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3,764 riders cruised along the Sanriku coast at "Tour de Tohoku 2016"!
The fourth annual cycling fan ride event, "Tour de Tohoku 2016" (hosted by Kahoku Shimpo and Yahoo!), took place on September 17th and 18th along the Sanriku coast of Miyagi Prefecture, spanning two cities and two towns (Ishinomaki City, Onagawa Town, Minamisanriku Town, Kesennuma City). It is not a race competing for rankings or times, but is held with the purpose of enjoying the ride.
This year marked the first time the event spanned two days, featuring the "Onagawa-Ogachi Fondo" (60 km), "Kitakami Fondo" (100 km), "Minamisanriku Fondo" (170 km), "Kesennuma Fondo" (211 km), and the newly added "Oshika Peninsula Challenge Group Ride" (100km) for group participation.
On the 17th, the "Oshika Peninsula Challenge Group Ride" took place. Teams rode the mountainous course with its relentless ups and downs at their own pace, and all 175 participants safely completed the ride to the finish line at Ishinomaki Senshu University.
On the second day, the 18th, rain began early in the morning. At the main event venue, Ishinomaki Senshu University, the longest course, the "Kesennuma Fondo," started at 5:30 AM. Subsequent courses departed one after another.
Participating for the third time, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy joined the "Kesennuma One-Way Fondo" departing from Kesennuma. At the start ceremony, she commented, "Today, we ride with the memories of the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake in our hearts, and also thinking of those affected by the recent typhoons. And we celebrate the true spirit of Tohoku and the reconstruction efforts being undertaken by its people," before starting the 95-kilometer course.
Karen Michibata, the event's public relations ambassador, participated in two courses: the "Oshika Peninsula Challenge Group Ride" on the 17th and the "Kitakami Fondo" on the 18th.
Governor Yoshihiro Murai of Miyagi Prefecture participated in the "Onagawa-Ogachi Fondo" for the first time. Before the start, he addressed the participants: "Everyone, please enjoy seeing and feeling with your own eyes and skin the current state of reconstruction in the disaster-affected areas. I will also ride the 60-kilometer course with you. Let's do our best."
Additionally, Tohoku Support Ambassador and Paralympian Mana Tani of Suntory Holdings, along with fellow Tohoku Support Ambassador and sports journalist Tetsuo Nakanishi, participated in the "Onagawa-Ogachi Fondo," cycling through the Sanriku coastal region.
The dishes made with local ingredients served at each aid station were also popular. At the Onagawa Aid Station, the first rest stop after starting at Ishinomaki Senshu University, hot Onagawa soup with sanma fish balls was served, warming up the rain-soaked participants.
Appearing at the water stations were Green Dakara-chan, Mugi-chan, and Otona Dakara-chan, the commercial characters for the event's official drink, GREEN DA・KA・RA. They handed out drinks to the riders who had traveled about 20 kilometers, encouraging them with words such as, "Good job!" and "Keep up the good work from here!"
At the main venue, Ishinomaki Senshu University, the "Tour de Tohoku O-En Rice Bowl" food festival was held to support producers through eating and deepen the bonds between people visiting the Tour de Tohoku through food. This time, the "Tour Don Tohoku Grand Prix" was held to select the best creative rice bowl using ingredients from Tohoku. Thirteen rice bowls were entered, and people who purchased them on the day participated in the voting.
A live performance by musician Ryota Fujimaki, featuring the official theme song "LIFE," also took place, drawing a large crowd including not only the runners but also their families and local residents.
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