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In Japan, kanji 競輪 generally means the original Japanese Keirin, while katakana ケイリン is often used for the modified international version of the sport. – "racing track" – is a form of motor-paced cycle racing in which track cycling sprint for victory following a speed-controlled start behind a motorized or non-motorized pacer. It was developed in Japan around 1948 for gambling purposes and became an official event at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Riders use brakeless fixed-gear bicycles. Races are typically long: 6 laps on a track, 4 laps on a track, or 4 laps on a track. Lots are drawn to determine starting positions for the Cycling sprinter behind the pacer, which is usually a motorcycle, but can be a derny, electric bicycle or tandem bicycle. Riders must remain behind the pacer for 3 laps on a track. The pacer starts at , gradually increasing to by its final circuit. The pacer leaves the track before the end of the race (3 laps on a track). The winner's finishing speed can exceed .
Competition keirin races are conducted over several rounds with one final. Some eliminated cyclists can try again in the .
A BBC News investigation, reported in July 2008, found evidence that following admission into the Olympics, the Union Cycliste Internationale required (in writing) the JKA Foundation to support UCI projects in "material terms"; over a period of time the association subsequently gave US$3 million to UCI in consideration of "the excellent relationship the UCI has with representatives of the Olympic movement". The UCI and its then-president, Hein Verbruggen, denied any wrongdoing.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Men's keirin took place on 7 and 8 August 2021, with 30 cyclists from 18 nations competing, and the gold medal going to Jason Kenny from Great Britain. The Women's keirin took place on 4 and 5 August 2021, with 29 cyclists from 18 nations competing, and the gold medal going to Shanne Braspennincx from The Netherlands.
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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 final examination must still be approved by the Japan Keirin Association before being allowed to compete.
Japanese races for women were reintroduced in July 2012, under the title of "Girls Keirin" (ガールズケイリン). Women were previously permitted to participate from 1949 until 1964. Like the men, the women must also undergo a strict training regimen at the Keirin School.
Katsuaki Matsumoto (1928-2021) is the all-time professional keirin athlete with the most wins - 1341 - over his career (he retired in 1981 at the age of 53).
At the sound of the gun, the cyclists leave their starting blocks and settle into a position behind the pacer, who is another keirin bicyclist wearing purple with orange stripes. Cyclists initially settle into different groups, referred to as "lines", where they try to work together with others to maximize their chance of winning.
As the pace quickens, the pacer will usually depart the track with between one and two laps remaining, though the actual location where the pacer leaves varies with every race. With laps remaining, officials begin sounding a bell or gong, increasing in frequency until the bicyclists come around to begin the final lap.
Keirin ovals are divided into specific areas: The two straightaways (homestretch and backstretch), the four turns (corners), and two locations called the "centre", referring to the area between corners 1 and 2 (1 centre) and corners 3 and 4 (2 centre).
The race is monitored by referees. Two of the referees are stationed in towers along the backstretch (2nd and 3rd corners), while others review the homestretch area from a control room using closed-circuit cameras. Once the race has finished, a referee can signal a possible rule violation by illuminating a red light at the corner nearest to where the infraction may have occurred, or by waving a red flag. Judges then examine the video of the race and decide if a competitor committed a rules violation and should be disqualified. Once the order of finish is finalised, the race is declared official and the winning bets are paid.
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 to the top nine Keirin athletes. These nine compete in that year's Keirin Grand Prix and retain their rank until the following December.
All events for women are currently run at 1,600 meters. There are usually small variances in distance based on the size of the track.
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 2018, a selection committee determines the competitors for the Grand Prix race using the following priority:
Also part of the Grand Prix meet is the 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. A new addition to the meet in 2012 was the Girls' Grand Prix for the sport's top female competitors.
Another prestigious event on the annual keirin racing calendar is the GI Japan Championship. Held every May 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.
Below is a schedule of races conducted during a typical three-day FI event (open to both S-class and A-class riders).
After six races, S-class riders compete:
S-class riders then compete to advance:
During major race meets, some jackpot wagers are offered:
The money bet into the Dokanto wagers can carry over if there are no winning tickets, even to subsequent race meets at another velodrome in the country.
In extraordinary circumstances, races have been declared no-contests, forcing velodromes to refund millions of yen in bets. Such results are generally known as a fuseiritsu. A race at Shizuoka velodrome on 2 January 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. In a race at Iwaki-Taira Velodrome on 14 December 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. The suspensions were lifted four months later.
Popular frame manufacturers include Nagasawa, 3Rensho, Makino, Kalavinka, Level, Bridgestone, Panasonic, and Samson. Other components come from Japanese manufacturers like Shimano, Nitto, Hatta, MKS, Kashimax, and Sugino. Because the primary goal of the NJS is to support the Japanese manufacturing industry, its bureaucracy is typically resistant to the certification of foreign manufacturers' components. The few exceptions to this are Italian cycling equipment manufacturers Campagnolo and Cinelli, which received NJS certification for some components.
Exceptions to these rules include Girls' Keirin and Keirin Evolution. Girls' Keirin allows for a limited set of non-NJS tires, stems, saddles, and carbon-fiber frames and wheels. Manufacturers of the frames used in Girls' Keirin are Boma, Bridgestone, Gan Well, Kalavinka, Bomber, and MBK. Keirin Evolution participants may use any frames or components approved by the JKA Foundation, UCI, or JCF. NJS-approved equipment is not required for keirin races sanctioned by the UCI or its local national sporting associations, including UCI-sanctioned races in Japan.
The NJS standard does not necessarily relate to quality or standard of manufacture, though NJS-approved equipment often sells for more than comparable equipment because of its niche use, strict build requirements, and finite availability.
Ranks
There are a total of six ranks that competitors can obtain in Japanese keirin racing. SS is the highest rank, followed by S1, S2, A1, A2 and A3. All new keirin graduates begin their careers with an A3 rank and work their way up by competing in keirin events.
Distances
The distance of each race depends on gender and rank. For men, distances for those ranked A3 are at 1,600 meters, while all others compete at 2,000 meters. The finals of some of the top graded events are run at a longer distance of 2,400 meters. The season-ending Keirin Grand Prix is held at 2,800 meters.
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.
Top Keirin events
As of 2024, the top events on the Keirin racing calendar are as follows:
※= Girls Keirin
February GI March GII April GI ※
(オールガールズクラシック)May GI June GI GI ※
(パールカップ)July GII August GI GI（only2024:FII） ※ September GII October GI November GI November GI ※
(競輪祭女子王座戦)December GP GII GP ※
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 unless they are disqualified from a race or retire from the meet for any reason - in which case alternate competitors are called up to fill in the lower-caliber races.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Betting
Bets that can be made on Keirin races include, but are not limited to:
Some wagers cannot be placed if there is a small number of competitors in the race.
Equipment
As a result of the parimutuel gambling that surrounds keirin racing in Japan, The Nihon Jitensha Shinkōkai (Japanese Bicycle Association or NJS)— now under the JKA Foundation— developed a strict system of standards for bicycles and tools to ensure that no rider will have any advantage based on equipment. All components must be made using NJS-approved materials and techniques, and the frames themselves must be handmade by an NJS-certified builder. For example, the bicycles Bicycle frame used in Japanese Keirin races must be made from chromoly steel using traditional techniques like brazing, and wheels must have exactly 36 spokes per wheel.
See also
External links
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