Overview
- The final day began at 8:00 a.m. on Jan. 3 from Hakone to Tokyo’s Otemachi over five sections totaling 109.6 km.
- Aoyama Gakuin, the outbound winner, led off the downhill sixth section as it pursues a third consecutive overall championship and a ninth title.
- Waseda started 18 seconds later in second place, with Chuo departing 1 minute 36 seconds behind under the outbound-order staggered format.
- Aoyama Gakuin opened the return with first-year runner Ishikawa on the descent, while Waseda’s Yamazaki began the pursuit from the same leg.
- Chuo made a day-of lineup change by assigning Yoshii to the ninth section, with Namikawa taking the start on the sixth.