Suminoe Boat Race: GI Taikō Shō – Junpei Kiryu vs the Osaka Local Squad! A Comprehensive Preview of the Big April Showdown

Well, this is what we've been waiting for! The spring classic at Boat Race Suminoe, the GI "Taikō Shō", finally kicks off on Saturday, 3rd April. As the big race in the 70th anniversary year of the venue's opening, you can't help but get your hopes up. Headlined by last year's Grand Prix (GP) champion Junpei Kiryu, a whopping eight GP competitors are assembled – it's a truly star-studded line-up. And what's particularly fearsome this time is the strength of the Osaka local squad.

Can Champion Junpei Kiryu "Bounce Back"? Local Hero Shigeru Matsui Stands in His Way

The biggest draw this week has to be last year's年度王者 and GP winner, Junpei Kiryu. While he may not have seemed in absolute top form so far this year, you couldn't ask for a better stage to "put things right". Here at Suminoe, the very course where he shone brightest last year, we can expect a determined performance as he aims to recapture his trademark turns.

But the local contingent aren't about to roll over for the champion. Because they have their own undisputed king, Shigeru Matsui. This man, showing no signs of slowing down, is not going to stay quiet at his home course of Boat Race Suminoe. He showed his solid form with a steady performance at last month's G1 Kinki Regional Championship, and you can bet he'll be even more finely tuned for this race, having made small adjustments like ring replacements.

And it doesn't stop there. With the likes of Takayuki Ishino, Nobumasa Kamijō, and Hirotake Ishimoto, there's a wealth of talent spanning generations. This could well be the start of a "legendary Osaka squad" performance.

The Data Shows How Tough Back-to-Back Wins Are, and the Momentum of Rising Star Toshimitsu Gondo

Let's take a look at an interesting piece of data. The Taikō Shō is known for being an incredibly difficult race to win consecutively. Local fans will know this, but since the year 2000, not a single competitor has managed to defend their title. You have to go back about 40 years to Tsugumasa Kobayashi, who won the 30th and 31st tournaments, to find the last person to do it. It just goes to show how much of a monumental task it is to claim this title two years in a row at Suminoe.

Considering that, the pressure on Nobumasa Kamijō, who secured his long-awaited first local GI victory here last year, must be immense. But this is the man who shrugged off that pressure last year as a young racer. Whether he can smash this "back-to-back curse" is one of the key points to watch.

And when it comes to the hottest local prospect right now, there's no one else but Toshimitsu Gondo. After all, he just secured a long-awaited first G1 victory at this very course, Suminoe, in the "Kinki Regional Championship" held back in February. That explosive start from the inside lane with a .10 reaction time is still fresh in the memory. He's also earned his first appearance in an SG (Classic) race, and his momentum is unstoppable. It'll be fascinating to see just how much havoc he can wreak on this big local stage, riding that wave of confidence.

The Key to the Course: Wind Direction and the "New Engines"

Now, let's get a bit technical for a moment. The Suminoe course is often described as "favouring the inside lane", but it's not that simple. Speaking from my own experience of watching races here on numerous occasions, the influence of the sea breeze blowing in from the side of the 2nd mark is absolutely massive. When that wind picks up, it leaves wash around the 2nd mark, making it easier to pull off passing manoeuvres and wide turns. Conversely, on calm days with no wind, it becomes a race of all escape wins from the first lane, just like on the final day of the G1 in February.

The engine situation for this race is also not to be missed. Engines, including the GP-winning one, were used for the final time on 9th March, and "new engines" were introduced from the 23rd. As this will be their second outing, assessments are still fluid. With a mix of 47 engines used last time and 5 that are brand new for this race, it's a real test of the engine tuners' skill. While it's generally said engines that have been used once are easier to set up, it'll be intriguing to see which team can master these new machines.

• Pride of the Undisputed King: Local hero Shigeru Matsui faces off against GP champion Junpei Kiryu on home turf in this "Osaka showdown".
• The Back-to-Back Challenge: Nobumasa Kamijō goes for a feat not achieved in about 40 years – can he break the curse?
• Rising Star's Awakening: Toshimitsu Gondo, the February G1 champion – is his momentum the real deal?
• Engine Scramble: With the new motors proving unpredictable, the sharp eye who spots the best-set-up will prevail.
• Weather Gamble: At Suminoe, where the course can be transformed by the wind direction, predicting the conditions is key to victory.

Speaking of which, when you head to Boat Race Suminoe, there's a place worth visiting while you're there. It's the Osaka Gokoku Shrine, which is right next to the racecourse. Just across the Shin-Naniwa-suji road, many fans stop by to "pray for victory in their wagers" before the races. I've heard that local racers themselves also make it a point to come here for perpetual memorial services and prayers.

The Suminoe ward is an area that developed alongside the post-war reconstruction. For the local veterans who have lived here for years, both boat racing and the shrine are important parts of the fabric of their lives. And it's on this deeply human patch of land that this fierce competition will unfold. Will it be Junpei Kiryu, or will it be the Osaka local squad? Or perhaps the national titans like Takaya Baba, Eiji Shirai, and Kouya Harada will break through the pack?

Don't miss the action starting from 3rd April!