Round-Kyūshū Ekiden
The Prince Takamatsu Cup Nishinippon Round-Kyūshū Ekiden (九州一周駅伝 Kyūshū isshū ekiden) is a running race in Japan held annually since 1951. Contestants from the prefectures on the island of Kyūshū, as well as from Yamaguchi and Okinawa Prefectures, gather each November. The event begins in Nagasaki and proceeds to the cities of Sasebo, Saga, Kumamoto, Minamata, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Nobeoka, Ōita, Kitakyushu, and finally Fukuoka. The 1064-km course consists of 72 segments, and is the longest relay race in the world.
The winning team receives the Prince Takamatsu trophy. The Nishinippon Shimbun sponsors the event.
The organisers announced that the 62nd edition of the race would be its last, owing to the difficulty and cost of assuring athletes' safety over such a long course and time period. Increased traffic in the race's later years was a specific factor in its decision to fold the race.[1]
References
- ↑ 九州一周駅伝が今秋で終了 名ランナー輩出、６２回で幕へ (in Japanese). Nishinippon. Retrieved on 2013-07-07.
External links
- Nishinippon Shimbun Events site (in English)
- Nishinippon Shimbun Relay Race site (in Japanese)
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