# International Chiba Ekiden

The International Chiba Ekiden was an annual team road running competition held in Chiba, Japan in late November. The marathon relay race, or ekiden as it is known in Japan, is one of the prominent annual races of its kind. The competition is split into six legs which combine to make up the marathon distance of 42.195 km. The Chiba Ekiden was first held in 1988 and featured separate competitions for both men and women. Since 2007, each competing country selects three men and three women for their team. The legs are divided as follows: 5 km (men), 5 km (women), 10 km (men), 5 km (women), 10 km (men), and 7.195 km (women).
The men's world record for the event was set at the competition in 2005 as the Kenyan team of Josephat Ndambiri, Martin Mathathi, Daniel Mwangi, Mekubo Mogusu, Onesmus Nyerere and John Kariuki completed the course in a time of 1:57:06. In the same race the Japanese team ran an Asian record, the United States men ran a North American record and the fourth-placed Russian team broke the European record.

## Winners

    Key: Stage winner
Men's and women's era :
| Year | Men | Women |
| 1988 | Ethiopia | New Zealand |
| 1990 | Japan | Romania |
| 1991 | Australia | Kenya |
| 1992 | Australia | Japan |
| 1993 | Morocco | Japan |
| 1994 | Ethiopia | Japan |
| 1995 | Australia | Japan |
| 1996 | South Africa | Japan |
| 1997 | Kenya | Japan |
| 1998 | Japan | Japan |
| 1999 | Japan | Japan |
| 2000 | Japan | Japan |
| 2001 | South Africa | Japan |
| 2002 | Ethiopia | Ethiopia |
| 2003 | Ethiopia | Ethiopia |
| 2004 | Ethiopia | Ethiopia |
| 2005 | Kenya Josephat Ndambiri, Martin Mathathi Daniel Mwangi, Mekubo Mogusu Onesmus Nyerere and John Kariuki | Kenya Philes Ongori, Evelyn Wambui ?, Catherine Ndereba ?, ? |
| 2006 | Kenya Martin Mathathi, Gideon Ngatuny Josephat Ndambiri, Sammy Korir Mekubo Mogusu, Cyrus Njui | Kenya Philes Ongori, Evelyne Kemunto Kimwei Sally Kaptich Chepyego, Catherine Ndereba Jane Wanjiku, Lucy Wangui |
Mixed era :
| Year | Winner | Time | Athletes (stage winners) |
| 2007 | Japan | 2:05:56 | Yuichiro Ueno, Kayoko Fukushi, Kenji Noguchi, Megumi Kinukawa, Kensuke Takezawa, Yukiko Akaba |
| 2008 | Ethiopia | 2:05:27 | Ali Abdosh, Sule Utura, Dejen Gebremeskel, Belaynesh Fekadu, Hunegnaw Mesfin, Tsega Gelaw |
| 2009 | Japan | 2:05:58 | Yuichiro Ueno, Yuriko Kobayashi, Kensuke Takezawa, Yukiko Akaba, Atsushi Sato, Yurika Nakamura |
| 2010 | Japan Collegiate | 2:07:52 | Taku Fujimoto, Risa Takenaka, Yo Yazawa, Kasumi Nishihara, Shota Hiraga, Hanae Tanaka |
| 2011 | Kenya | 2:04:40 | Thomas Longosiwa, Lidia Mathathi, Patrick Mutunga Mwikya, Pauline Kahenya, Edwin Mokua, Pamela Lisoreng |
| 2012 | Kenya | 2:05:06 | Thomas Longosiwa, Gladys Cherono, Edwin Soi, Priscah Jeptoo, Philip Mosima, Joyce Chepkurui |
Hanji Aoki Cup International Chiba Ekiden - 42.195 km - Stage Winners :
| | First.stage......5.0 km........................... | Second.stage......5.0 km.women.................... | Third.stage......10.0 km.......................... | Fourth.stage......5.0 km.women.................... | Fifth.stage......10.0 km.......................... | Sixth.stage......7.195 km.women....................... |
| 2007 | 1. Moses Masai (KEN) - 13:22 2. Yuichiro Ueno (Japan) - 13:29 3. Ed Moran (USA) - 13:32 | 1. Emily Chebet (KEN) - 15:38 2. Kayoko Fukushi (Japan) - 15:34 3. Elena Zadorozhnaya (Russia) - 15:37 | 1. Barnaba Sigei (KEN) - 28:32 2. Evgeny Rybakov (Russia) - 29:00 3. Scott Bauhs (USA) - 28:31 | 1. Catherine Kirui (KEN) - 16:20 2. Megumi Kinukawa (Japan) - 16:03 3. Olesya Syreva (Russia) - 16:38 | 1. Joseph Birech (KEN) - 29:21 2. Kensuke Takezawa (Japan) - 28:49 3. Ryan Sheehan (USA) - 29:31 | 1. Yukiko Akaba (Japan) - 22:39 2. Catherine Ndereba (KEN) - 23:53 3. Lilia Shobukhova (Russia) - 23:15 |
| 2008 | Ali Abdosh (ETH) - 13:34 | Yuriko Kobayashi (Japan) 15:08 - new stage record | Dejen Gebremeskel (ETH) 28:20 - new stage record | Belaynesh Fikadu (ETH) 15:34 - new stage record | Hunegnaw Mesfin (ETH) - 28:54 | Maria Konovalova (Russia) - 23:31 |
| 2009 | Craig Mottram (Australia) - 13:23 | Yuriko Kobayashi (Japan) - 15:09 | Kensuke Takezawa (Japan) - 29:07 | Yukiko Akaba (Japan) 15:34 - ties stage record | Atsushi Sato (Japan) - 28:57 | Hikari Yoshimoto (Japan Univ. Select) - 23:12 |
| 2010 | Yuichiro Ueno (JPN) - 13:23 | Yuriko Kobayashi (JPN) - 15:27 | Titus Mbishei (KEN) - 28:57 | Kasumi Nishihara (JUT) - 16:02 | Tsuyoshi Ugachi (JPN) - 28:51 | Pauline Korikwiang (KEN) - 23:20 |
| 2011 | 1. Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa (KEN) - 13:36 2. Egor Nikolaev (RUS) - 13:38 3. Robert Cheseret (U.S.A.) - 13:38 | 1. Kasumi Nishihara (JPN) - 15:17 2. Risa Takenaka (UNIV) - 15:36 3. Lisa Corrigan (AUS) - 15:48 | 1. Patrick Mutunga Mwikya (KEN) 28:08 -new stage record 2. Evgeny Rybakov (RUS) - 28:42 3. Kensuke Takezawa (JPN) - 28:53 | 1. Yuriko Kobayashi (JPN) - 15:46 2. Hikari Yoshimoto (UNIV) - 15:49 3. Elena Korobkina (RUS) - 16:21 | 1. Edwin Nyandusi Mokua (KEN) 27:43 - new stage record 2. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (JPN) - 28:47 3. Bobby Mack (U.S.A.) - 28:55 | 1. Hitomi Niiya (JPN) 22:36 - new stage record 2. Pamela Chesopich Lisoreng (KEN) - 22:52 3. Emily Brichacek (AUS) - 23:46 |
Hanji Aoki Cup International Chiba Ekiden - 42.195 km - :
| | First.Place...................... | Second.Place..................... | Third.Place...................... | Fourth.Place..................... | Fifth.Place...................... | Sixth.Place...................... | Seventh.Place.................... | Eight.Place...................... | Ninth.Place...................... | Tenth.Place...................... | Eleventh.Place................... | Twelfth.Place.................... |
| 2007 | Japan - 2:05:56 | Kenya - 2:07:06 | Russia - 2:08:00 | USA - 2:09:05 | Japan University Select - 2:09:22 | Great Britain - 2:10:11 | Australia - 2:11:56 | Chiba Prefecture - 2:11:57 | Romania - 2:12:17 | China - 2:13:59 | Belarus - 2:14:32 | Poland - 2:15:10 |
| 2008 | Ethiopia - 2:05:27 new course record | Japan - 2:06:39 | Russia - 2:08:04 | Japanese University Select - 2:08:47 | Australia - 2:09:36 | Chiba Prefecture - 2:10:00 | Great Britain - 2:10:12 | U.S.A. - 2:11:54 | Canada - 2:11:56 | China - 2:12:11 | Sweden - 2:12:16 | Brazil - 2:14:15 |
| 2009 | Japan - 2:05:58 | Japanese University Select - 2:07:47 | Kenya - 2:08:34 | Chiba (Japan) Prefecture - 2:09:26 | U.S.A. - 2:09:42 | Russia - 2:11:19 | Australia - 2:11:35 | Canada - 2:12:24 | Italy - 2:13:13 | Romania - 2:14:28 | China - 2:14:47 | Belarus - 2:15:11 |
| 2010 | Japan University Select - 2:07:52 | Kenya - 2:08:06 | Japan - 2:08:12 | Russia - 2:09:35 | U.S.A. - 2:10:54 | Chiba Prefecture - 2:12:56 | Australia - 2:14:07 | Italy - 2:14:55 | Romania - 2:15:02 | Canada - 2:15:13 | Czech Republic - 2:15:23 | Norway - 2:17:01 |
| 2011 | Kenya - 2:04:40 - CR | Japan - 2:04:59 (CR) | Japanese University Select- 2:07:26 | Russia - 2:07:56 | U.S.A. - 2:09:06 | Australia - 2:09:56 | Chiba Prefecture - 2:11:55 | Poland - 2:12:53 | Romania - 2:13:39 | Canada - 2:13:52 | New Zealand - 2:14:37 | Czech Republic - 2:16:33 |