2026.03.22
Kobayashi High School Claims First Victory! Secures Lead in 4th Leg and Holds On – Saitama Eiwa and Takushoku University Finish 2nd and 3rd Respectively / Spring High School Ina Ekiden
◇49th Spring High School Ina Ekiden 2026 (March 22nd / Ina City Athletic Stadium, Nagano Prefecture, 6 legs, 42.195km)
The 42nd Spring High School Ina Ekiden for women was held on March 22nd, with Kobayashi (Miyazaki) winning in 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 59 seconds.
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Kobayashi started from 17th place in the first leg, but Akazaki Kaita (2nd year) made 11 passes to move up to 6th place in the second leg. Following him, Taketa Koji (1st year) likewise ran a good leg, finishing 3rd in the section and pushing the team up to 2nd place.
Then, in the 4th leg, the longest at 9.1km, 1st-year Iwata Kenji ran a section-best time of 26 minutes and 41 seconds, taking the lead. Riding that momentum, they maintained their lead through the 5th and 6th legs, fending off the competition.
A traditional powerhouse with a record of 61 appearances, 7 wins, and 32 top-three finishes in the National High School Ekiden. After finishing 18th last year, they secured a good start to the new year by also winning the Kyushu Selected High School Ekiden two weeks ago, aiming for a return to the top and further success.
Saitama Eiwa (Saitama) finished 2nd in 2 hours, 8 minutes, and 38 seconds, and Takushoku University (Tokyo) finished 3rd in 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 26 seconds. The local team, Sakucho Seisho (Nagano), finished 7th.
Team Members and Top Results
- Kobayashi
- 1st Leg (7.98km): Yano Yuto (2nd year) – 23 minutes 39 seconds (17th in section)
- 2nd Leg (7.52km): Akazaki Kaita (2nd year) – 23 minutes 20 seconds (4th in section)
- 3rd Leg (7.2km): Taketa Koji (1st year) – 22 minutes 30 seconds (3rd in section)
- 4th Leg (9.1km): Iwata Kenji (1st year) – 26 minutes 41 seconds (Section Winner)
- 5th Leg (5.1km): Ueda Mitsuru (2nd year) – 14 minutes 55 seconds (4th in section)
- 6th Leg (5.295km): Taniyama Ryota (2nd year) – 16 minutes 54 seconds (7th in section)
Top Results
- 1st: Kobayashi (Miyazaki) – 2 hours 7 minutes 59 seconds
- 2nd: Saitama Eiwa (Saitama) – 2 hours 8 minutes 38 seconds
- 3rd: Takushoku University (Tokyo) – 2 hours 9 minutes 26 seconds
- 4th: Rakuhoku (Kyoto) – 2 hours 9 minutes 46 seconds
- 5th: Kyushu Gakuin (Kumamoto) – 2 hours 10 minutes 02 seconds
- 6th: Toyokawa (Aichi) – 2 hours 10 minutes 16 seconds
- 7th: Sakucho Seisho (Nagano) – 2 hours 10 minutes 20 seconds
- 8th: Sapporo Yamano Te (Hokkaido) – 2 hours 10 minutes 55 seconds
