Keirin

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Keirin (ケイリン^?)

Keirin in Colwood, British Columbia, July 2006.
Highest governing body	Union Cycliste Internationale
First played	1948 in Japan
Clubs	Nihon Jitensha Shinkōkai (Japanese Keirin Association)
Characteristics
Categorization	Track cycling
Olympic	2000

Keirin (ケイリン^?) is a track cycling event in which racing cyclists sprint for victory. Keirin originated in Japan in 1948; the first Olympic competitions in the sport occurred in 2000.

Description

Keirin is a mass-start track cycling event in which 6-9 sprinters compete at one time in a race with a paced start. Riders draw lots to determine starting positions and start as the pacer (which could be a motorcycle, a derny, or a tandem bicycle, for example) approaches. The riders are required to remain behind the pacer, which starts at the deliberately slow speed of about 25 km/h, gradually increasing in speed and leaves the track approximately 600-700 meters before the end, at a speed of about 50 km/h. The first cyclist to finish the race is the winner (sometimes finishing at 70 km/h). Keirin races are about 2 kilometers in length (eight laps on a 250m track, six laps on a 333m track, and five laps on a 400m track).

In competitions, this event is often conducted in several rounds in order to reduce the number of competitors to one "final" round of 6-9 riders. Eliminated cyclists may get the opportunity to try again in the repechages.

World championships

Keirin has been a UCI men's World Championship event since 1980. It has been a UCI women's World Championship event since 2002. Danny Clark was the first male UCI world champion and Li Na of China was the sport's first female UCI world champion. The current men's and women's world champions (2009) are Maximilian Levy of Germany and Guo Shuang of China, respectively.

Olympics

Olympics	(Men's) Champion
2000	Florian Rousseau (FRA)
2004	Ryan Bayley (AUS)
2008	Chris Hoy (GBR)

Keirin was admitted into the Olympics in December 1996^[1]. A BBC News investigation, reported in July 2008, found evidence that following the sport's admission into the Olympics, the Union Cycliste Internationale required (in writing) that the Japan Keirin Association support UCI projects in "material terms"; over a period of time the association subsequently gave three million dollars to UCI in consideration of "the excellent relationship the UCI has with representatives of the Olympic movement."^[1]

Men's keirin became an event at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Keirin in Japan

The entrance and grandstand at the Iwaki-Taira Velodrome in Iwaki, Fukushima.

Start of a race at Tachikawa Velodrome in Tokyo. Riders start from the blocks and pace up to speed behind the pacer, wearing purple and orange. A referee observes the start in the tower to the right.

During a race at Ōmiya Velodrome in Saitama, the nine racers form a line behind the pacer as they go around a corner.

Racers sprinting to the finish line in the last lap of a race at the Ōmiya Velodrome.

Professional cycling (競輪, keirin^?) began as a betting sport in Japan in 1948, and has since become very popular there. In 1957, the Nihon Jitensha Shinkōkai (NJS; also known in English as the Japanese Keirin Association) was founded to establish a uniform system of standards for the sport in Japan.

Aspiring professional keirin riders in Japan compete for entrance into the Japan Keirin School. The 10 percent of applicants who are accepted then undergo a strict, 15-hours per day, training regimen. Those who pass the graduation exams, and are approved by the NJS become eligible for professional keirin races in Japan.

Champions from Japan

Koichi Nakano (中野 浩一, Nakano Kōichi^?) is the all-time winning cyclist on the Japan Professional Keirin circuit. One of the first Japanese keirin athletes to compete outside of his native country, Nakano holds the best record as a track cyclist at the UCI Track World Championships with a record of ten consecutive professional Sprint World Track Cycling Championship wins from 1977-86 against mostly western European pro track cyclists, although he never won the Keirin World Championship. At that time, many leading sprint riders were from the Eastern bloc countries and competed in separate "amateur" events.

Masaki Inoue (井上　昌己, Inoue Masaki^?), a keirin racer from Nagasaki Prefecture, is the defending champion of the Keirin Grand Prix. In 2008, Inoue earned nearly ¥168 million in prize money (US$1.86 million). This includes the ¥100 million (US$1.1 million) prize for winning the Grand Prix. The defending champion of the Japan Championship is Toyoki Takeda (武田　豊樹, Takeda Toyoki^?), a Keirin racer from Ibaraki Prefecture.

Typical race

Keirin races in Japan begin with all nine bicyclists parading to the starting blocks, bowing as they enter the track and again as they position their bikes for the start of the race. Every participant is assigned a number and a color for identification and betting purposes, much like colored saddle cloths used in American horse racing.

At the sound of the gun, the bicyclists leave their starting blocks and attempt to gain position behind the pacer, a keirin bicyclist wearing purple with orange stripes. As the pace quickens, the pacer will usually depart the track with between one and two laps remaining, but the actual location where the pacer leaves varies with every race.

With 1½ laps remaining, officials begin sounding a bell or gong, increasing in frequency until the bicyclists come around to begin the final lap of the race.

The race is monitored by four referees, each located in a tower next to one of the four turns (referred to as corners). After every race, each referee will wave either a white or red flag. A white flag indicates that no infractions occurred in that area. A red flag, however, signals a possible infraction and launches an inquiry into the race. Judges then examine the race on videotape to decide if a participant committed a rules violation; if so, he is disqualified and retires from the remainder of the meet.

Keirin ovals are divided into specific areas: The two straightaways (homestretch and backstretch), the four turns (corners), and two locations called the "center", referring to the area between corners 1 and 2 (1 center) and corners 3 and 4 (2 center).

Most keirin events are run at the standard distance of approximately 2,000 metres (6,600 ft)^[2], with the highest-caliber events contested at a longer distance. The Keirin Grand Prix, for example, is run at 2,825 metres (9,270 ft), or seven laps around a 400-meter course.

Rankings

There are a total of six rankings that competitors can obtain in Japanese keirin racing. SS is the highest ranking, followed by S1, S2, A1, A2 and A3. All new keirin graduates begin their careers with an A3 ranking and work their way up by competing in keirin events.

The color of the shorts worn by each keirin competitor indicates rank. Those in A-class (A1, A2, A3) wear black shorts with a green stripe and white stars. S-class competitors (S1 and S2) wear a red stripe instead of a green stripe. Those in the elite SS class wear red shorts with a black stripe, white stars and special insignia. Introduced in 2007, the SS ranking is assigned by the NJS every December before the Grand Prix to the best keirin athletes, who retain the ranking for a period of one year.^[3]

Race grades

A race meeting at any given keirin velodrome in Japan is assigned a grade. The highest graded events are GP, GI (G1), GII (G2) and GIII (G3), reserved only for S-class riders. Underneath those are FI (F1) events, which are open to both S-class and A-class riders. The lowest graded events, FII (F2), are reserved for A-class riders.

The GP grade designation is reserved for the Keirin Grand Prix, a three-day meet held at the end of December for the year's top keirin competitors. The meet ultimately concludes with the Grand Prix race itself, which determines the annual Keirin racing champion.

As of December 2008, the nine competitors for the Keirin Grand Prix race are determined in the following order of priority:^[4]

• Winners of each of six GI events during the year (Keirin Festival, Japan Championship, Prince Takamatsu Memorial Cup, Prince Tomohito Cup, All-Star Keirin and All-Japan Selection),
• Japanese medal winners of cycling events from the Summer Olympic Games, if they are held in the same year,
• Competitors recommended by a Keirin selection committee,
• Competitors that have earned the most money from finishing first, second or third in Keirin events during the year, and finally,
• Competitors with the highest average race score during the year.

Once the Grand Prix field is determined, the nine competitors are assigned the SS rank and retain it for one year. The next nine competitors that are ranked under this system also receive the SS rank and compete in the GI SS Cup held one day prior to the Grand Prix. Also part of the Grand Prix meet is the GII Young Grand Prix, which is open to the best of those that have begun competing in Keirin within the last three years; it is the only Keirin race of the year in which both S-class and A-class compete in the same race.

Another prestigious event on the annual keirin racing calendar is the GI Japan Championship. Held every March over a period of six days, it is the longest single race meeting of the year.

Each of the keirin velodromes are generally permitted to host one event per year of either GI, GII or GIII designation. The remaining events at each track consist of a combination of FI and FII races for a total of approximately 70 race days per year. On average there is one GI or GII event every month and one GIII meeting per week on the annual calendar.

Top events

Table Notes:

¹Up to 2008, the Kyodo News Service meet was run annually in October and was simply known as the Kyodo News Service Cup. It was split into the Spring Cup and Autumn Cup for the first time in 2009.

²In 2009 it was announced that the Keirin Festival, originally held in January, would be moved to November. Consequently, two Keirin Festival meets were held in 2009.

Race schedule

Keirin velodromes follow the same basic schedule of races when conducting a race meeting. On the first day of competition, the better keirin competitors are assigned to races of higher caliber, while others are assigned to low-caliber races. Keirin racers are guaranteed to compete on each day of the meeting.

Below is a schedule of races conducted during a typical three-day FI event (open to both S-class and A-class riders).^[5]

DAY 1

• Races 1-3: A-class Preliminary (A級 予選, A kyū yosen^?) (low caliber)
  • First two finishers in each race advance to Day 2 Semi-finals
  • Third place finishers advance to Day 2 Selection
  • Remaining riders compete in Day 2 General
• Races 4 & 5: A-class Selection (A級 選抜, A kyū senbatsu^?) (medium caliber)
  • First six finishers in each race advance to Day 2 Semi-finals
  • Remaining riders compete in Day 2 Selection
• Race 6: A-class Special (A級 特選, A kyū tokusen^?) (high caliber)
  • All riders compete in Day 2 Semi-finals

After six races, S-class riders compete, advancing to the next day's races in the same manner as the A class:

• Races 7-9: S-class Preliminary (S級 予選, S kyū yosen^?)
• Races 10 & 11: S-class Selection (S級 選抜, S kyū senbatsu^?)
• Race 12: S-class Special (S級 特選, S kyū tokusen^?)

DAY 2

• Races 1 & 2: A-class General (A級 一般, A kyū itsuban^?)
  • First two finishers in each race advance to Day 3 Selection
  • Remaining riders compete in Day 3 General
• Race 3: A-class Selection (A級 選抜, A kyū senbatsu^?)
  • First three finishers advance to Day 3 Special Excellence
  • Fourth and fifth place finishers advance to Day 3 Selection
  • Remaining riders compete in Day 3 General
• Races 4-6: A-class Semi-finals (A級 準決勝, A kyū junketsushou^?)
  • First three finishers in each race advance to Day 3 Final
  • Fourth through eighth place finishers in each race advance to Day 3 Special Excellence
  • Ninth place finisher competes in Day 3 Selection

S-class riders advance to the final day in a similar manner:

• Races 7 & 8: S-class General (S級 一般, S kyū itsuban^?)
• Race 9: S-class Selection (S級 選抜, S kyū senbatsu^?)
• Races 10-12: S-class Semi-finals (S級 準決勝, S kyū junketsushou^?)

DAY 3

• Races 1 & 2: A-class General (A級 一般, A kyū itsuban^?)
• Race 3: A-class Selection (A級 選抜, A kyū senbatsu^?)
• Races 4 & 5: A-class Special Excellence (A級 特別優秀, A kyū tokubetsu yūshou^?)
• Races 6 & 7: S-class General (S級 一般, S kyū itsuban^?)
• Race 8: S-class Selection (S級 選抜, S kyū senbatsu^?)
• Race 9: A-class Final (A級 決勝, A kyū ketsushou^?)
• Races 10 & 11: S-class Special Excellence (S級 特別優秀, S kyū tokubetsu yūshou^?)
• Race 12: S-class Final (S級 決勝, S kyū ketsushou^?)

Equipment

Mikishima Chaintug With NJS Stamp

As a result of the parimutuel gambling that surrounds keirin racing in Japan, a strict system of standards was developed for bicycles and repair tools. There are currently 50 velodromes in operation that hold races where annually over 20 million people attend and place bets amounting to over ¥1.5 trillion($15 billion) .^[6] Since so much money is at stake, the Nihon Jitensha Shinkokai (Japanese Bicycle Association or NJS) requires that all keirin racers in Japan ride and use equipment that meets their standards. All riders use very similar bicycles, so that no rider will have any advantage or disadvantage based on equipment. In addition, all riders must pass strict licensing requirements.

Those who wish to race in Japan must attend the Japan Bicycle Racing School where they learn the necessary rules, etiquette, and skills. The school typically accepts only 10% of applicants. Those who pass final examination must still be approved by the Japan Keirin Association.^[6]

All bicycles and equipment must be built within strict guidelines set by the NJS, by a certified builder using NJS-approved materials. The products are then stamped by NJS and only equipment bearing this stamp may be used. However, it should be noted that the NJS standard is to ensure that no rider will have any advantage or disadvantage based on equipment, and does not necessarily relate to quality or standard of manufacture^[7][8]. For example, 36 spoke wheels are allowed but not 32, although 32 spoke wheels are typically lighter, and frames must be built by a very limited number of approved builders.

NJS approved equipment often sells for more than comparable equipment because of its specific use, build requirements, and limited manufacturers.^[7] Popular manufacturers include Samson, Nitto, Bridgestone, 3Rensho, Shimano, Nagasawa, Panasonic, Hatta, MKS, Kashimax, and Sugino.^{[citation needed]} Because the NJS's main objective is supporting the Japanese cycling market, its bureacracy is notoriously critical of foreign manufacturers attempting to enter the Japanese market. The Italian cycling equipment manufacturer Campagnolo has, though, received NJS certification.^[8]

NJS-approved equipment is not required for keirin races outside Japan.

Betting

Bets that can be made on Keirin races include:

• Exacta (２車単, ni-sha-tan^?) - selecting the first two finishers in exact order
• Quinella (２車複, ni-sha-fuku^?) - first two finishers in any order
• Trifecta (３連単, san-ren-tan^?) - first three finishers in exact order
• Trio (３連複, san-ren-puku^?) - first three finishers in any order
• Quinella Place, or WIDE (ワイド, uaido^?) - selecting two to finish in the top three, in any order.

In extraordinary circumstances, races have been declared no-contests, costing velodromes millions of yen in refunded bets. Such results are generally known as a failure (不成立, fuseiritsu^?). A race at Shizuoka velodrome on January 2, 2008 was declared a failure when the back wheel of the pacer's bicycle nicked the bicycle of an actual competitor, causing him to fall.^[9] In a race at Iwaki-Taira velodrome on December 14, 2008, separate infractions resulted in the disqualification of the entire field; all but one of the competitors were handed a one-year suspension by the velodrome after the race.^[10][11]

References

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)

1. ^ ^{a b} Cycling cash linked to Olympics, a July 2008 BBC News article
2. ^ keirin.jp English page accessed November 6, 2008
3. ^ "What's SS?" keirin-pr.jp (Japanese), accessed November 6, 2008
4. ^ "『KEIRINグランプリ08【GP】』出場予定選手の決定について" keirin.jp (Japanese), accessed December 9, 2008
5. ^ "平成20年1月からのFI、FIIの12レース制導入について" keirin.jp (page has link to PDF file with race schedule), October 9, 2007 (Japanese)
6. ^ ^{a b} "History of Keirin Racing". Keirin Cycle Culture. http://www.keirinberlin.de/keirin-racing. Retrieved October 30, 2009. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Gordan Wilson, David (April 1, 2004). Bicycling Science. The MIT Press; 3 edition. ISBN 978-0262731546. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Fritz, Yokota (November 21, 2006). "NJS: Nihon Jitensha Sinkokai". Cyclelicio.us. http://www.cyclelicio.us/2006/11/njs-nihon-jitensha-sinkokai.html. Retrieved October 30, 2009. 
9. ^ Race Results: Shizuoka - Race 9 - January 2, 2008 keirin.jp (Japanese), accessed December 29, 2008
10. ^ Race Results: Iwaki-Taira - Race 10 - December 14, 2008 keirin.jp (Japanese), accessed December 29, 2008
11. ^ いわき平競輪で９人全員失格... 前代未聞の珍事ナゼ？ zakzak.co.jp (Japanese), accessed December 29, 2008

External links

• Japan's official website in Japan (Japanese)
• Keirin from the BBC Sport Academy website