EUOC Big Weekend 2026

Friday

What a start to the weekend!  250 competitors raced around the Braid Hills to show off their night-navigation skills as they faced up to the challenges of the golf course.  The mass start added another level to that, as over 60 people went head to head to compete for the victory!

Coming out victorious on the long courses, was David Bunn, closely followed by Eddie Narbett and Jim Bailey.  On the women’s course, Niamh Hunter took the win, beating Ellie Bales and Emma Crawford to first place!

Delicious cakes and hot drinks were provided by EUOC members, which created a lovely atmosphere around the assembly.  Get excited about next year, for more fun-mass-start-night-orienteering shenanigans.

Big thanks to Oscar Shepherd for planning some fantastic courses, and to Colin Eades for controlling and making the event go so smoothly!

Saturday

Continuing with tradition, competitors took to the streets of Edinburgh, this time facing the challenge of Calton Hill and Abbeyhill.  Everyone survived (we hope) the challenge of Dan’s tricky courses to make it back to the finish!

In the men’s open, Jason Wong took the win, followed by Michael Bishenden and Ben Brown.  For the women’s open, Emily Atkinson came out on top, with Lyra Medlock and Lucy Ward following closely behind!

After all that running, we were still off to the ceilidh, to enjoy some great dancing and some haggis (just in case people’s legs weren’t tired enough after all the steps)!

A huge thank you to Dan Barber for planning some very devious courses, and to Roger Scrutton for controlling the event!

Sunday

There were a few tired faces as our hardy freshers set out the courses on the imposing Arthur Seat.  But everyone was still keen to get out and tackle Jonas’ fine gorse navigation and challenging route choices.  I heard one person was even rescued out of a gorse bush! Kudos to their saviour.  Finlay McLuckie was our Seat KingTM on the brown course, while Anna Murgatroyd was our blue course winner - bringing it home on the run-in no less.

The adjacent sprint event - quickly becoming a staple - had a record turnout as many people enjoyed the delights of Joe Hudd’s planning, which sent them whizzing around Pollock Halls much to the bemusement of the students. 

Once thoroughly raced and orienteered-out (hats off to the doublers) we all enjoyed a sit down in the warm South Hall and delicious cakes courtesy of ScotJOS. We all (organisers especially) breathed a sigh of relief as the weekend came to a close. We’ll leave you with a little poem (don’t expect much - we’re not english students!) to commemorate the weekend. Thanks so much for coming!

Edinburgh Big Weekend 2026 Results

Edinburgh Big Weekend twenty twenty-six,

A weekend of racing - what a blast!

Getting caught up in the mass start mix,

We hope you had fun, but didn’t come last!

Then up the steps, all over the mile

Bamboozled by technical legs

Then the steps again!  We hope it wasn’t vile,

And off home, for bacon and eggs.

Morning came soon, then off, up the seat!

Up and down, and down, up and round,

Finlay ran fast, with a hard time to beat

Whilst sprinters turned heads all around!

What a pleasure, to race amongst friends,

We wave bye to a crazy weekend,

The itch has been scratched,

But plans have been hatched,

Ladies and gents, this is not quite the end…

See you in 2027!