Refreshing Wave of Keirin!

It has been almost 40 years since women were barred from competing on the Japanese keirin circuit, but when ChrisP sent me this link I thought they might be starting again.

A Japanese keirin race with women track riders. This looks promising.

That's definitely a women's keirin... but the Love9 thing is throwing me off a bit... as are the relatively skimpy uniforms...

I was wrong. Apparently it's not the return of professional women's keirin to Japan, but is instead Love9, a group of cheerleaders/popstars that occasionally ride a demo race before the start of a men's keirin. I had super-genius friend of mine DavidP translate some of the page, and this is what it says: "the dream story started in Jan '07 when a refreshing wave of keirin was sweeping across Japan and we wanted to make the dreamy Japanese-born sport more widely accepted. 6 girls got together and cheered floridly for racers."

So there you have it. This is not the return of badass professional women track riders to the kerin circuit in Japan. Pity. However, we have learned that track racing is officially "dreamy" and florid cheering is all the rage. Also: refreshing wave of keirin.... Mmmm!

Love9 posing with Theo Bos.

Love9 posing with a Godzilla-legged winning keirin racer, and some fat bloke.

Check out the official Love9 page here.