PROFILE
Belongs to Columbia Sportswear Japan . . He is a graduate of Saku Nagasei High School , a prestigious ekiden (relay race) school. After graduating from high school, he entered Waseda University, but instead of aiming for the Hakone Ekiden, he joined the track and field club because he wanted to enjoy running. After placing 5th in the Shibamata 100K in Tokyo, he was scouted by his current sponsor, Columbia Sportswear, and began trail running. In his debut race, he won with a new record. In his second race, he placed 6th in the most prestigious race in Japan, the "Japan Alpine Endurance Race. Since then, he has won numerous competitions and broken records. In 2016, he won the 100 km race held in the United States with a new event record. In 2019, he will become a world champion by winning the Skyrunner World Series.
, a very hard competition that cannot be experienced in Japanese races.
He said, "It wasn't smooth sailing throughout the season, and in the final race we were very close to our rivals, but in the end we won the race by 12 seconds over the second-place finisher. I think he was the reason for the dramatic turn of events, and that made it all the more joyous."
The 2019 Skyrunner World Series. Rui Ueda, the winner of the world-class event, looks back on the finish line of the final race of the series and says, "I'm very proud of my victory. He is a professional runner sponsored by various brands, including the French-born car brand "Renault" as its ambassador. He is the first Japanese to win the title of world champion.
The Skyrunner World Series consists of 15 annual races in 11 countries and a final round of 16 races in which only the best finishers qualify. Within the 15 regular races, there are 4 bonus races where double points are awarded. Rankings are based on those points, but only four of the 15 races can be credited (up to two of those bonuses). In the final race, 2.5 times the points are awarded, which determines the final standings."
Athletes are free to enter, but if they run too fast, they will lose strength, and if they target too narrowly, it will be difficult for them to remain in the top ranks if they do not perform well. In other words, the competition is a battle of brains that requires self-analysis and strategy.
If I enter a race to fill a hole that a strong competitor is not likely to enter, I can increase my winning percentage and earn good points. On the other hand, if I enter a race in which a competitor is likely to enter and win, I can reduce their points. It's like a battle for position. I entered a total of seven races. The shortest race is about 20 kilometers, and the longest is over 70 kilometers. However, skyrunning is also about the difference in elevation," he said.
This time, Mr. Ueda won the "Skyrunning" event. So-called trail running is a sport governed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and includes deserts and coastal areas. Skyrunning, on the other hand, is run by the International Alpine Federation and basically involves running in the mountains. There are high mountains and steep slopes of 20% or 30%," Ueda said.
The race required technical footholds, steep elevation changes, and steep inclines in some areas. Such a course is a very hard competition that you cannot experience in Japanese races.
