2025年度 UK駅伝

FT Nikkei UK Ekiden Year 2 took place on 20 June 2025, along a 114 km loop on the Thames Path between Windsor and Reading.

Building on the spirit of its inaugural year, this year’s race brought together 31 teams—including universities, corporate-sponsored teams, and community teams.

The winners

The ‘Racers’ category, featuring 16 universities from across the UK and a guest team from Japan, was won by Ritsumeikan University.

Loughborough University and the University of St Mary’s in London took home second and third place.

The ‘Runners’ category was won by Hi Seiki Maurten, a team put together by the sports-fuel maker Maurten.

The second place went to FT Nikkei Yamazakura, and the third place went to the team from SMBC.

So much more than one race on one day

In Year 2, the UK Ekiden was much more than one race on one day. People of all ages were invited to learn more about the ekiden and get involved with a series of activities we had organised.

Across the country, primary schools held their own mini-Ekiden races, giving students the chance to explore Japanese culture and the rich tradition of ekiden racing while experiencing the importance of teamwork through fun and active participation.

We also launched a competition inviting secondary school and university students to design the official finishing medal for the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden Year 2.

In addition, a series of pre-race educational and training events brought together our corporate sponsors, strengthening connections and building excitement ahead of race day.

Thank you to all our Sponsors

The UK Ekiden was proudly supported by several sponsors who have been aligned with the athleticism, history, and Japanese heritage of the race. Sponsoring businesses also entered teams into the ‘Runners’ category.

Thank you to all our Supporters

What made 2025 special?

One of the pillars of the UK Ekiden is to celebrate the strong connection between Japan and the UK. Each year, the team behind the event selects prizes that reflect this meaningful link, ensuring that the prizes for our winners tell a story of both cultures.

A huge thank you to all our sponsors, with special thanks to the Financial Times, Nikkei, ASICS, and Maurten for their contributions to the finishers’ bags.

Medals

This year’s medal design competition was won by Alexander Scott from the Online College of Art and Design.

The medal beautifully captured the essence of the UK Ekiden and the special connection between Britain and Japan, and celebrated the spirit of the ekiden.

Featuring Windsor Castle, the medal marked the start and finish points of the race, and a segment of the River Thames can be seen in the shape of the British flag, representing the race route.

In homage to the race’s origins, the medal also featured a traditional Japanese bridge supported by the character “to run,” a nod to the historic starting point of the first ekiden at Kyoto’s Sanjo Ohashi Bridge. The medal’s circular shape subtly echoeed the red sun disk of the Japanese flag, tying together the cross-cultural narrative.

Kagoshima Prefecture

Kagoshima played a special role in the UK Ekiden for Year 2, as we celebrated the 160th anniversary of the students’ coming over from Kagoshima to study in London in 1865.

The winners received Satsuma yaki pottery, and the base for The Ridding Cup was made from a 1000-year-old piece of yakusugi wood, also from the prefecture of Kagoshima.

With huge thanks to Japan Airlines for bringing over 5 runners from Kagoshima and the yakusugi, and to Kagoshima Prefectural Government, the Satsuma Students Museum, Ouguchi Shuzo, Seiyu Co., Ltd., Seika Foods Co., Ltd, Japan Airlines, and Kagoshima Kenjinkai in the UK.

The Ridding Cup

In Year 2, we introduced the ‘Ridding Cup’ as our trophy to the winning university team.

Designed by LINLEY, a British brand renowned for its craftsmanship, the cup marked the beginning of a new tradition. The elegant design combines British heritage with a modern twist, making it the perfect symbol for the UK Ekiden.

The Ridding Cup incorporates timber from the London Plane tree, appropriately known as the “lungs of the city”, and the base is made from 1000-year-old Yakusugi wood from Yakusugi in Kagoshima, brought over by Japan Airlines.

The trophy has been engraved with Ritsumeikan University as the winner of the 2025 race, and will continue to be engraved with the winner’s name each year.