International Chiba Ekiden

Japan's Kensuke Takezawa at the 2009 edition of the race.

The International Chiba Ekiden was an annual team road running competition held in Chiba, Japan in late November. The marathon relay race, or ekiden as it is known in Japan, is one of the prominent annual races of its kind. The competition is split into six legs which combine to make up the marathon distance of 42.195 km. The Chiba Ekiden was first held in 1988 and featured separate competitions for both men and women.[1] Since 2007, each competing country selects three men and three women for their team. The legs are divided as follows: 5 km (men), 5 km (women), 10 km (men), 5 km (women), 10 km (men), and 7.195 km (women).[2]

The men's world record for the event was set at the competition in 2005 as the Kenyan team of Josephat Ndambiri, Martin Mathathi, Daniel Mwangi, Mekubo Mogusu, Onesmus Nyerere and John Kariuki completed the course in a time of 1:57:06. In the same race the Japanese team ran an Asian record, the United States men ran a North American record and the fourth-placed Russian team broke the European record.[3]

Winners

Key: Stage winner
Men's and women's era
Year Men Women
1988  Ethiopia  New Zealand
1990  Japan  Romania
1991  Australia  Kenya
1992  Australia  Japan
1993  Morocco  Japan
1994  Ethiopia  Japan
1995  Australia  Japan
1996  South Africa  Japan
1997  Kenya  Japan
1998  Japan  Japan
1999  Japan  Japan
2000  Japan  Japan
2001  South Africa  Japan
2002  Ethiopia  Ethiopia
2003  Ethiopia  Ethiopia
2004  Ethiopia  Ethiopia
2005  Kenya
Josephat Ndambiri, Martin Mathathi
Daniel Mwangi, Mekubo Mogusu
Onesmus Nyerere and John Kariuki 		 Kenya
Philes Ongori, Evelyn Wambui
 ?, Catherine Ndereba
 ?, ?
2006[4]  Kenya
Martin Mathathi, Gideon Ngatuny
Josephat Ndambiri, Sammy Korir
Mekubo Mogusu, Cyrus Njui 		 Kenya
Philes Ongori, Evelyne Kemunto Kimwei
Sally Kaptich Chepyego, Catherine Ndereba
Jane Wanjiku, Lucy Wangui
Mixed era
Year Winner Time Athletes (stage winners)
2007  Japan 2:05:56 Yuichiro Ueno, Kayoko Fukushi, Kenji Noguchi, Megumi Kinukawa, Kensuke Takezawa, Yukiko Akaba[5]
2008  Ethiopia 2:05:27 Ali Abdosh, Sule Utura, Dejen Gebremeskel, Belaynesh Fekadu, Hunegnaw Mesfin, Tsega Gelaw[6]
2009  Japan 2:05:58 Yuichiro Ueno, Yuriko Kobayashi, Kensuke Takezawa, Yukiko Akaba, Atsushi Sato, Yurika Nakamura[7]
2010  Japan Collegiate 2:07:52 Taku Fujimoto, Risa Takenaka, Yo Yazawa, Kasumi Nishihara, Shota Hiraga, Hanae Tanaka[8]
2011  Kenya 2:04:40 Thomas Longosiwa, Lidia Mathathi, Patrick Mutunga Mwikya, Pauline Kahenya, Edwin Mokua, Pamela Lisoreng[9]
2012  Kenya 2:05:06[10] Thomas Longosiwa, Gladys Cherono, Edwin Soi, Priscah Jeptoo, Philip Mosima, Joyce Chepkurui
Hanji Aoki Cup International Chiba Ekiden - 42.195 km - Stage Winners
First.stage......5.0 km........................... Second.stage......5.0 km.women.................... Third.stage......10.0 km.......................... Fourth.stage......5.0 km.women.................... Fifth.stage......10.0 km.......................... Sixth.stage......7.195 km.women.......................
2007 1. Moses Masai (KEN) - 13:22
2. Yuichiro Ueno (Japan) - 13:29
3. Ed Moran (USA) - 13:32 		1. Emily Chebet (KEN) - 15:38
2. Kayoko Fukushi (Japan) - 15:34
3. Elena Zadorozhnaya (Russia) - 15:37 		1. Barnaba Sigei (KEN) - 28:32
2. Evgeny Rybakov (Russia) - 29:00
3. Scott Bauhs (USA) - 28:31 		1. Catherine Kirui (KEN) - 16:20
2. Megumi Kinukawa (Japan) - 16:03
3. Olesya Syreva (Russia) - 16:38 		1. Joseph Birech (KEN) - 29:21
2. Kensuke Takezawa (Japan) - 28:49
3. Ryan Sheehan (USA) - 29:31 		1. Yukiko Akaba (Japan) - 22:39
2. Catherine Ndereba (KEN) - 23:53
3. Lilia Shobukhova (Russia) - 23:15
2008 Ali Abdosh (ETH) - 13:34 Yuriko Kobayashi (Japan)
15:08 - new stage record 		Dejen Gebremeskel (ETH)
28:20 - new stage record 		Belaynesh Fikadu (ETH)
15:34 - new stage record 		Hunegnaw Mesfin (ETH) - 28:54 Maria Konovalova (Russia) - 23:31
2009 Craig Mottram (Australia) - 13:23 Yuriko Kobayashi (Japan) - 15:09 Kensuke Takezawa (Japan) - 29:07 Yukiko Akaba (Japan)
15:34 - ties stage record 		Atsushi Sato (Japan) - 28:57 Hikari Yoshimoto (Japan Univ. Select) - 23:12
2010 Yuichiro Ueno (JPN) - 13:23 Yuriko Kobayashi (JPN) - 15:27 Titus Mbishei (KEN) - 28:57 Kasumi Nishihara (JUT) - 16:02 Tsuyoshi Ugachi (JPN) - 28:51 Pauline Korikwiang (KEN) - 23:20
2011 1. Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa (KEN) - 13:36
2. Egor Nikolaev (RUS) - 13:38
3. Robert Cheseret (U.S.A.) - 13:38 		1. Kasumi Nishihara (JPN) - 15:17
2. Risa Takenaka (UNIV) - 15:36
3. Lisa Corrigan (AUS) - 15:48 		1. Patrick Mutunga Mwikya (KEN)
28:08 -new stage record
2. Evgeny Rybakov (RUS) - 28:42
3. Kensuke Takezawa (JPN) - 28:53 		1. Yuriko Kobayashi (JPN) - 15:46
2. Hikari Yoshimoto (UNIV) - 15:49
3. Elena Korobkina (RUS) - 16:21 		1. Edwin Nyandusi Mokua (KEN)
27:43 - new stage record
2. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (JPN) - 28:47
3. Bobby Mack (U.S.A.) - 28:55 		1. Hitomi Niiya (JPN)
22:36 - new stage record
2. Pamela Chesopich Lisoreng (KEN) - 22:52
3. Emily Brichacek (AUS) - 23:46
Hanji Aoki Cup International Chiba Ekiden - 42.195 km -
First.Place...................... Second.Place..................... Third.Place...................... Fourth.Place..................... Fifth.Place...................... Sixth.Place...................... Seventh.Place.................... Eight.Place...................... Ninth.Place...................... Tenth.Place...................... Eleventh.Place................... Twelfth.Place....................
2007 Japan - 2:05:56 Kenya - 2:07:06 Russia - 2:08:00 USA - 2:09:05 Japan University Select - 2:09:22 Great Britain - 2:10:11 Australia - 2:11:56 Chiba Prefecture - 2:11:57 Romania - 2:12:17 China - 2:13:59 Belarus - 2:14:32 Poland - 2:15:10
2008 Ethiopia - 2:05:27
new course record 		Japan - 2:06:39 Russia - 2:08:04 Japanese University Select - 2:08:47 Australia - 2:09:36 Chiba Prefecture - 2:10:00 Great Britain - 2:10:12 U.S.A. - 2:11:54 Canada - 2:11:56 China - 2:12:11 Sweden - 2:12:16 Brazil - 2:14:15
2009 Japan - 2:05:58 Japanese University Select - 2:07:47 Kenya - 2:08:34 Chiba (Japan) Prefecture - 2:09:26 U.S.A. - 2:09:42 Russia - 2:11:19 Australia - 2:11:35 Canada - 2:12:24 Italy - 2:13:13 Romania - 2:14:28 China - 2:14:47 Belarus - 2:15:11
2010 Japan University Select - 2:07:52 Kenya - 2:08:06 Japan - 2:08:12 Russia - 2:09:35 U.S.A. - 2:10:54 Chiba Prefecture - 2:12:56 Australia - 2:14:07 Italy - 2:14:55 Romania - 2:15:02 Canada - 2:15:13 Czech Republic - 2:15:23 Norway - 2:17:01
2011 Kenya - 2:04:40 - CR Japan - 2:04:59 (CR) Japanese University Select- 2:07:26 Russia - 2:07:56 U.S.A. - 2:09:06 Australia - 2:09:56 Chiba Prefecture - 2:11:55 Poland - 2:12:53 Romania - 2:13:39 Canada - 2:13:52 New Zealand - 2:14:37 Czech Republic - 2:16:33

See also

References

  1. ^ Nakamura, Ken (21 November 2007). "New mixed race format for Chiba International Ekiden - Preview". IAAF. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  2. ^ Team USA set for International Chiba Ekiden. USATF (11 November 2010). Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  3. ^ Nakamura, Ken (23 November 2005). "Kenyan men win in Chiba with World's fastest ever time". IAAF. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  4. ^ Nakamura, Ken (2006-11-23). Kenya dominate at Chiba Ekiden. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-18.
  5. ^ Nakamura, Ken (23 November 2007). "Japan comes from behind to win the Chiba International Ekiden". IAAF. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  6. ^ Nakamura, Ken (24 November 2008). "Ethiopia sweeps Chiba Ekiden". IAAF. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  7. ^ Nakamura, Ken (23 November 2009). "Japan takes Chiba Ekiden title, with favourite Kenya well-beaten third". IAAF. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  8. ^ Nakamura, Ken (23 November 2010). "Japanese Collegiate Team scores upset at Chiba Ekiden". IAAF. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  9. ^ Nakamura, Ken (23 November 2011). "Teenagers Mwikya and Mokua lead Kenya to Chiba Ekiden victory". IAAF. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  10. ^ Nakamura, Ken (23 November 2012). "Kenya defends in Chiba". IAAF. Retrieved 14 February 2013.

Race commentaries in English: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011.