Tokyo Tech News
Tokyo Tech News
The 2019 All-Japan Collegiate Cycle-ball Tournament was held on November 16 and 17 on Ookayama Campus, and Tokyo Tech emerged victorious for the first time in 14 years. Kakeru Masuda, a 4th-year Systems and Control Engineering student, and Keita Ishihashi, a 3rd-year Architecture and Building Engineering student, won the title after a nail-biting final.
Tournament group photo with champions in red
The All-Japan Collegiate Cycle-ball Tournament, sponsored by the Japan Federation of Indoor Cycling, brings together the best student cycle-ballers from around Japan. This year, 20 teams participated.
On their way to victory, Masuda and Ishihashi met another Tokyo Tech team ― 4th-year Architecture and Building Engineering students Satoru Ikeda and Takashi Banba ― in the semifinals. After defeating their classmates, Masuda and Ishihashi faced last year's winner, Osaka University of Economics, in the finals. The match went to sudden death penalty kicks, with Ishihashi producing the final save to bring home the victory.
Tokyo Tech (in red) hounding opponent in final match
Comments from Kakeru Masuda
Firstly, I would like to thank the Japan Federation of Indoor Cycling for organizing the event and the referees for dedicating their time to each match. This was my last all-Japan event, and I am delighted to have reached my goal of finishing first. I think last year's disappointing result reminded me to stay focused when the games were tough, and our home court advantage and the support of all our teammates were a huge help. Everyone believed we could win until the very last penalty kick. My bachelor-level studies are coming to an end soon, and I hope to make use of this experience as I move to the next phase of my life.
Tokyo Tech levels final match from corner kick
Comments from Keita Ishihashi
I am very pleased to have won this tournament. I would like to thank the members of the club for helping us improve through our friendly rivalries and the alumni from whom we learned most of what we know. Cycle-ball is a fast-paced sport which requires great levels of concentration. Each match is only 14 minutes long, and if you lose focus, you quickly find yourself trailing your opponent. I hope that I can utilize my improved concentration levels in my studies, and in becoming an active member of society.
Ishihashi stops sudden death penalty, clinching victory
Cycle-ball is a soccer-like sport played indoors by two teams of two players each. Five-aside matches outdoors are also possible, but less common. Using a specially adjusted bicycle with no gears or brakes, players dribble, pass, and shoot the ball using the wheels of their bicycles. As most of the action takes place while standing on the pedals, the handlebars face upwards, and the bike allows players to pedal backwards.
The special cloth ball used during games is 17 to 18 cm in diameter and weighs 500 to 600 g. The court measures 11 m by 14 m, and teams of two play two seven-minute halves. Feet should never be touching the ground, and hands can be used only at the defensive end. Most players in Japan get to know the sport while at university.
At the All-Japan Collegiate Tournament, teams play two halves of seven minutes each. If the match is tied after regulation time, one additional overtime period of seven minutes is played. If a winner still does not emerge, the winner is determined through a penalty shootout, with each player shooting twice. If the tie is still not broken, penalty kicks go to sudden death.
The Tokyo Tech Cycling Club is an official student club that includes members from not only the Institute, but also other universities such as Ochanomizu University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. The club consists of a touring group, a racing team, and a cycle-ball team, totaling over 100 members. The cycle-ball team trains at Ookayama Campus twice a week.
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