Student Wall-Racing Autumn Qualifiers Reach Midpoint, No Injuries as Safety Measures Hold
The autumn qualifying rounds of the student wall-racing tournament, which opened on September 5, have completed most of their first-round matches as of the 7th. Thanks to the previously reported safety briefings and wall-familiarization sessions, there have been no major injuries so far.
As previously reported, the autumn qualifying rounds of the student wall-racing tournament opened on September 5 at the Kameido No. 2 wall. Of the 187 participating schools, most first-round matches were completed by the 7th, with the federation running multiple lanes in parallel to work through most of the bracket, including the opening match between Toyosu Technical and Edagawa High, in three days. Toyosu Technical, which defeated Edagawa 4 tiers 2 links to 2 tiers 3 links on opening day, went on to beat Aomi Girls' High 6 tiers 1 link to 3 tiers 2 links in the second round on the 7th, extending its winning streak.
In addition to running multiple lanes in parallel, the federation introduced morning and afternoon sessions this season to fit in more matches per day. On the afternoon of the 7th, Lane 4 hosted a match between Urayasu Technical and Tatsumi High, while Lane 2 saw a close contest between two experienced schools that ended 3 tiers 4 links to 3 tiers 1 link, drawing uniformed cheering sections into the stands. A federation official said the two-session format had cut athletes' waiting time but required more rotating staff for judging and harness checks; for the first time this season, volunteer alumni have been brought in to fill those rotating roles.
Among the 62 first-time schools, nine had advanced past the first round by the 7th. Tatsumi High School, a public school competing for the first time, edged out the experienced Urayasu Technical School 5 tiers 3 links to 4 tiers 4 links to claim the newcomers' first win of the season. The team's third-year captain said, "We never had to use the 'don't climb' judgment we learned at wall familiarization today. That's what I'm happiest about."
The federation made safety briefings mandatory for first-time schools this season, requiring double harness checks and strict use of the "don't climb" judgment. As previously reported, several falls during wall familiarization were caught safely by harnesses, and the same safeguards appear to be working through the first round of the actual tournament. A federation official said, "Honestly, it's a relief that there's been no major accident in the first tournament since we started the briefings. But we're only at the midpoint. We won't let our guard down."
Edagawa High's wall-racing club, eliminated in the first round, met its previously stated goal of having "all nine members come down safely" and resumed regular practice on the 7th at its usual site, the old Shinonome floodgate wall. The team's coach, a math teacher with no competitive climbing experience, said, "We lost, but finishing without injury is the best result this club could have hoped for. Next season, we'd like to focus a bit more on winning."
With the two-session format fitting in more matches, viewing hours were more accessible even on a weekday, and the federation said attendance on the 7th exceeded that of opening day on September 5. A shopping-district official running a concession stand said, "People often say this is a sport where you follow the results every day without ever understanding the rules, but visitors who come out to watch it in person still tell me it's fun." Alumni from past autumn qualifiers were seen in the stands cheering on Toyosu Technical's underclassmen as they extended their winning streak.
The federation plans to announce the schedule for the second round and beyond within the week, with winning schools including Toyosu Technical set to play from next week onward. As previously reported, the autumn qualifiers' final will be held in November at the Kameido No. 2 wall.
