Ritsumeikan wins relay event over a 114km course between Windsor and Reading

Japanese university Ritsumeikan won the second FT Nikkei UK Ekiden after a 114km battle with 15 of the best UK university endurance running teams, including the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Edinburgh University and Loughborough University.

While it was last year’s winners, the University of Oxford, that ultimately crossed the line first with a time of 6:53:50, they were disqualified for not making the tasuki handover within the designated area.

Loughborough University and St Mary’s were second and third, often at times in a tense battle behind the leaders in 29C heat.

Athletes in action included multiple British record-holder Eilish McColgan and triathlete Beth Potter.

"What a ride!" said McColgan, who was representing an ASICS corporate team. "I took on the final 10.2km leg and had three near dog collisions, two gate stops and zero faceplants on a bumpy trail… we’ll call that a win.

"Huge honour to run as part of the ASICS corporate team, with our CEO Hirota-san kicking things off. Not every company sends their CEO and top execs halfway across the world to sweat it out on the trails from Windsor to Reading - 114km in total! They don't just make running shoes - they live and breathe it."

While officially the University of Oxford were disqualified, they were awarded a special prize for their enormous effort and teamwork by the organisers.

Anna Dingley, the race organiser, said: “This year's competition was fierce. Every team put in blistering performances in the challenging heat, and we couldn’t be more impressed by the runners’ endurance and teamwork. Well done, everyone! We’re excited to see how this race continues to grow amongst universities and corporate teams here in the UK."

The 114km relay began and ended in Brocas Field, Windsor, following the Thames Path to King’s Meadow in Reading and back. In total, 31 teams – including 15 top British university athletics squads, one guest team from Japan and 15 corporate teams – competed in the challenge, with each team of 10 runners passing a traditional Japanese tasuki sash in place of a baton.

The tasuki represents the shared endeavour of each team and the interconnectedness of the runners. Each member doesn’t just pass a sash, they pass on the responsibility, the trust, and the spirit of the team to the next runner. This tradition harks back to the origin of Ekiden, inspired by the communication system of old Japan, where messages were relayed over distances by multiple runners.

Supported by Financial Times and Nikkei, the race seeks to shine a light on university team running and deepen people-to-people links between the United Kingdom and Japan through the shared joy of sport. It also offers a unique opportunity for British participants and spectators to experience the traditions and values of Japanese running culture. The collaborative ethos embodied in the Ekiden format is at the heart of the event, celebrating teamwork and the collective achievement of a shared goal.