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Honjo Higashi H.S. and Nihon Yakka University Win Saitama Ekiden

http://www.saitama-np.co.jp/news/2017/02/06/08.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

111 men's and women's teams took part in the 84th edition of the Saitama Ekiden on Feb. 5, running from Saitama Shintoshin to Kumagaya Sports Park Field.  Fresh from representing Saitama for the first time at December's National High School Ekiden, the Honjo Higashi H.S. girls scored their first-ever Saitama Ekiden win, covering the five-stage, 20.5 km women's course in 1:12:14.  Honjo Higashi's third, fourth and fifth runners Mayuko Saito, Nanami Ishihara and Tomomi Miyasaki each won their stages to move up their team up place by place into 1st after a slow start.

In the six-stage, 42.195 km men's race, Nihon Yakka University took the top position for the first time in 2:08:13 thanks in part to a 36:07 course record on the 12.1 km Third Stage by Kenyan Simon Kariuki.  The Musashino Ogoshi H.S. boys were the top-finishing high school position for the first time in five years, taking 5th overall in 2:11:07.  Running for the Saitama Prefecture Government team, London World Championships men's marathon team hopeful Yuki Kawauchi was 3rd on the Third Stage behind Kariuki and Titus Mumo (Musashino Gakuin Univ. A) in 36:59.

84th Saitama Ekiden
Saitama Shintoshin, Saitama, 2/5/17
men: 85 teams, six stages, 42.195 km
women: 26 teams, five stages, 20.5 km
click here for complete results

Men
Top Team Performances
1. Nihon Yakka Univ. - 2:08:13
2. Musashino Gakuin Univ. A - 2:10:23
3. Josai Univ. - 2:10:28
4. SDF Academy - 2:10:57
5. Musashi Ogose H.S. - 2:11:07

Stage Best Performances
First Stage (6.595 km) - Yuta Tameike (Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 19:37
Second Stage (3.1 km) - Kentaro Miyahira (Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 9:08
Third Stage (12.1 km) - Simon Kariuki (Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 36:07 - CR
Fourth Stage (3.9 km) - Kaito Komayama (Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 11:52
Fifth Stage (10.5 km) - Ryo Ishita (SDF Academy) - 32:56
Sixth Stage (6.0 km) - Hiromitsu Sakuraba (Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 17:56

Women
Top Team Performances
1. Honjo Higashi H.S. - 1:12:14
2. Shohei H.S. - 1:12:50
3. Sakado Nishi H.S. - 1:14:11

Stage Best Performances
First Stage (4.0 km) - Minami Takano (Saitama Sakae H.S.) - 13:54
Second Stage (3.7 km) - Rika Kaneda (Shohei H.S.) - 12:47
Third Stage (1.4 km) - Mayuko Saito (Honjo Higashi H.S.) - 4:54
Fourth Stage (5.4 km) - Nanami Ishihara (Honjo Higashi H.S.) - 19:14
Fifth Stage (6.0 km) - Tomomi Miyasaka (Honjo Higashi H.S.) - 21:19

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