Every year on New Year's Day, the "All Japan Business Ekiden" and "New Year Ekiden", which determine the best men's Ekiden in Japan, will be held in Gunma Prefecture.

Attention will be paid to whether Honda, who won the first victory last year, will win consecutive victories.

The race starts at 9:15 am.



We will keep you up to date with the latest race information.

In the annual race on New Year's Day, 36 business teams that have won the preliminary rounds will participate, starting and finishing in front of the Gunma Prefectural Office in Maebashi City, and connecting sashes on a 100-kilometer course in seven sections.

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The battle for the championship will be tight-knit, with Honda, who is aiming for the second consecutive victory, Fujitsu, the two-time champion, and Toyota, which has leading marathon runners, expected to be the pillars.



[Honda]


Four of the seven members of Honda who won their first win last time remain.

Tatsuhiko Ito, who finished 5th in the 4th division last time and was a representative of the 10,000-meter Tokyo Olympics two years ago, was not in perfect condition and withdrew from the event.

The key will be how Ryoma Aoki in the 5th ward and Akira Nakayama, who won the last section award in the 6th ward, can demonstrate their strength.



[Fujitsu] Fujitsu


, which sank to 12th place last time, is without Japanese marathon record holder Kengo Suzuki and Tokyo Olympics representative Shogo Nakamura.

The layer was thick, and the East Japan tournament in November was won despite the absence of two people.

Ken Yokote in the 4th section set a new section record in eastern Japan.

I will aim for a fast run in the ace section with momentum.



[Toyota Motor Corporation] Toyota


Motor Corporation, which is aiming for the top spot for the first time in seven years, will run the longest section again with Yusuke Nishiyama, who finished 6th in Section 4 last time.

He will participate in the marathon at the World Championships in July, and is expected to run strongly.

Yuma Hattori, a representative of the Tokyo Olympics, will be the anchor.



[GMO Internet Group]


Suguru Osako, the pre-marathon Japanese record holder, entered in the 3rd ward.

Its running is noteworthy.



*Yaskawa Electric Co., Ltd. withdrew from participating due to a positive case of the new coronavirus.

[Course introduction]

▽ Ward 1 (12.3km) Gunma Prefectural Office - Takasaki City Hall

▽Second Ward (8.3km) Takasaki City Hall - Kodencho, Maebashi City

The shortest distance of all sections.

It will be a battle of speed.

▽ 3rd ward (13.6km) Maebashi-shi Koden-cho to Isesaki City Hall

▽ 4th Ward (22.4km) Isesaki City Hall - Ota City Hall

Run the longest distance in all 7 sections.

Each team has an ace.

▽5th Ward (15.8km) Ota City Hall - Kiryu City Hall

▽ 6th ward (11.9km) Kiryu City Hall - Nishikubocho, Isesaki City

▽7th ward (15.7km) Nishikubo-cho, Isesaki-Gunma Prefectural Office

[Last year's tournament]

The Japanese national team at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago participated as the main force of each team.



While Fujitsu, which was aiming for consecutive victories, was struggling, Honda steadily improved the rankings of Tokyo Olympic 10000m representative Tatsuhiko Ito in the 4th section and 3000m steeplechase representative Ryoma Aoki in the 5th section. Akira Nakayama won the section prize and stood at the top for the first time.



After that, Honda kept the lead and won the race for the first time with a time of 4 hours 51 minutes 4 seconds.


2nd place is local SUBARU.


Asahi Kasei came in 3rd place, and Fujitsu, who was aiming for consecutive wins, was 12th.