Sailing team alumni win first overall U30 Class championship at 2024 NIPPON CUP

Team GRADs, made up of alumni of the Science Tokyo Sailing Team, have won the overall U30 Class NIPPON CUP 2024 championship. They secured their victory after taking first place at the Diners Club NIPPON CUP 2024 Hayama Autumn Series held in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture on October 19 and 20.

Various alumni teams have now won the Diners Club NIPPON CUP Hayama Series three times. However, the overall annual championship attained by Team GRADs is the first of its kind for the Institute’s alumni.

The 2024 Diners Club NIPPON CUP Hayama Autumn Series included two races held over two days, with five under-30 teams participating. Despite the winds blowing at over 10 meters per second, the GRADs team remained cool and won both races.

The team also participated in and won the Diners Club NIPPON CUP 2024 Hayama Spring Series in April. The combination of the spring and fall results means the team achieved its first overall annual championship.

Participating GRADs members

• Yuki Yakuwa
  1st-year doctoral student, Life Science and Technology
  
• Masayuki Kawai
  1st-year doctoral student, Chemical Science and Engineering
  
• Ryosuke Makieda
  2nd-year master's student, Architecture and Building Engineering
  
• Shogo Makita
  2nd-year master's student, Industrial Engineering and Economics
  
• Ryoga Iwakura
  2nd-year master's student, Mechanical Engineering (Day 1 only）
  
• Taiki Ikeda
  1st-year master's student, Mechanical Engineering (Day 1 only）
  
• Daichi Habara
  Class of 2023, Mechanical Engineering (Day 2 only)
  
• Masahiro Haga
  1st-year master's student, Industrial Engineering and Economics (Day 2 only)
  

The GRADs team was created by alumni and alumnae of the Science Tokyo Sailing Team who wanted to continue sailing after retiring from official student club activities. While engaging in research activities at the graduate level, as well as working life, the members regularly make time to sail and participate in various competitions throughout the year. The team representative, Yuki Yakuwa, served as skipper in the 2024 NIPPON CUP.

Comments from GRADs rep and skipper Yuki Yakuwa

We are truly pleased to have won the annual overall championship, a long-awaited goal for us all. The conditions were especially difficult at this fall’s event, with strong winds making it tough to even steer the boat. Still, we finished all the races in first place, which was more than satisfactory.

The GRADs team is composed of master's and doctoral students as well as alumni already in working life. Due to our varying research and work commitments, we are not able to compete in every race with the same members. However, solidarity is what makes this team so strong. To control a yacht over nine meters in length, all six members must take responsibility for their respective roles, and at times, make up for each other's shortcomings. I believe this kind of collective strength was nurtured through the activities of the student club and will play an important role as we actively create impact in society.

The experiences I have gained with the Science Tokyo Sailing Team have also been useful in the laboratory, where I have been able to build relationships and conduct independent research with a strong sense of responsibility. I would like to continue to work hard on my research while cherishing these experiences and the invaluable relationships created with those around me.

Science Tokyo Sailing Team

Most members of the Science Tokyo Sailing Team joined the official student club with no sailing experience, but they have achieved outstanding results at national championships and other competitions by utilizing the knowledge they have gained through daily practice and from senior members and alumni. The Kuramae Ushio Association, an alumni association boasting 400 members, fully supports the activities of the current club members. Their motto is "developing full-fledged sailors, full-fledged members of society."

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• Sailing team alumni fourth at 2021 Tasar Japan championships | Formerly Tokyo Tech
• Sailing team
• Kuramae Ushio Association (Japanese)
• Diners Club NIPPON CUP HAYAMA SERIES 2024 (Japanese)

• Science Tokyo Fund