FUKUOKA (TR) – A 19-year-old female boat racer in training has died following a collision at a school in Yanagawa City, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (May 20).
During a practice run involving on Thursday, a boat driven by Yuri Mizuki, a member of the Yamato Boat Race Academy, was struck from behind, with her body receiving a direct blow in the impact, officers from the Yanagawa Police Station said.
Mizuki died at a nearby hospital eight hours later.
Just prior to the incident, Mizuki’s boat came into contact with another driver’s boat, decelerated and tilted sideways. Immediately thereafter Mizuki was struck and sent into the water.
Gambling on boat, horse, bicycle, and motorcycle racing from authorized betting outlets is legal in Japan.
Yamato Boat Race Academy falls within the Foundation of Japan Motor Boat Racing Association.
