The FT Nikkei UK Ekiden welcomes ASICS, a leading global sports brand, as an official sponsor of the race as the event gears up for its highly anticipated second year scheduled for 20th June 2025.
ASICS sponsorship adds and exciting new dimension to the race. Our ambitions are aligned which lead to their decision to become an official sponsor. The partnership demonstrates the value of cross-cultural sports and aims to raise awareness of ekiden racing in the UK and beyond.
Launched in 2024, this competitive long-distance “ekiden” relay is set to welcome 30 university and corporate teams, including runners from the leading British cross-country university teams, including the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and the University of Birmingham. Corporate participants will have the unique opportunity to sponsor the event and field their own teams in this celebration of sport, teamwork and shared endeavour.
Based on one of Japan’s prestigious running race formats, the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden showcases the best of Japan and the UK, offering participants and spectators an unparalleled platform to celebrate culture, collaboration, and shared effort.
While ekiden racing originated in Japan, it has gained international popularity and the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden first introduced the concept of competitive university team races to the UK. ASICS has been actively supporting running events worldwide including the virtual ekiden race “ASICS World Ekiden” during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Founder of UK Ekiden, Anna Dingley, said: ““The inspiration behind launching ekiden in the UK stems from being deeply impressed by ekiden in Japan which boast 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. “
Tomoko Koda, Managing Executive Officer at ASICS Corporation said: “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.”
FT Nikkei UK Ekiden Year 2 will take place along the scenic Thames Path covering approximately 110 km. The term ekiden combines “eki” (relay point) and “den” (to convey), reflecting its historical origins as a communication system in Japan. Today, it is a beloved spectator sport in Japan and ekiden races like the Hakone Ekiden draw tens of millions of viewers in Japan. The FT Nikkei UK Ekiden incorporates many of the elements from the traditional ekiden, with participants wearing the traditional tasuki sash to symbolise the connection and responsibility passed from runner to runner.
Listen to our podcast with UK Ekiden founder Anna Dingley here
