All Japan Team Racing Nationals

Hiroshima, Japan, October 13, 2025. The 24th All-Japan Team Racing Championship (2025) was held at Hiroshima Kannon Marina on October 12th and 13th. In addition to local Hiroshima adult and university teams, the regatta also saw many participants from outside the prefecture, with a total of 6 teams and 50 participants.

(Source: Hideki Matsuo, Hiroshima Prefectural Sailing Federation)

The All-Japan Team Racing Championship was held at Hiroshima Kannon Marina. Six teams, totaling 50 people, participated, primarily consisting of alumni from the university federation, creating a truly exciting event.

Participating teams are often made up of close friends from Kyushu University, Doshisha University, Kyoto University, and Hiroshima University. One of the great things about this race is that it brings together old friends from all over the country.

The race was a three-on-three battle using Snipe-class boats. The course was designed specifically for team racing, and teams had to negotiate each other’s moves at every mark. While going as fast as possible is important, boat handling, team strategy, and teamwork were also required. Understanding the rules was also crucial.

The six teams competed in a round-robin format in the first and second qualifying rounds, and the top four teams advanced to the finals based on their results. The semi-finals (a three-race knockout format) featured a battle between two-time defending champions, Kyushu University Alumni, another Kyushu University Alumni team, first-time Doshisha University alumni Wakakujira, and local Hiroshima University alumni Shibuki-kai.

The final pitted the Kyushu University Alumni, who had advanced through the tournament as a “Yokozuna” (sumo wrestling champion), against first-time participants Wakakujira. Both teams put aggressive pressure on each other from the start, with protest flags flying everywhere.

The race was a whirlwind, with positions changing hands at every mark, and it was a close one right up until the finish line. Each team sacrificed points to prioritize their teammate’s finish.

However, the two-time defending champions, Kyushu University Alumni, were one step ahead, steadily capturing points. As a result, Kyushu University Alumni were crowned the 2025 champions.

Blessed with wind, a total of 40 races were held over two days. The All-Japan Team Race will be held here in Hiroshima again in 2026. We hope you will join us!

For team races, both the sails and boats are provided by the regatta organizers, and entry fees are relatively low, so anyone with six people (maximum ten) can easily participate.

As it places less strain on the athletes and helps them improve their skills, the university federation is proposing the adoption of team races. Please look forward to next year’s All Japan Team Racing Championships.