CW-X Partners with Aoyama Gakuin University Women's Ekiden Team, Established April 2026, Launching New Support for Female Athletes

Wacoal Corporation (Headquarters: Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Keisuke Kawanishi)'s conditioning wear brand "CW-X" has entered into a partnership agreement with the Aoyama Gakuin University Women's Ekiden Team, which will be established in April 2026. This collaboration with the newly formed women's ekiden team, following Aoyama Gakuin University's track and field club which has achieved numerous victories in the Hakone Ekiden, is CW-X's first initiative of its kind and aims to expand the potential and support the success of female athletes.

Sports should inherently be a stage where everyone has the opportunity to challenge themselves. However, in reality, the environment for continuing competitive sports is often not adequately prepared. Female athletes, in particular, face many barriers to continuing their athletic careers, such as balancing life events like higher education, employment, marriage, and childbirth, addressing unique female physical challenges, and securing training environments. CW-X aims to confront these issues and create an environment where everyone, regardless of age or gender, can continue to compete authentically.

This vision resonated with the philosophy of Coach Susumu Hara, who leads the men's long-distance block of the Aoyama Gakuin University Track and Field Club. Coach Hara felt a sense of crisis regarding the declining population of female track and field athletes and established the women's ekiden team based on the philosophy of "creating an environment where men and women can coexist, support each other, and grow together," and "being a presence that can deliver energy and courage to general women who do not compete." The team welcomes two members who have achieved success in national competitions: Nodoka Ashida (from Ritsumeikan Uji High School) and Kairi Ikeno (from Suma Gakuen High School), embarking on a new challenge.

In this partnership, CW-X will provide sports bras, shorts, tights, and other items to support the athletes' performance improvement and condition maintenance. Feedback from actual use will be utilized for product development and information dissemination.

## [Overview of the Partnership Agreement]

- "CW-X" has entered into a partnership agreement with the Aoyama Gakuin University Women's Ekiden Team, which will be established in April 2026. This is the first initiative of its kind for a women's ekiden team.
- Through the provision of CW-X innerwear and other products, the partnership will support the activities of the newly challenging women's team from a prestigious men's ekiden school. Feedback from athlete use will be utilized for product development and information dissemination.

## [Comment from Coach Hara, Aoyama Gakuin University Women's Ekiden Team]

### ■Why did you decide to establish a women's ekiden team?

There is a significant decline in the population of female track and field athletes. If the athletic population decreases, opportunities for coaches also diminish, and if the sport is not exciting, sponsors will leave. I wanted to change this reality.

In the women's ekiden team, we do not provide special guidance only for women, but rather, women athletes will challenge alongside men athletes and persevere. We want to create an environment where men and women can coexist, support each other, and grow together. I would be delighted if general women who do not compete feel even a little energy and courage when they see this. The keywords are "Beauty, Freshness, and Strength."

### ■What are your goals and challenges for the women's ekiden team going forward?

As this is the first year of establishment, we have two athletes joining, so we cannot form an ekiden team this year. We plan to scout four more next year, aiming for our first appearance and first victory in the All Japan University Women's Ekiden in our second year. In the third year, we are also considering the Fuji-san Women's Ekiden, which requires seven members, and the possibility of a national university inter-gender mixed ekiden.

Of course, valuing individual strength is also important. In the future, I hope to nurture athletes who can excel in women's marathon.

### ■What are your expectations for the collaboration with "CW-X"?

Wacoal has an image of a company that enriches women's lives and supports them in shining. This is likely due to the accumulated research on changes and concerns unique to women's bodies. Gaining such knowledge is highly significant for coaches, and I believe it will lead to athletes being able to continue competing for a long time.

By wearing items provided by "CW-X," I expect an environment will be created where athletes can feel confident in their condition and concentrate on their training.

## [Athlete Profiles and Comments]

### Nodoka Ashida (from Ritsumeikan Uji High School, Kyoto)

Active as a member of the national high school ekiden team since her first year of high school, winning a section prize in the 3rd leg of national competitions.
In the 2025 National High School Inter-High School Championships, she placed 3rd in the 3000m, the highest among Japanese competitors and 7th all-time among high schoolers. She won the 3000m Youth A category at the National Sports Festival in autumn.
In the 2025 National High School Ekiden, she performed well in the 1st leg, placing 2nd in her section. In the 2026 Empress's Cup National Women's Ekiden, she won a section prize in the 4th leg and received the "Miraikun Award" given to promising young athletes.

- Comment

As a member of the Aoyama Gakuin University Women's Ekiden Team, in my first year, I want to challenge with the goal of winning individual events while also having the awareness of building up the team in its founding stage.

When wearing "CW-X," my body felt light overall. My legs were easier to lift, and I felt like I could move more smoothly than usual.

### Kairi Ikeno (from Suma Gakuen High School, Hyogo)

Active in national competitions since junior high school, and as a first-year high school student, she was entrusted with the 1st leg of the national high school ekiden, becoming a key player early on. In the 2024 Empress's Cup National Women's Ekiden, she set a new section record in the 5th leg.

In the same year's National High School Inter-High School Championships, she placed 7th in the 1500m and 8th in the 3000m, earning awards in two events. The following year, she placed 4th in the 3000m and 6th in the 1500m at the same competition. In the 2025 National High School Ekiden, she performed well in the 1st leg, placing 4th, and in the 2026 Empress's Cup National Women's Ekiden, she placed 2nd in the 5th leg, significantly contributing to the team's runner-up finish.

- Comment

At the Aoyama Gakuin University Women's Ekiden Team, I want to achieve solid results in individual races, including track events, and in competitions where I represent the prefecture. I also want to work on building a body that enhances my athletic ability through the unique training of the Aoyama Gakuin University Track and Field Club.

When I first wore "CW-X," I felt a strong compression, but gradually a sense of security from the support emerged.

## [About "CW-X"]

"CW-X" is a conditioning wear brand developed by the Wacoal Human Science Research and Development Center based on the idea of incorporating taping principles into tights.

The research began when a researcher's family member sustained a leg injury during exercise, and was able to continue exercising with temporary taping, leading to the idea of "creating tights that anyone can easily wear, incorporating taping principles." Applying Wacoal's unique design technology, which achieves high-power material used in women's girdles and a supple fit, they released groundbreaking sports tights for the first time in 1991.

In addition to "sports tights" developed based on unique taping principles, CW-X offers "functional tops" designed to condition the upper body, "sports bras" to stabilize the bust during sports, and other products that support the body in various scenes, cheering on those who enjoy an active lifestyle.