japan running news

http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/sports/201312/0006573246.shtml translated and edited by Brett Larner At the 21st National Junior High School Ekiden Championships , Dec. 15 at Seminar Park in Yamaguchi, the Kakogawa Yamate J.H.S.  boys' team of Kakogawa, Hyogo, ran 56:55 for the six-stage, 18.0 km boys' course to take its second-straight national title.   Fujimi J.H.S. of Gunma came out on top of the girls' race for the second year in a row, running 40:10 for the five-stage, 12.0 km girls' course. Kakogawa Yamate's Yuki Sakamoto  led off in 6th for the opening stage.  The boys' team dropped to 18th on the Second Stage, but on the Third Stage Kazuki Yamaguchi  passed fifteen people to move up to 3rd.  Fourth Stage runner Yuki Harazuka  moved up to 2nd, putting Tessei Yamahata  into position to steal the lead on the Fifth Stage.  From there Kakogawa Yamate never looked back as it became just the third school in National Championships histor...

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/sports/article/20121216000045 translated by Brett Larner The 20th National Junior High School Ekiden Championships took place Dec. 16 on the Yamaguchi Prefectural Seminar Cross-Country Course in Yamaguchi. Hyogo's Kakogawa Yamate J.H.S. won the six-stage, 18.0 km boys' division in 56:51, while Fujimi J.H.S. of Gunma took the five-stage, 12.0 km girls' race in 40:20. In its sixth appearance at Nationals Kakogawa Yamate's victory was decided in an exciting photo finish with rival Eishin J.H.S.  of Saitama, both schools being given the same time after Eishin anchor Daiki Ito  ran down a 41-second margin to Kakogawa Yamate's Yuki Sakamoto . Tochigi's Shioya J.H.S. took 3rd, while last year's champion Kushigata J.H.S. of Yamanashi could do no better than 18th. In its second time running Nationals Fujimi broke the existing course record. Okubo J.H.S. of Hyogo was 25 seconds back in 2nd, while defending champion Niihama Hi...