KAN-KWAN College Sailing Game 第33回 総合関関戦

Although non-Japanese may know nothing about the Japan intercollegiate sailing, the sailing sports is very popular and has long history over 80 years. Its characteristic is that event boats are only 470 and Snipe classes and the race format is fleet race, but the final score is the total of team boats' scores. The winner is not an indivisual competitor but a team !

The KAN-KWAN Sailing Game was held from June 5th - 6th, 2010 at the Nishinomiya yacht harbour, where locates between Osaka and Kobe and which is called one of the most famous three sailing areas in Japan. The Kan-Kwan Sailing Game is one of all sports games between Kansai University and Kwansei-Gakuin University. We call the boat trace game with Oxford & Cambridge (UK), the football game with Harvard & Yale (USA) and Kan-Kwan Game (JPN) "Three Big Intercollegiate Games in the world".  <see the right photos>      
KANSAI is a familiar name. KAN (KWAN) means the boundary that divides Japan into East and West. SAI (SEI) means west and TOO means east. Therefore KAN-SAI is the west of Japan and its capital is Osaka, our city. KAN-TOO is the east of Japan and needless to say, its capital is Tokyo.
Both clubs’ student sailors are fairly strong. Incidentally, Kwansei-Gakuin Univ. 470 team won the 2nd place and Kansai Univ. Snipe team won the 2nd place in the last Japan intercollegiate sailing championships 2009. (PS: Kansai Univ. Snipe team won a silver medal at the Snipe Junior World 2009, San Diego, USA.)

The clubs cherish their long-established tradition. Then this time I will focus on the scenery of their “SHORE DUTIES” in particular.

Photo 1: Exchanging yells, 8:30am
Both teams face to face and exchange yells each other.

Photo 2: Singing school songs, 9:00am
Teams are singing school songs in unison before going into battle.

Photo 3: Opening ceremony, 9:20am
Sailors form two rows.The chair of the event and OB sailors of both clubs gave lecture to sailors.
 
Photo 4: Kick-off Meeting, 9:30am
Coachs are giving a lecture to team members. Seniors (students in the fourth year) are sitting on the bench but juniors, sophomores and freshmen are sitting on the ground regardless of summer or winter. Because there are not enough chairs for all?

Photo 5: Cheering before leaving from the slope, 10:00am
Cheering parties consist of substitute members and are yelling to competitors.
Competitors and substitutes are yelling with their arms around each other's shoulder.
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Photo 6: Prize-giving ceremony, 20:30pm.
The ceremony started after getting dark because of lots of protests, but they never worry about much delay.
Sailors change into their uniforms and flag bearers are hoisting their club flags.
The chair of the event awards a estimonial and a trophy like a steering.

Photo 7: Commemorative photo, 21:00pm
<left>The winners, Kwansei-Gakuin Univ members, are assembled in the club house.
<right>The losers a close game, Kansai Univ members, hold an evaluation meeting outside of the club house?

And what's more photo; The editor on the Jury boat.
Photos by the editor and a part of photos is quoted from the belows;
Kansai Univ. Sailing Club website: http://kandaiyacht.web.fc2.com/
Kwansei-Gakuin Univ. Sailing Club website: https://kgyachtclub.wixsite.com/kgyachtclub