
  8. Nakamura, Ken (2006-01-01). Konica-Minolta wins 50th New Year’s Ekiden. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
  9. Nakamura, Ken (2013-01-01). Konica Minolta wins Japan Corporate Men's Ekiden. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-17.
  10. English Results Jan. 1 2010
  11. English Results Jan. 1 2011
  12. English Results Jan. 1 2012
Winners and stage records

External links