ASICS BECOMES AN OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF THE FT NIKKEI UK EKIDEN YEAR 2 RACE IN THE UK
2024.12.20 PRESS
[DECEMBER 20, 2024 – KOBE, JAPAN] ASICS Corporation is pleased to announce that it has become an official sponsor of the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden Year 2, which will be held along the Thames Path, from Windsor on June 20th 2025.
The FT Nikkei UK Ekiden was established in 2024 with the aim of celebrating the culture of Ekiden racing where teams race with a “tasuki” sash instead of a baton. Each member runs as part of a team, which brings with it a strong sense of camaraderie, excitement and competition. The race is divided into two categories: ‘racers’; university teams such as the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Birmingham, made up of 10 runners (5 men and 5 women) and ‘runners’; corporate teams that also sponsor the race. 15 teams are expected in each category (30 teams in total). This year, the course runs along the scenic Thames Path starting from Windsor, to the halfway point in Reading, and returning to Windsor, covering an approximate distance of 110km.
ASICS made the decision to become an official sponsor of the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden in support of the main race objectives. and the efforts to actively encourage schools to host a “mini Ekiden” and learn about sportsmanship and teamwork. The competition also aims to promote interaction with Japanese student runners and to introduce the culture of Ekiden within the UK. Additionally, a portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to support initiatives such as promoting sport.
ASICS has been actively supporting running events worldwide. From 2020 to 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASICS organised the virtual Ekiden race, “ASICS World Ekiden,” which allowed participants to enjoy the experience as a single team, even while being apart. The event garnered significant attention, with over 110,000 participants from 175 countries over its three-year run.
Moving forward, ASICS will continue to engage in various initiatives to promote running culture, while communicating with runners worldwide to incorporate their insights into the development of better products and services.
○ Comment from Anna Dingley, founder of the organising body UK Ekiden
The inspiration behind launching Ekiden in the UK stems from being deeply impressed by Ekiden in Japan which boasts a history of over 100 years. Being able to share the excitement and drama of this Japanese sport across cultural and national boundaries is a dream come true. We are honoured to host the "FT Nikkei UK Ekiden Year 2" with ASICS as part of our team this year, and look forward to shining a global spotlight on the University running scene.
○Comment from Tomoko Koda, Managing Executive Officer, ASICS Corporation
We were deeply moved by Anna's profound understanding and passion for Ekiden, a sport originating in Japan, and are honoured to support “FT Nikkei UK Ekiden Year 2” Ekiden, which is said to have a history spanning over 100 years, is a wonderful sport and sporting culture nurtured in Japan. Also, there are many commonalities with ASICS' approach of "developing youth through sports," such as outreach activities for children. It naturally fosters connections through training together and sharing joy and excitement while working towards a common goal. We hope that this event will further increase interest in Ekiden and grow the sport around the world.
○About UK EKIDEN
Photo credit: PH Balance