Chugoku Electric Power wins New Year Ekiden in Maebashi

For the second time in four years, Chugoku Electric Power from Hiroshima won the prestigious New Year Ekiden in Maebashi on New Year’s Day, thus improving their second place finish from the last year. 

In the 15.9Km fifth stage, Atsushi Sato of Chugoku Electric Power was superb.  He turned a two minute and 17 second deficit into a 22 seconds advantage. “I did not think it was possible to catch the leader, so I cannot believe what happened,” Sato said. after the race. During the TV interview, legendary Marathon runner Toshihiko Seko who was commentating for TBS told Sato, “If you run like you did today, you ought to be able to run the marathon in 2:05.”

In the next two stages, Teruto Ozaki and Tsuyoshi Ogata were able to retain the lead for Chugoku Electric.  At the end Chugoku Electric won in 4:47:02.

“It is really good to win,” said the team coach Yasushi Sakaguchi. Unlike most of the other teams in this Ekiden Chugoku Electric Power won without a Kenyan squad member. “Today I think I proved that we can win without a Kenyan on the team,” said Sakaguchi. 

Finishing second 51 seconds behind was Asahi Kasei, who has won this ekiden a record 21 times.  Asahi Kasei also did not have any Kenyans on their team.  It was their best finish since 2000, when they also finished second. They had improved from their eighth place finish last year. The pre-race favorite Nissin Foods finished third, 23 seconds behind Asahi Kasei. 

Nissin Foods, as expected took over the lead when Ngutany Gideon turned a minute and one second deficit into a 40 second advantage 5Km into the third stage.  At the end of the third stage, Nissin was a minute and 30 seconds ahead of second place Toyota Boshoku.  However they were passed by Atsushi Sato in the fifth stage, and then lost contact with Asahi Kasei with less than 7Km (of 100Km) left in the race. The defending champion Konica-Minolta finished fourth. 

Three runners turned in the record stage performances.  Martin Mathathi of Suzuki and Kenya ran the 12.3Km first stage in 34:16, thus breaking his own stage record of 34:23. “I am very happy to break the stage record, for this is my second time running this course (i.e., running the stage one).  I was hoping to set a new stage best, so I am very happy,” Mathathi said. By running the 11.8Km third stage in 30:43, Ngatuny Gideon of Nissin Foods and Kenya broke Mathathi’s record from 2005, 30:59. “I am very happy to break a course record, because this is my first time in this race,” said Gideon who is hoping to become famous in Japan.  If he continues to run like this, his wish could become a reality soon.  In the 10.5Km fourth stage, Yoichiro Akiyama of Honda recorded 29:29, one second faster than the record set last year by Tomohiro Matsushita. “I was short on training but I felt I was in good shape, so I run aggressively,” said Akiyama. 

How the race developed: 

Stage ONE - The huge pack of runners passed 5Km in 14:19.  The pack was reduced to 13 teams by 7Km, and four teams – Suzuki, NTN, Komori Corporation and Aichi Steel - a kilometre later.  Martin Mathathi of Suzuki and James Mwangi of NTN passed 10Km in 28:10, before Mathathi broke away from Mwangi with 300m to go.  They were followed by Josphat Ndambiri of Komori Corporation. 

Stage TWO - Early in the second stage, Suzuki and NTN ran together while Komori Corporation was running third.  At 5.8Km into the stage NTN broke away.  Komori Corporation moved into second at 9Km into the stage and started to chase NTN.  One and a half Km later Komori Corporation took over the lead from NTN.  Meanwhile the chase pack first caught Suzuki and then NTN at 17.6Km into the second stage.  At 19.9Km into the second stage, Toshihiro Iwasa of Otsuka Pharmaceutical surged to break up the chase pack.  At the end of the stage two, 22Km in, Komori led, followed by Kanebo 53 seconds behind. Asahi Kasei, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Chugoku Electric followed closely while the favorite Nissin Foods was a minute and one second behind the leader.  The defending champion Konica-Minolta was in tenth a minute 14 seconds behind the leader Komori Corporation. 

Stage THREE - As expected Ngatuny Gideon of Nissin Foods were superb.  At 3.6Km into the stage, Gideon took over the lead and by 5Km in, he was 30 seconds ahead after a 13:11 5Km split.  At the end of the stage Nissin led second place Toyota Boshoku by a minute and 30 seconds.  Toyota was followed closely by Asahi Kasei, then Honda, Kanebo, and Komori Corporation. 

Stage FOUR - Nissin Foods led throughout the stage but Asahi Kasei was able to reduce Nissin’s lead to a minute and six seconds. Near the end of the stage Honda almost caught Asahi Kasei in second place. 

Stage FIVE - Atsushi Sato of Chugoku Electric Power was superb.  Sato started the stage in seventh place, two minutes 17 seconds behind Nissin Foods, but steadily moved up. Sato moved into fourth 2.7Km in,  and into third by 4.5Km into the stage and passed 5Km in 13:58.  In the early part of the stage, Asahi Kasei too was steadily cutting into the Nissin Foods’ lead.  At 5Km, Nissin’s lead was cut to 46 seconds; six Km later it was reduced to 39 seconds. A Km later, at 12Km into the stage, Sato moved into second.  Finally 14.8Km into the stage, Sato took over the lead from Nissin Foods. At the end of the stage, Chugoku Electric Power led Nissin Foods by 22 seconds, followed by Asahi Kasei three seconds later. 

Stage SIX - Throughout stage six, Teruto Ozaki steadily increased the Chugoku Electric Power’s lead.  Behind Ozaki Asahi Kasei and Nissin Foods run together in second place.  By the end of the sixth stage, Chugoku Electric Power led Nissin Foods by 52 seconds. Nissin in turn was followed closely by Asahi Kasei. 

Stage SEVEN - In the early part of the seventh stage, Tomonori Watanabe of Asahi Kasei was cutting into Chugoku Electric Power’s lead.  By 5Km, Asahi Kasei was able to cut Chugoku Electric Power’s lead to 35 seconds, who in turn was followed closely by Nissin Foods. However, that was the closest Asahi Kasei ever got.  By 9Km, Asahi Kasei surged away from Nissin Foods and gained a lone second place, but they were unable to catch the leader Chugoku Electric Power. 

Ken Nakamura with assistance from Akihiro Onishi for the IAAF

Results (weather: temperature 1.5C, 44% humidity, wind 0.5m/s):
 1.) Chugoku Electric Power  4:47:02
 2.) Asahi Kasei  4:47:53
 3.) Nissin Foods  4:48:16
 4.) Konica-Minolta  4:49:33
 5.) Toyota Boshoku  4:49:43
 6.) Otsuka Pharmaceutical  4:49:47
 7.) Yasukawa Electric  4:49:50
 8.) Nissan Motors  4:50:35
 9.) Kanebo  4:50:42
10.) Fujitsu  4:50:48
11.) Hitachi 4:51:39
12.) Kyudenko   4:51:52
13.) Yakult  4:52:03
14.) Suzuki  4:52:13
15.) Komori Corporation  4:52:24

Stage
1 - 12.3Km - 34:16 (stage record) - Martin Mathathi  - Suzuki
2 - 22.0Km - 1:03:19 - Keita Akiba - Komori Corporation
3 - 11.8Km - 30:43 (stage record) - Ngutany Gideon - Nissin Foods
4 - 10.5Km - 29:29 (stage record) - Yoichiro Akiyama - Honda
5 - 15.9Km - 45:14 - Atsushi Sato - Chugoku Electric Power
6 - 11.8Km - 33:49 - Teruto Ozaki - Chugoku Electric Power
7 - 15.7Km - 45:45 - Shigefumi Igawa - Otsuka Pharmaceutical