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| It's the final day of the event and the weather was calm and clear in the morning in Awaji Island. The spring journey of approximately 1,250km which started from Nagoya is coming to an end today. We aim to complete the whole distance to the finish line safely while looking back the journey so far and enjoying the whole day today. The entrants set off from the hotel at 6:45 am and headed to the Central Circuit in Taka Town. The final PC competition of the four days was held there, using its entire circuit course. Although the settings were challenging, the entrants were concentrating hard on the competition from beginning to end as the final results depended largely on the results of this competition. After finishing the competition, they passed through three stamp points, Kamikawa Town Hall, Yamajiro no Sato and Toyooka City Izushi Branch, and headed to the Japan Mongolia Folk Museum. At the museum, city hall staff welcomed us, dressed in Mongolian traditional clothes. The entrants received a commemorative gift, then left Hyogo Prefecture to Kyoto Prefecture and local people and children saw them off. It was pleasant to drive on the winding road running through fresh green mountains and the entrants continued driving briskly. After arriving in Kyoto, the entrants passed through a stamp point in Miyazu City Amanohashidate Parking Lot, then stopped for lunch at HOTEL & RESORTS KYOTO MIYAZU. They were almost to the finish line. The entrants went to the final stamp point, Kayabuki no Sato Miyama, after lunch. They received all the stamps and headed to the finish venue, Okazaki Park in front of Heian Jingu Shrine. As the scenery changed from mountains to the city, I realized that we were getting closer to the finish line. When the entrants arrived at Okazaki Park, many people were waiting and warmly welcomed them. Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko and Kyoto Mayor Kadokawa were also watching the arrival, and the entrants went through the finish gate with a radiant expression and the cars looked proud. A farewell dinner and an awards ceremony were held on the last night of the event. The entrants praised each other for driving the whole distance for four days. The third place was the No. 17 of Takigawa father-son team. Although this strong team participated in the event for the first time in two and a half years, including La Festa Mille Miglia in fall, they were not rusty at all in the rally and achieved good results as expected. The second place went to the No. 3 of Yokota and Oki. They are also a strong team and the winner of the La Festa Primavera 2018. This regular top three finisher performed at their best in this event too. It was the No. 1 of Mr. & Mrs. Takemoto team who won this year's La Festa Primavera. They won spring's La Festa Primavera really for the first time in five years. They finished in first place each day and never ceded the lead, winning a complete victory. Driver Takemoto said in his winning speech, "I would like all of you to drive the car you are participating with not just at the event but every day.", and concluded the speech with words that expressed his love for cars and gratitude to his co-driver (also his wife), the mechanics and his friends who had supported him. The four-day journey was over and the La Festa Primavera 2022 ended. This year's event was held with the COVID-19 pandemic still going on, but still we were able to meet many local people who were looking forward to the event just like last year. They waved to us from the street or in front of their house and it was very encouraging and touched my heart many times. I hope to see everyone next year with a smile without a mask for sure. （goal photo／Kazunobu Kataoka│text & photo／Mika Iwamoto） |
 Big applause given to Mr. & Mrs. Takemoto who wins for first time in five years  LAGONDA 2L 16/80 competing final PC competition at Central Circuit  ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA SS passing through Japan Mongolia Folk Museum  JAGUAR XK120 DROPHEAD COUPE receives final stamp at Kayabuki no Sato Miyama  FIAT FARINA goes through finish gate at Okazaki Park |
