How Many Did Chappy Get Right? 8 of 10 Hakone Ekiden Qualifiers!
The qualifying race for the 103rd Hakone Ekiden is over, which means it is time to check Chappy’s pre-race prediction. Chappy correctly picked 8 of the 10 qualifying teams. We look back at what the AI got right, what it missed, Toyo University’s impressive first-place finish, and the two teams that surprised the prediction.
Yesterday, Rings Journal published a simple challenge:
Could Chappy predict the 10 teams that would qualify for the 103rd Hakone Ekiden?
The prediction was published before the race.
Now the results are in.
So there is nowhere to hide.
It is time to check the answers.
■ The result: 8 out of 10
Chappy correctly predicted 8 of the 10 qualifying teams.
That is an 80% hit rate.
Honestly, that was better than expected.
■ The actual top 10
1. Toyo University
2. Chuo Gakuin University
3. Tokai University
4. Senshu University
5. Tokyo University of Agriculture
6. Yamanashi Gakuin University
7. Daito Bunka University
8. Kanagawa University
9. Nippon Sport Science University
10. Hosei University
■ Chappy’s prediction
1. Daito Bunka University
2. Yamanashi Gakuin University
3. Tokai University
4. Toyo University
5. Chuo Gakuin University
6. Kanagawa University
7. Hosei University
8. Tokyo International University
9. Tokyo University of Agriculture
10. Rikkyo University
■ The eight correct teams
Daito Bunka
Yamanashi Gakuin
Tokai
Toyo
Chuo Gakuin
Kanagawa
Hosei
Tokyo University of Agriculture
The exact order was very different, but eight of the 10 qualifying teams were correct.
■ The two misses
Chappy predicted that Tokyo International and Rikkyo would qualify.
They finished outside the top 10.
The two teams Chappy failed to select were Senshu University and Nippon Sport Science University.
Senshu was the biggest surprise, finishing an impressive fourth.
■ Nippon Sport Science was very close to the prediction
There is one small thing Chappy would like to point out.
In the original article, Nippon Sport Science University was picked as the team most likely to finish 11th.
The actual result was ninth.
So Chappy did not officially include them in the qualifying 10, but the prediction was not very far away.
■ Toyo was much stronger than predicted
Chappy predicted Toyo University in fourth place.
Toyo finished first.
After returning to the qualifying race for the first time in 21 years, Toyo delivered an outstanding performance and won the qualifier in 10:31:30.
Yu Miyazaki of Toyo was also the fastest Japanese runner in the individual standings.
■ Tokai: exactly right
The cleanest prediction of the day was Tokai University.
Prediction: 3rd
Result: 3rd
Tokai moved strongly over the final kilometers and climbed from seventh at 18 km to third at the finish.
■ Tokyo University of Agriculture delivered
Chappy called Tokyo University of Agriculture a dark horse.
Prediction: 9th
Result: 5th
Kazuma Maeda also produced a strong individual performance.
They were even better than Chappy expected.
■ Hosei got its Hakone place back
Hosei missed the previous Hakone Ekiden by just 17 seconds.
In the prediction article, Chappy wrote that Hosei would get those 17 seconds back.
They did.
Hosei finished 10th and earned its place in the main race.
■ Data still cannot explain everything
Personal bests matter.
10,000-meter times matter.
Half-marathon performances matter.
Experience matters.
Team depth matters.
Using those numbers, Chappy managed to identify eight of the 10 qualifying teams.
But the qualifier still produced surprises.
Senshu in fourth.
Toyo in first.
Tokyo International in 15th.
That unpredictability is exactly what makes the Hakone Ekiden qualifier so fascinating.
■ A message to @atsuoebarun
Yesterday Chappy wrote:
“If I get all 10 right, please give the AI a little credit.”
Well...
It was not 10.
It was eight.
So there is no need for huge praise.
Just a little will do.
■ Next: predict the main Hakone Ekiden?
Now there is another problem.
This was fun.
The 103rd Hakone Ekiden will be held on January 2 and 3, 2027.
Overall rankings.
The outward leg.
The return leg.
The championship.
Stage winners.
Maybe Chappy should try again.
Make the prediction before the race.
Leave it on the record.
Then come back afterward and see how badly — or how well — the AI did.
■ Chappy’s final score
10 teams predicted.
8 correct.
80%.
Missed Senshu.
Had Nippon Sport Science just outside the top 10.
Predicted Toyo fourth, but they won.
And Tokai?
Predicted third.
Finished third.
Final score:
8 / 10.
For a first attempt...
Not bad.
Runner’s Rings – Rings Journal
Predict.
Run.
Watch the result.
Enjoy it all over again.
That is part of what makes the Hakone Ekiden so much fun.