"Fine, even though you've retired now, senpai, it never hurts to learn more."
Symboli Rudolf let out a resigned sigh and began explaining patiently to Mr. C.B.
"On the track, the starting gates are divided into inner and outer stalls. You know that much, right, senpai?"
"Generally, there's no strict division—those closer to the inside are inner gates, and the opposite are outer gates. The very innermost and outermost are commonly called the big inner and big outer gates."
"Since the inner gates are closer to the inner curve, theoretically, they cover slightly less distance, which is a significant advantage. So, most Uma Musume will immediately veer toward the inside after breaking from the gate to secure the best racing line."
"Is that so? Sounds complicated. I always just ran wherever, and somehow ended up in a position," Mr. C.B replied, sounding surprised.
"That's why you have to analyze each situation individually, senpai. Because you often started late and raced from behind, the inside and outside tracks affected you differently. You also have to consider the position of the pack."
"Especially for front-runners and stalkers, position is key to victory. If their position isn't good, they can get blocked by the pack during the final sprint, unable to accelerate at all."
"So, there are only two reasons an Uma Musume would choose the outer path."
Rudolf sat up straight, stating with conviction.
"First, she judges that staying on the inside would hinder her sprint, so she'd rather cover extra distance and choose the outside."
"Second, she believes her speed and stamina are more than enough to negate the distance disadvantage, so she prioritizes a more comfortable path where she won't have to slow down on the curves."
"Senpai, which type do you think Nearl is?"
"Hmm~~~"
Mr. C.B fell into deep thought.
"I don't think she's either."
"Senpai?"
"I think Nearl simply doesn't care about it. To her, inside or outside makes no difference. But that's just my intuition, don't take it seriously."
Mr. C.B chuckled, clearly aware her conclusion wasn't very reliable.
"…"
Rudolf, beside her, stayed silent, watching the race even more intently.
"Here it comes! The first curve!"
Southern Maiden's eyes sharpened; she felt the moment had arrived.
'Now's my chance. Being on the innermost side, I can take the sharpest arc through the curve, and there's no one blocking the path ahead. This is lucky.'
"Grah!"
Southern Maiden let out a low cry and quietly picked up the pace.
"Oh, here it is, the battle for the curve! Southern Maiden has fired the first shot."
"Nice arc through the curve. You can tell Southern Maiden handles curves well."
"The Uma Musume behind aren't holding back either—they're accelerating through the curve one after another."
"Wait! Dancing Traveller! Dancing Traveller has collided and fallen behind! A huge mistake! Just like that, the early advantage she fought for is gone!"
"What a shame. Dancing Traveller might be in trouble this race. I had high hopes for her, but that collision was an accident; the other certainly didn't do it on purpose."
"Indeed, in the intense struggle during the curve, minor bumps and scrapes are perfectly normal. This was truly an unintentional mishap."
"But, Commentator One, you mentioned having high hopes for her? Well, I have to disagree. Isn't it obvious who the crowd favorite is? Let's turn our attention to Nearl."
"Oh, Nearl has already exited the curve… Nearl has already exited the curve?! When did that happen?!"
"What in the world? I only took my eyes off her for a moment and missed such a big move. How did she even do that?"
"This is going to be tough for the Uma Musume behind. The lead is already seven or eight lengths now. If they can't gain an advantage out of the curve, any hope of victory is truly gone."
In the stands, the trainers watching the race and listening to the commentary wore expressions of discomfort.
"Honestly, their professional standards are far from sufficient. This kind of commentary just won't do," Trainer Komiyama sighed. The nodding heads of the other trainers showed they agreed.
"Having a limited perspective is one thing, but failing to keep an eye on the top favorite and missing a critical moment? If I were a spectator, I'd file a complaint," Musaka Ginjirou said fiercely, though inwardly he thought, 'Is the gap in quality between local and central commentary really this vast? We have a long way to go.'
"Ardan, are you sure the Nearl name isn't famous?" Dicta Striker asked, her face grave as she stared intently at the track, replaying in her mind the violent way Nearl had taken that curve.
"The physical prowess of these two sisters is just absurd. How many Central Uma Musume can compare? You can't even explain it as a mutation—what are the odds of both sisters mutating?"
Unfortunately, Ardan wasn't paying attention to her question; her focus was entirely on Nearl's well-being, specifically on Nearl's feet after using such a method.
'Is Nearl's foot okay? Running like that can't possibly be without consequences, right?'
Ardan herself had a very delicate constitution, and her feet were especially fragile.
Over the years, she had suffered so much because of these feet, swallowing back tears countless times.
Long illness makes the doctor. By now, Ardan had a deep understanding of legs; she could tell at a glance what movements would cause injury.
So the moment she saw Nearl's cornering style, she put herself in Nearl's shoes and subconsciously shrank her own feet.
'It's impossible. If I tried that, I wouldn't even make it to the finish line—my leg would give out immediately. Nearl, please be okay…'
"Hey, Ardan, don't ignore me! Hey!" Dicta Striker called out helplessly beside her.
"An exaggerated cornering posture. It seems I still underestimated Nearl's physical capabilities," Symboli Rudolf mused, recalling the scene. Even with her vast experience, she found it eye-opening.
"That cornering arc was almost a straight line. The pressure that puts on the ankles is unimaginably huge. How did she dare to make such a decision?"
"But it's cool, isn't it! Reminds me of my Kikuka Sho style!" Mr. C.B's eyes sparkled. As a 'free-spirited' Uma Musume, she loved seeing unconventional running methods.
"Senpai, don't boast! Your uphill acceleration back then was taboo! You were lucky you didn't break a leg! That's not something to be proud of!"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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