2026 Scottish Championships extravaganza – Individuals and Relays – delivered by West Area

Published: June 1, 2026

The Bank Holiday weekend in May saw the West Area Clubs (AYROC, CLYDE, ECKO, FVO, SOLWAY, STAG and Tinto) pull together to deliver the Scottish Championships Individual and Relay Championships with Terry O’Brien BEM (STAG) co-ordinating the weekend. Grandtully in Perthshire provided a stunning arena and access to two distinct terrain types – open sloping runnable birch woodlands and plantation forest. With representation from every club there was chatter, socialising, junior entertainment, plenty of cake to replenish post run and always importantly great planning with seamless organisation!

Saturday – The Individual Championships

The Individual Championships saw members of all ages from around the country gather together in a festival atmosphere only made easier by the glorious weather. For some they had come to themselves against others in their age class (as ever everyone was free to enter whatever course they wished depending on their fitness and determination) and for others it was a chance to enjoy the orienteering whilst catching up with friends.

Whilst there was plenty of cake on offer thanks to the Scottish Junior Orienteering Squad (ScotJOS) baking skills, there was also the opportunity for juniors to meet new and old friends when they were not out in the forest. Individual orienteering games (and others) were on offer for all ages to participate in before a game of rounders was organised. Thank you to the organisers for arranging enough space!

The Individual prizes were presented to the Juniors by Jon Musgrave and Judy Bell with the Senior prizes being presented by Jonathan Molloy, the SOA Chair.

Getting ready for Prize giving
Our Trophy ladies – Caroline Clarke and Susan Hensman

Scottish Individual Championship Podiums

M/W20s
M/W21L
M/W35L
M/W45L
M/W55L
M18L
M/W14
M/W16
M/W80L
M/W70L
M/W65L
M/W60L
M/W10
M/W12
M/W18E
M/W75L
M/W50L
M/W40L
M/W 21 Elite podium

Thank you to Ross Lilley (the Day Organiser – ECKO), Fredrik Nordvall Forsberg and Rudi Paul (the Individual Planners – STAG) and Colin Matheson (FVO) and Blair Young (TINTO) (the Individual Controllers) for their outstanding efforts. Podium photo credit: Colin Matheson

Sunday – The Relay Championships

Sunday saw us return to the same arena at Grandtully but modified to create a holding pen and handover for the relays and a whole different set of challenges out in the Forest! With the senior classes sett off first the juniors who went off next could only watch as the planners had devised a rather evil start to the event with the runners climbing across the slope towards the first controls in full view of the spectators and then returning for a spectator loop!

Senior race mass start
Junior race awaits the bell

There were smiles galore however and some very close finishes!

Scottish Championships Relay Podiums

14+ podium
23+ podium
11+ podium
8+ podium
44- podium
36- podium
20+ podium
17+ podium
Open Podium
Women’s Open Podium

Thank you to Brad Connor (the Day Organiser – FVO), Terry O’Brien BEM and Kyle Herron (the Individual Planners – STAG) and Blair Young (TINTO) (the Controller) for their outstanding efforts.

Thank you to Shona Calder of East Brae Farm, Grandtully and Forestry Land Scotland (FLS) for their permissions which allowed the event to go ahead.