Sydney - Japan broke Holland's four-year winning streak Wednesday in the World Solar Challenge race across Australia for sunshine-powered cars. Tokai University's Tokai Challenger came out an easy winner in the 3,000-kilometre race, leading all the way from Darwin to Adelaide.
Holland's much-fancied Nuon Solar team with its Nuna V was likely to finish second and the US University of Michigan entry Infinium 2 was tipped to take third.
When the final calculations are done, the Tokai Challenger is likely to be credited with an average speed of around 100 kilometres per hour.
It was Japan's first victory since Honda Dream II won in 1996.
The Dutch monopolized the honours in the last four races. Their 2003 entry Nuna III holds the race record with an average speed of 102 kilometres per hour.
Thirty-two cars from 15 countries set out from Darwin on Sunday and when the Tokai Challenger took the chequered flag there were 15 vehicles still running.
The University of Michigan improved from fifth-place last year, and was expected to take third. Germany's Bochum University Solar Car Team, which was sixth last year, was lagging in 13th position.
