Ekiden team racing tests the water in the US

by Helmut Winter

The Northern Arizona (NAZ) Pro Team won the first Ekiden relay race “Michigan Pro Ekiden” on US soil in 2:10:11 hours with a two-minute lead over Hanson's Project A Team in 2:12:08.

The race over the marathon distance took place on a track in the US state of Michigan, north of Detroit. In each case three male runners and three female runners divided the route into segments of 2 × 10 km, 2 × 6.1 km and 2 × 5 km. Already after the first change after 10 km the favored, HOKA-sponsored NAZ team was in front by 12 seconds over Brooks Hanson’s Team A 28:46.

Lauren Paquette was able to extend NAZ’s lead on the following 6.1 km stage by 17 seconds giving Northern Arizona a lead which was never seriously challenged.

The organisers regarded the event as a successful launch to what could become a popular formula particularly since, after several months of Corona-induced abstinence, runners were again in genuine competition.