The variability of the weather was the dominant fact of the second day in Wajima.
At the start it was raining heavily and seemed to remember why the famous "Singing in the rain" by Frank Sinatra.
The rain combined with an annoying westerly wind has characterized the first part of 50 km at least up to 30 km.
At 10km
Immediately goes to lead Takayuki Tanii and pass al 10km in 44:17 (22:05 - 22:12).
He is followed by the couple Hirooki Arai and Takuyua Yoshida in 44:48 (22:18 - 22:30).
Shortly behind Yuki Yamazaki.
At 20 km
Between 10th and 15th km Yoshida collects three red cards. It will be disqualified at the 16 km mark, having received yet another.
At 20 km always is leading Takayuki Tanii in 1:28:27 (22:07 - 22:03).
Second is Arai in 1:29:38 (22:21 - 22:29) which has since been joined by Yuki Yamazaki.
Ayato Katuki follows.
At 30 km
Shortly after 22 km Arai force the pace and Yamazaki is off.
Around 26 km Yuki Yamazaki goes in crisis; he never will recover.
At 30 km always Takayuki Tanii ahead in 2:12:51 (22:04 - 22:20).
Second always Arai 2:14:04 (22:13 - 22:13) that has covered the third part of the race with an impressive regularity.
Third place goes Katuki.
At this point in the race, barring unforeseen circumstances, the selection to Rio de Janeiro is already made: in addition to Takayuki Tanii selected as third in Beijing and Koichiro Morioka as winner in Takahata selection at the end of season 2015, the third place it should be assigned to Arai.
Meanwhile the weather changes.
The rain stopped, the wind dropped and the sun came out.
It all seems to turn for the better, but it will not be so.
At 40 km
The race does not change.
Leader is Takayuki Tanii in 2:57:39 (22:12 - 22:36).
Second always Hirooki Arai in 2:58:57 (22:19 - 22:34)
Third is Ayato Katuki to almost 5 minutes from Tanii.
At 50 km
Arai, incited by the local public, is reducing the gap by Tanii and tries a comeback to win the title.
Takayuki Tanii after having given a few seconds between 40 and 44 km resists and wins the title in 3:44:12 (23:30 - 23:03)
Second is Hirooki Arai in 3:44:46 (22:47 - 23:02).
Third is Ayato Katuki.
They do not have time to get that all hell breaks loose.
Westerly wind gusts well over 5m/s.
Flying the posting boards and all the gazebo of the juries and timekeepers.
Other walker are folded forward or literally fly if pushed from behind by the wind. An unforgettable feeling.
However a great race.
For satisfaction of statisticians and coaches here are the times of the first two, lap by lap and intermediate km.
Takayuki Tanii
2km. 8:52
4km. 17.41 (8.49)
5km. 5.22 (4.24)
6km. 26.31 (4.26)
8km. 35.22 (8.51)
10km. 44.17 (8.55) (22.12)
12km. 53.09 (8.52)
14km. 1: 01:59 (8:50)
15km. 1: 06.24 (4.25) (22.07)
16km. 1: 10:49 (4.25)
18km. 1: 19:38 (8:49)
20km. 1: 28.27 (8.49) (22.03)
22km. 1: 37.17 (8:50)
24km. 1: 46.07 (8:50)
25km. 1: 50.31 (4.24) (4.22)
26km. 1: 54.56 (4.25)
28km. 2: 03:48 (8:52)
30km. 2: 12.51 (9.03) (22.20)
32km. 2: 21:41 (8:50)
34km. 2: 30.36 (8:55)
35km. 2: 35.03 (4.27) (12.22)
36km. 2: 39.32 (4.29)
38km. 2: 48.34 (09.02)
40km. 2: 57.39 (9.05) (22.36)
42km. 3: 6:56 (9:17)
44km. 3: 16:23 (9.27)
45km. 3: 21.09 (4.46) (23.30)
46km. 3: 25.47 (4:38)
48km. 3: 35.06 (9.19)
50km. 3: 44.12 (9.06) (23.03)
Hirooki Arai
2km. 8:55
4km. 17.51 (8.56)
5km. 22:18 (4:27)
6km. 26.50 (4.32)
8km. 35.51 (9.01)
10km.44.48 (8.57) (22.30)
12km. 53.47 (8.59)
14km. 1: 02:41 (8:54)
15km. 1: 07.09 (4.28) (22.21)
16km. 1: 11:39 (4:30)
18km. 1: 20:35 (8:56)
20km. 1: 29.38 (9.03) (22.29)
22km. 1: 38.31 (8:58)
24km. 1: 47.26 (8:55)
25km. 1: 51.51 (4.25) (22.13)
26km. 1: 56.20 (4.29)
28km. 2: 05.12 (8.52)
30km. 2: 14.04 (8.52) (22.13)
32km. 2: 23:00 (8:56)
34km. 2: 31.55 (8:55)
35km. 2: 36.23 (4.28) (22.19)
36km. 2: 40.55 (4.32)
38km. 2: 49.54 (8:59)
40km. 2: 58.57 (9.03) (22.34)
42km. 3: 3.8 (9.06)
44km. 3: 17.10 (9.07)
45km. 3: 21.44 (4.34) (22.47)
46km. 3: 26.22 (4:38)
48km. 3: 35.41 (9.19)
50km. 3: 44.46 (9.05) (23:02)
Takayuki Tanii Altre tue victory
Arai, Tanii and Morioka selected to Rio with he daugther of Tanii