Mara Yamauchi and Takashi Ota Win Ome 30 km Road Race

(c) 2010 Brett Larner

Mara Yamauchi (GBR) continued her return from the injuries that kept her out of last summer's World Championships and the fall marathon season win a 1:43:24 win at the classic 2010 Ome 30 km Road Race in the mountains west of Tokyo on Feb. 21. Yamauchi pulled away from veteran Hiromi Ominami (Team Toyota Shatai) just before 15 km and steadily lengthened her lead over the hills in the middle section of the course. Up by 48 seconds at 25 km, Yamauchi ran 17:30 for the final 5 km to Ominami's 17:07, finally winning by a margin of just 25 seconds. Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind A.C.) ran most of the race in 4th place behind little-known Saori Makishima (Canon A.C. Kyushu) but had a strong last 5 km to take 3rd. Makishima went on to DNF. Yamauchi's win adds to her three titles in Ome's 10 km over the last four years.

The men's 30 km was a blowout as 2006 Ome winner Takashi Ota (Team Konica Minolta) frontran his way to a repeat victory in 1:31:54. With at least three of the other invited athletes sitting the race out, nobody even attempted to go with Ota. Four runners ran together in a chase pack behind Ota, among them American Patrick Rizzo. The pack stayed together through 25 km but when the pace accelerated on the flat final 5 km Yusuke Kitaoka (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) emerged to take 2nd in 1:34:36. Rizzo was just 9 seconds back in 1:34:45. Down by one minute at 25 km, Kenji Onaka (Team NTT Nishi Nihon) had a strong finish as he overtook Ryotaro Nitta (Team Konica Minolta) for 5th.

In the women's 10 km, Yuko Machida (Team Nihon ChemiCon) took her first win after two runner-up placings, outrunning a pack of four to finish in 33:40. Eisuke Shioda (Kugayama H.S.) won the men's 10 km in 30:50.

2010 Ome 30 km - Top Finishers
click here for complete results
Women
1. Mara Yamauchi (GBR) - 1:43:24
2. Hiromi Ominami (Team Toyota Shatai) - 1:43:49
3. Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind A.C.) - 1:49:14
4. Mizuho Kishi (Team Yamada Denki) - 1:52:15
5. Chie Asami (Hachioji H.S.) - 2:01:34

Men
1. Takashi Ota (Team Konica Minolta) - 1:31:54
2. Yusuke Kataoka (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) - 1:34:36
3. Patrick Rizzo (U.S.A.) - 1:34:45
4. Koji Sato (Team NTT Nishi Nihon) - 1:35:07
5. Kenji Onaka (Team NTT Nishi Nihon) - 1:35:38

10 km - Top Finishers
Women
1. Yuko Machida (Team Nihon ChemiCon) - 33:40
2. Megumi Kanetomo (Team Yamada Denki) - 33:52
3. Misato Yamaguchi (Team Yamada Denki) - 33:55

Men
1. Eisuke Shioda (Kugayama H.S.) - 30:50
2. Akira Kasahara (Takuichi H.S.) - 31:00
3. Toshiya Suzuki (Takuichi H.S.) - 31:04