Skip to main content

Records and Stats From Hakone 2011

by Brett Larner

Records set at this year's outstanding Hakone Ekiden along with associated stats and commentary:

Average 5000 m, 10000 m and half marathon PBs of the ten starters from each of the 1st through 5th place teams overall:

While the average 5000 m and 10000 m PBs have little relationship to the final finishing order, there is, unsurprisingly, a direct correlation with average half marathon PB. The average stage length in Hakone is 21.8 km.

Overall Course Record - 217.9 km, 10 Stages (average stage length 21.8 km)
Waseda Univ. - 10:59:50 - 3:27 under old CR
av. pace: 3:01.7 / km; equiv. 10-man half marathon av.: 1:03:53

Toyo Univ. - 11:00:12 - also under previous CR
av. pace: 3:01.8 / km; equiv. 10-man half marathon av.: 1:03:55

First time all ten men on one team have averaged under 1:04 for equivalent half marathon performance. Previous record of 11:03:17 set by Komazawa Univ. in 2000. Waseda became the first school to win and set course records at all three major university ekidens, October's Izumo Ekiden, November's National University Ekiden Championships, and the Hakone Ekiden, in one season.

Day One Course Record - 108.0 km, 5 Stages (>800 m climb)
Toyo Univ. - 5:29:50 - 1:16 under previous CR
av. pace: 3:03.2 / km

Waseda Univ. - 5:30:17 - also under previous CR
av. pace: 3:03.5 / km

Previous record of 5:31:06 set by Yamanashi Gakuin Univ. in 2003.

Fourth Stage Record - 18.5 km
Tomonao Nishimura (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.) - 54:34 - 0:31 under previous CR

Previous record of 55:04 set by Yusuke Mita (1st yr., Waseda Univ.) in 2009.

Sixth Stage Record - 20.8 km (>800 m descent)
Kenta Chiba (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.) - 58:11 - 0:10 under previous CR

Previous record of 58:21 set by Nobutaka Kaneko (3rd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) in 2001.

Regular Year (20 Teams) Passing Record
Akinobu Murasawa (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 17 places (20th to 3rd, 2nd Stage)

Previous record of 15 jointly held by Daniel Gitau (3rd yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya, 2nd Stage, 2008) and Takuro Nakagawa (Juntendo Univ., 2nd Stage, 2003). Gitau passed 20 people at the 2009 Hakone Ekiden which featured 23 teams. Also making the all-time passing lists, Tetsuya Yoroizaka (3rd yr., Meiji Univ.) and Takehiro Deki (2nd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) each passed 11 people on the 2nd Stage, and John Maina (1st yr., Takushoku Univ./Kenya) passed 10. Cosmas Ondiba (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya) passed 11 people on the 3rd Stage, the 2nd-most ever on that leg.

Closest-Ever Margin of Victory
22 seconds, Waseda Univ. (1st) - Toyo Univ. (2nd)

Closest-Ever Margin for Seeded Bracket
2 seconds, Koku Gakuin Univ. (10th) - Josai Univ. (11th)

Best-Ever Performances by First-Years
First Stage (21.4 km) - Suguru Osako (1st yr., Waseda Univ.) - 1:02:23
Second Stage (23.2 km) - Keita Shitara (1st yr., Toyo Univ.) - 1:08:09

Best-Ever Performances by Second-Years
Second Stage (23.2 km) - Akinobu Murasawa (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 1:06:52
Fourth Stage (18.5 km) - Yuki Maeda (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.) - 55:06
Sixth Stage (20.8 km) - Kenta Chiba (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.) - 58:11

Best-Ever Performances by Third-Years
Third Stage (21.5 km) - Cosmas Ondiba (3rd yr., YGU/Kenya) - 1:02:19
Fourth Stage (18.5 km) - Hiroyuki Uno (3rd yr., Toyo Univ.) - 55:25
Fifth Stage (23.4 km) - Ryuji Kashiwabara (3rd yr., Toyo Univ.) - 1:17:53

Best-Ever Performances by Fourth-Years
Fourth Stage (18.5 km) - Tomonao Nishimura (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.) - 54:34

School Record Times and Best-Ever Team Placings - Overall (217.9 km, 10 Stages)
1. Waseda Univ. - 10:59:50 (course record time, first win in 18 years)
2. Toyo Univ. - 11:00:12
4. Tokai Univ. - 11:08:12
5. Meiji Univ. - 11:08:24 (best placing in 48 years)
7. Takushoku Univ. - 11:11:28 (best-ever placing)
9. Aoyama Gakuin Univ. - 11:13:20
10. Koku Gakuin Univ. - 11:13:23 (first-ever seeded finish)
11. Josai Univ. - 11:13:25
13. Teikyo Univ. - 11:14:21
14. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. - 11:15:43
19. Jobu Univ. - 11:25:11

School Record Times - Day One (108.0 km, 5 Stages, >800 m climb)
1. Toyo Univ. - 5:29:50 (course record time, 3rd-straight win)
2. Waseda Univ. - 5:30:17
3. Tokai Univ. - 5:31:47
4. Meiji Univ. - 5:32:11
6. Koku Gakuin Univ. - 5:35:00 (best-ever placing)
7. Josai Univ. - 5:35:32 (best-ever placing)
9. Takushoku Univ. - 5:36:01
11. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. - 5:36:28
14. Senshu Univ. - 5:37:18
16. Aoyama Gakuin Univ. - 5:37:53
20. Jobu Univ. - 5:41:36


School Record Times - Day Two (109.9 km, 5 Stages, >800 m descent)
1. Waseda Univ. - 5:29:34 (course record time)
2. Toyo Univ. - 5:30:22
4. Takushoku Univ. - 5:35:27

4. Aoyama Gakuin Univ. - 5:35:27
7. Meiji Univ. - 5:36:13
13. Koku Gakuin Univ. - 5:38:23
15. Tokyo Nogyo Univ. - 5:39:15
18. Jobu Univ. - 5:43:35

All-Time Top-10 Schools Overall - 217.9 km, 10 Stages
1. Waseda Univ., 2011 - 10:59:50
2. Toyo Univ., 2011 - 11:00:12
3. Komazawa Univ., 2000 - 11:03:17
4. Juntendo Univ., 2007 - 11:05:29
5. Nittai Univ., 2005 - 11:07:23
6. Nihon Univ., 2005 - 11:07:48
7. Chuo Univ., 2005 - 11:07:49
8. Tokai Univ., 2011 - 11:08:12
9. Meiji Univ., 2011 - 11:08:24
10. Yamanashi Gakuin Univ., 2003 - 11:08:28


All-Time Top-10 Schools Day One - 108.0 km, 5 Stages
1. Toyo Univ., 2011 - 5:29:50
2. Waseda Univ., 2011 - 5:30:17
3. Yamanashi Gakuin Univ., 2003 - 5:31:06
4. Tokai Univ., 2011 - 5:31:46
5. Meiji Univ., 2011 - 5:32:10
6. Komazawa Univ., 2005 - 5:32:41
7. Juntendo Univ., 2007 - 5:33:13
8. Nihon Univ., 2005 - 5:34:09
9. Chuo Univ., 2006 - 5:34:45
10. Teikyo Univ., 2000 - 5:34:52


All-Time Top-10 Schools Day Two - 109.9 km, 5 Stages
1. Komazawa Univ., 2002 - 5:28:47
2. Waseda Univ., 2011 - 5:29:34
3. Toyo Univ., 2011 - 5:30:22
4. Juntendo Univ., 2001 - 5:30:57
5. Chuo Univ, 2005 - 5:31:13
6. Daito Bunka Univ., 2001 - 5:31:22
7. Kanagawa Univ., 2001 - 5:31:34
8. Nittai Univ., 2005 - 5:31:42
9. Hosei Univ., 2006 - 5:32:55
10. Asia Univ., 2006 - 5:33:09


All-Time Top-10 Individuals By Stage
First Stage - 21.4 km
1. Yuki Sato (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.), 2007 - 1:01:06
2. Yasuyuki Watanabe (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1994 - 1:01:13
3. Yuji Nakamura (2nd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.), 1995 - 1:01:32
4. Masatoshi Ibata (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.), 1994 - 1:01:40
5. Seiji Kushibe (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1993 - 102:09
6. Suguru Osako (1st yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 1:02:23
7. Takashi Hojo (4th yr., Meiji Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:27
8. Kazuyoshi Tokumoto (2nd yr., Hosei Univ.), 2000 - 1:02:39
9. Yo Yazawa (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:40
10. Tatsuo Yuasa (4th yr., Senshu Univ.), 1998 - 1:02:46
10. Koji Gokaya (4th yr., Senshu Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:46


Second Stage - 23.2 km
1. Mekubo Mogusu (4th yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya), 2009 - 1:06:04
2. Naoki Mishiro (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 1999 - 1:06:46
3. Yasuyuki Watanabe (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1995 - 1:06:48
4. Akinobu Murasawa (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.), 2011 - 1:06:52
5. Daniel Gitau (3rd yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya), 2009 - 1:07:04
6. Benjamin Gandu (2nd yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya), 2011 - 1:07:09
7. Stephen Mayaka (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya), 1995 - 1:07:20
8. Masakazu Fujiwara (4th yr., Chuo Univ.), 2003 - 1:07:31
9. Masami Otsuka (4th yr., Nittai Univ.), 1983 - 1:07:34
10. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (3rd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2011 - 1:07:36

Third Stage - 21.5 km
1. Kensuke Takezawa (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2009 - 1:01:40
2. Yuki Sato (1st yr., Tokai Univ.), 2006 - 1:02:12
3. Cosmas Ondiba (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ./Kenya), 2011 - 1:02:19
4. Takuya Noguchi (3rd yr., Nittai Univ.), 2010 - 1:02:46
5. Masamiki Kobayashi (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 1995 - 1:02:49
6. Yuichiro Ueno (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2007 - 1:02:50
7. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (2nd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2010 - 1:03:08
8. Shota Hattori (1st yr., Nittai Univ.), 2011 - 1:03:13
9. Daniel Gitau (1st yr., Nihon Univ./Kenya), 2007 - 1:03:15
10. Yoshiaki Kitajima (2nd yr., Teikyo Univ.), 2000 - 1:03:16

Fourth Stage - 18.5 km
1. Tomonao Nishimura (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.), 2011 - 54:34
2. Yusuke Mita (1st yr., Waseda Univ.), 2009 - 55:05
3. Yuki Maeda (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 55:06
4. Keita Baba (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.), 2009 - 55:12
5. Yasunori Murakami (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2006 - 55:20
6. Takahiro Aso (4th yr., Kokushikan Univ.), 2008 - 55:24
7. Hiroyuki Uno (3rd yr., Toyo Univ), 2011 - 55:25
8. Kodai Matsumoto (3rd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2009 - 55:28
9. Hidekazu Sato (2nd yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2007 - 55:30
10. Masatoshi Kikuchi (2nd yr., Asia Univ.), 2006 - 55:36


Fifth Stage - 23.4 km (>800 m climb)
1. Ryuji Kashiwabara (2nd yr., Toyo Univ.), 2010 - 1:17:08
2. Masato Imai (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2007 - 1:18:05
3. Ryota Komano (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2008 - 1:18:12
4. Kazuharu Murakami (4th yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2006 - 1:19:30
5. Hideyuki Anzai (4th yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2008 - 1:19:38
6. Hiroki Oe (2nd yr., Meiji Univ.), 2011 - 1:19:52
7. Hiroyuki Ono (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2009 - 1:19:56
8. Masato Takeshita (4th yr., Nittai Univ.), 2009 - 1:20:02
8. Shun Amano (4th yr., Kanagawa Univ.), 2011 - 1:20:02
10. Masaki Shimoju (4th yr., Nihon Univ.), 2006 - 1:20:19

Sixth Stage - 20.8 km (>800 m descent)
1. Kenta Chiba (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2011 - 58:11
2. Nobutaka Kaneko (3rd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2001 - 58:21
3. Shoji Miyai (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2001 - 58:29
3. Shunsuke Nomura (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2004 - 58:29
5. Noriaki Nagai (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2000 - 58:35
6. Hiroki Takano (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 58:55
7. Yoryo Tatsumi (4th yr., Senshu Univ.), 2006 - 59:07
8. Shogo Matsugaki (3rd yr., Hosei Univ.), 2006 - 59:09
9. Takumi Sato (4th yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2009 - 59:14
10. Sodai Kato (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2008 - 59:15


Seventh Stage - 21.3 km
1. Yuki Sato (3rd yr., Tokai Univ.), 2008 - 1:02:35
2. Ryuji Takei (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1993 - 1:02:53
3. Yuji Kai (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2000 - 1:03:12
4. Masayuki Kobayashi (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 1997 - 1:03:13
5. Shogo Yoshimura (1st yr., Kanagawa Univ.), 2001 - 1:03:20
6. Ryuji Sorayama (1st yr., Waseda Univ.), 2002 - 1:03:33
7. Junichi Shibata (2nd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2002 - 1:03:36
8. Takanori Sakai (3rd yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2001 - 1:03:38
9. Shinobu Kubota (1st yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2011 - 1:03:43
10. Masamiki Kobayashi (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 1994 - 1:03:44


Tenth Stage - 23.1 km
1. Genta Matsuse (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.), 2007 - 1:08:59
2. Hiroyuki Yamada (4th yr., Nittai Univ.), 2005 - 1:09:05
3. Hiroshi Takaoka (3rd yr., Waseda Univ.), 2005 - 1:09:40
4. Kenji Yamamoto (3rd yr., Toyo Univ.), 2011 - 1:09:46
5. Masashi Kitaura (3rd yr., Komazawa Univ.), 2003 - 1:09:54
6. Kenji Nakashima (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2011 - 1:10:03
7. Yoshito Nagaiwa (2nd yr., Josai Univ.), 2008 - 1:10:14
8. Yuki Sakurai (4th yr., Waseda Univ.), 2002 - 1:10:18
9. Kei Manako (4th yr., Daito Bunka Univ.), 2001 - 1:10:19
9. Ko Tamura (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.), 2005 - 1:10:19

(c) 2011 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

Comments

TokyoRacer said…
Thanks - those individual top ten records are really interesting. Especially that so many have been set in the past few years.
For those who don't know it, Yasuyuki Watanabe (1st and 2nd stages) is the present Waseda coach....not nearly as thin as he used to be.
Brett Larner said…
Thanks, Bob. I found yesterday that if you take New Year Ekiden ace stage winner Yuki Sato's time there over 22 km and extrapolate it out to 23.2 km it is 1:06:53, one second slower than Murasawa ran. Sato had a more favorable tailwind most of the way and ran on a net downhill course, while Murasawa ran on a net uphill course. Like Murasawa, Sato also went to Saku Chosei H.S. and Tokai Univ.

Most-Read This Week

Ninja Runner Yuka Ando Leads Japanese Women's Marathon Team in London: "I Want to Go For It"

Her form has been dubbed "ninja running." Both arms held straight down with almost no movement. That idiosyncratic style carried Yuka Ando , 23, to the fastest-ever marathon debut by a Japanese woman, 2:21:36, at March's Nagoya Women's Marathon to land at #4 on the all-time Japanese lists. All at once Ando found herself catapulted to the top level of women's marathoning, a candidate for Japan's next great marathoner. When she was younger Ando ran moving her arms like other runners, but she had a bad habit of moving robotically, her upper body and lower body not working in sync. The turning point came in 2014 when she joined Suzuki Hamamatsu AC . Working there with coach Masayuki Satouchi to eliminate the faults in her form, the pair arrived at the ninja running style that let her run relaxed. "Other people keep asking me, "Isn't it hard to run like that?" but for me it's comfortable," she said. The efficient form helped her mai

Yamaguchi 10th at United Airlines NYC Half - Weekend Overseas Results

2024 national cross-country champion Tomonori Yamaguchi was the top Japanese finisher in the men's race at the United Airlines NYC Half , taking 10th in 1:04:36. A 2nd-year at Waseda University , Yamaguchi was one of three collegiate runners running New York in the 11th year of JRN's development program collaboration between the Ageo City Half Marathon and the New York Road Runners, a program that has seen people like future half marathon and marathon NR breaker Yuta Shitara and Paris Olympic team member Akira Akasaki make their international debuts. Yamaguchi's Waseda teammate Taishi Ito started fast, going with the leaders through 5 km in 14:29 before losing touch. Hosei University senior Rei Matsunaga went through in 14:42 in his last race before joining the JR Higashi Nihon corporate team in April. Yamaguchi, who caught COVID after winning last month's National Cross-Country Championships, started more conservatively with a 15:11 first 5km. But where both Ito

Rui Aoki Wins National University Men's Half Marathon - Weekend Results

Yuka Ando 's win at the Nagoya Women's Marathon was the big news of the weekend, but there were other high-level races happening, even in Nagoya. Held in parallel with the marathon, the Nagoya City Half Marathon saw Australians Natalie Rule and Ed Goddard take easy wins by about 2.5 minutes each, Rule in 1:13:57 and Goddard in 1:04:01. The new Biwako Marathon also had a non-Japanese winner, China's Yousheng Guan scoring 1st in 2:14:58 with Japan's Hirohito Sugai next in 2:16:40. Mikiko Ota won the women's race in 2:50:44. The Shizuoka Marathon returned for its first running in five years, with club runner Shumpei Oda leading the top 7 men under 2:20 in 2:15:36. Women's winner Remi Tanaka ran 2:41:23, beating runner-up Ayumi Sano by exactly 7 minutes. And in Tokyo, Rui Aoki continued what has been a great season so far for Koku Gakuin University with a win at the National University Men's Half Marathon . Aoki and Hiro Konda of Chuo Gakuin Unive