Japan and France dominate 24hr Challenge

Japan and France took both the individual and team titles respectively in the men’s and women’s divisions at the 6th IAU 24hrs World Challenge in Seoul, Korea which was held on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October.

Ryoichi Sekiya (JPN) and Anne-Mare Vernet (FRA) were the individual champions on the circuit of 920m in length which had a surface of asphalt and concrete and was situated in Young Deungpo –gu, Seoul.

Indicating the dominance of these two nations, Japan took second place behind France’s women’s team win and the French did the same behind Japan’s victory in the men’s team standings.

France took a sweep of the women’s individual podium – Anne-Cecile Fontaine and Bec Brigitte were second and third – while Japan backed up Sekiya’s victory with a bronze taken by Yuki Sakai, sandwiched in between was France’s Fabien Hoblea.

RESULTS

Men     
1. SEKIYA Ryoichi JPN,
295 laps; 272.421km; 23:54:59.68 time; 0.022km added; 272.443 total km
2. HOBLEA Fabien FRA,
288 laps; 265.957km; 23:54:08.78 time; 0.195km added; 266.152 total km
3. SAKAI Yuji JPN,
285 laps; 263.186km; 23:53:51.20 time; 0.28km added; 263.466 total km

Teams
1. Japan
2. France
3. Russia

Women   
1. VERNET Anne-Mare FRA
258 laps; 238.253km; 23:49:20.12 time; 0.509km added; 238.762 total km
2. FONTAINE Anne-Cecile FRA
258 laps; 238.252km; 23:54:15.34 time; 0.076km added; 238.328 total km
3. BEC Brigitte FRA
248 laps; 229.018km; 23:08:33.52 time; 0.8km added; 229.818 total km

Teams
1. France
2. Japan
3. Germany

Further information, photos, and full results go to – https://www.iau-ultramarathon.org/

IAAF