Sports · Running & Athletics · 3 hrs ago
Ehime Bank faces Princess Ekiden with only one reserve runner
Ehime Bank’s women’s running team is trying to qualify for the Queens Ekiden again at the Princess Ekiden in Fukuoka, Japan.
The race covers 42.195 kilometres over six legs, and 16 of the 30 teams advance to the Queens Ekiden.
Last year, Ehime Bank finished 16th out of 31 teams and reached the national event for the first time.
This year, two runners from last year’s team have left, and Ayu Ishitani is unlikely to race because of health problems.
With Ishitani unavailable, the team has seven runners for six legs, leaving just one reserve.
Coach Fumikazu Kobayashi plans to use rookie Mirai Matsuoka in the final leg, though this will be her first company-team relay race.
The team must finish among the top 16 to return to the Queens Ekiden.
Ehime Bank’s women’s track team will contest the Princess Ekiden with only one reserve runner available.
Two of its six runners from last year have left, and Ayu Ishitani is unlikely to compete because of illness.
The six-stage race is a qualifier for the Queens Ekiden, which Ehime Bank reached for the first time last year.
The team finished 16th among 31 teams in last year’s Princess Ekiden, just inside the qualifying places.
Coach Fumikazu Kobayashi plans to use rookie Mirai Matsuoka in the final stage.
- Who
- Ehime Bank’s women’s track team.
- What
- The team is competing in the Princess Ekiden with only one reserve runner.
- When
- October 18, 2026.
- Where
- Munakata YURIX in Fukuoka, Japan.
- Why
- The race is a qualifier for the Queens Ekiden, and Ehime Bank is seeking to qualify for the second consecutive year.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ehime Bank finished 16th among 31 teams at the Princess Ekiden and qualified for the Queens Ekiden for the first time.
The team undertook a demanding training session ahead of the race.
The Princess Ekiden’s race entries were announced.
The Princess Ekiden is scheduled to take place in Fukuoka.
- Available reserves
- 1
- Relay stages
- 6
- Ishitani’s status
- Unlikely to compete because of illness
- Matsuoka’s planned stage
- Final stage, 6.695 km
- Last year’s finish
- 16th of 31 teams
3 sources
What people are saying
Since I ran as a member last year, I hope I can use that experience to support the team mentally and physically.
The members and situation are different from last year, but that is not unique to our team, so we are thinking about how to prepare to compete with this year’s members.