Kyojo Cup: Rio Shimono wins in the wet, Riona Tomishita grabs back the points lead

In a wet third Kyojo Final of the 2026 season, reigning champion Rio Shimono was unmatched, as she mastered the treacherous conditions to take her first win of the season in brilliant fashion. Riona Tomishita finished second and put herself back at the top of the standings, ahead of Aimi Saito, who finished third.

Photo credits: Kyojo Cup

Dr. Dry with Impul's Rio Shimono was a dominant force in the third Kyojo Final of the season, held in wet conditions. Completing the podium were championship contenders Riona Tomishita and Aimi Saito, as the former snatched back the points lead.

With the sprint's results composing the grid for Sunday's Final, Tomishita started on pole alongside Shimono. Unlike the sprint, the track was drenched in rain and the race started behind the safety car.

At the end of lap three, the safety car peeled into the pits, as the green flag waved at the start of lap four.

Tomishita had a good start and maintained the lead at the start of the opening lap, while Cerumo/Inging teammate Kokoro Sato brilliantly overtook Rami Sasaki around the outside of Turn 1 to take fifth. At the front, Tomishita was attacked by Shimono at the final corner and ran side-by-side with her through the main straight, but the Dr. Dry driver came out on top and pulled away from Tomishita.

Two laps later, on lap seven, Sato began attacking Joanne Ciconte for fourth, while Paige Raddatz moved up into seventh with an aggressive pass on Sasaki at Dunlop the following lap. Behind them, drama began to set off, as Onaga retired on lap 11 after stopping on track on the exit of Turn 6, before Ryu Yamamoto and Ai Miura drove to the pits to retire.

On lap 12, Sara Matsui and Sato began to duel for fifth, which ended with the Cerumo/Inging racer losing the position after running wide on the exit of Turn 3. As Matsui pulled away, Sato was forced to defend from Raddatz, who found her way past at the same corner on the following lap.

At the front, Shimono was unbeaten, as she took her first win of the season by 2.760s Riona Tomishita, who jumps back in the points lead ahead of third-place finisher Aimi Saito. Ciconte and Matsui finished fourth and fifth, while Raddatz kept Sato at bay for sixth.

Rounding out the top 10 were Sasaki, Kilei Kanemoto and Hana Burton, while Itsumo Shiraishi barely missed out on points in 11th. Marie Iwaoka bounced back from last to cross the line 12th, ahead of Sitarvee Limnantharak and Rina Ito, while Zhao Yunqing and Kelsey Pinkowski finished 15th and 16th respectively.