Scottish Relay Champs 2026, GrandtullySunday 24th May
Credit: Helena Nolan
A return to the forest in Ballinluig for the relays resulted in podium places for 2 ESOC teams. Golds for Morten, Anna & Megan, with silvers for juniors Ingrid, Eddie & Hamish.
Will Mair reports:
Whilst not so very far, either geographical or chronologically, from the JK Relays at Tullochroisk on Easter Monday, the weather at Grandtully was worlds away for the 2026 edition of the Scottish Relay Championships. Sunnies, caps and sun-cream were the order of the day as 8 ESOC teams joined over 80 in total across 8 senior and 2 junior categories. Whilst many were returning after competing in the Individual Championships the previous day, there were a handful of "fresh legs" taking part too.
The senior categories are determined by a handicapping points system which accommodates any combination of age and gender. Points are allocated to each entrant based on their normal class with an M21 allocated 0 points, increasing through the age ranges to W80 with 16 points, or down to M/W12 with 8 points. The points across the 3 team members are then aggregated and the team category chosen from the list of Open, 8+, 11+, 14+, 17+ 20+ or 23+. Got it? There are also two junior categories for teams with combined ages below 36 or 44. All senior teams are part of a single mass start, with the juniors spared the stampede and start a few minutes later.
The nuances and optimization opportunities of this system are beyond me, but Captain Sarah applied her complex algorithm (or pulled names out of a map case?) and we gathered with our team mates to talk tactics. Try not to mis-punch seemed to be a popular one.
After a short run-though of the run-in, it was then time for the stampede. 3-2-1-beep! Off the first leg runners barrelled towards the start kite, where a near 180-degree turn was the order of the day, taking runners back past the watchful eyes of their teammates who could track them up the long climb up through the field towards the first controls. Very good, planners, very good!
Once out of the open, controls started appearing thick and fast through a mix of fast runnable forest and some slightly stickier stuff. Contour enthusiasts were in luck. Lots of them to cross, and with plenty of squiggly bits to help navigation.
Towards the end of their legs, runners left the relative calm of the forest and returned to the open field where the spectator control was the scene of a cacophony of raucous encouragement, support, and pithy comments. A few more controls followed, including the radio controlled pre-warning control giving the commentary team opportunity to shout out runners' names as they entered the hand-over or finish funnel.
As we mingled, played in the stream and scoffed ScotJOS bake sale fare, it emerged that two ESOC teams made it onto the podium. Morten, Anna and Megan won the 11+ category and in doing so provided a candidate for champagne moment of day as Megan out-kicked dad Keith by 3 seconds to the finish line. A bold move, as it's a long walk home. Clearly not satisfied with her leg winning run, Anna decided that a 4 minute breather was sufficient to head out for another run to complete Les and Margaret's 23+ team. Meanwhile, in the 36- junior category, Ingrid, Hamish and Eddie finished in second place.
A fabulous setting on a glorious day. Relays are great fun aren't they?
ESOC teams in the top half:
- 11+ (3) - Long ESOCks - Morten, Anna, Megan 1st
- 14+ (9) - StripESOCks - Will, Kevin, Keith 4th
- 23+ (13) - AnklESOCks - Alison, Fran, Helena 6th; WoolESOCks - Sally, Crawford, Richard 7th
- Age 36- (4) - SportESOCks - Ingrid, Hamish, Eddie - 2nd
Full relay results can be found here.
Other entries categorised under: Event Reports - Juniors