Monthly Club Round Up (March '26)
- EdinburghJudo
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
We've certainly been feeling the March Madness here at EdinburghJudo, with a whirlwind of a month stacked with external events, competitions, camps and gradings - it's been a very busy few weeks for our members!
To kick off the month, three of our senior players headed over to Cumbernauld to compete at the Strathkelvin Open.
Solid contests all round that provided more experience under the belt, some points on the card and work to take back into training. Hats off to Peter on his performance, coming away with the gold at his first judo tournament!
Results
Peter M: Gold (Novice)
Harry F: Silver (Kyu Grades)
Andrea R: Bronze (Dan Grades)
A massive well done to all of our young judoka who stepped up to compete at the 2026 Cherry Blossom, hosted by Jidel Judo.
A big thank you to Jidel Judo for organising a great development event, and to all the volunteers, parents and coaches who helped out on the day. Lots of fun, learning and plenty of proud family and friends!
Well done to Evan, Ethan and Archie who all attended their very first international event abroad, competing at the Mostoles Junior European Cup 2026 in Spain alongside members of the Scottish and British junior teams.
The boys showed they are competitive at this level, bringing intensity and structure to their contests. Following the competition, they spent the next three days taking part in a training camp with multiple randori sessions each day against players from across Europe.
Great work and a fantastic life experience for the three boys.
March 8th marked International Women’s Day, and we celebrated by highlighting the continued participation of women and girls in judo.
At EdinburghJudo we're proud to support the progress of women and girls in judo by offering inclusive training, ensuring strong role models are visible and accessible, and working to tackle barriers women and girls face in sport.
We continue to create opportunities that celebrate the participation of women and girls in judo, such as our training day back in September, which saw almost 50 judoka from clubs up and down the country connect and train with each other.
Looking forward to hosting more events soon that bring our wonderful community together!
Nine EdinburghJudo members, plus a handful of supporters, headed out to Ravenscraig for the first National Kyu & Dan Grading of the year.
Everyone who competed came away with more points on their card and another step closer to their next grade. The group brought positive judo and the drive to succeed into every contest, showing that they are headed in the right direction.
There will be plenty of new EdinburghJudo Dan grades coming in 2026!
Congratulations to all seven EdinburghJudo players who participated in the 2026 British Schools Championships in Sheffield.
Learning through experience, building resilience, and the memories made together are what matter more than a medal on trips like these. Being on time, supporting teammates, packing your own bag and managing all the emotions and expectations that come with competition - this is where real growth happens.
Thanks to BritishJudo for delivering a positive and inclusive event. Information was clear, people were welcoming and it was a great experience for everyone involved. Shoutout to our coaches for supporting the team, and well done to Kirsty W who took another step forward in her refereeing journey by officiating at the event across the weekend.
Results
Euan A: Gold
Alban T: Silver
Ella CL: Bronze
Sara C: Bronze
📸: Fergus Pirie Photography
It was another very busy day at Ravenscraig for the Hibari Kan Grand Prix, the first of four JudoScotland Grand Prix events taking place this year. From A Band right up to our Senior, we had 18 members step up to compete throughout the day, with plenty of good contests across the board.
For our younger players, these Grand Prix events often represent another step up in their competitive journey, providing a positive space to develop their judo skills and resilience, while also exploring the emotions and expectations that come with this level of competition. Win or lose, there's always something to learn! Thank you to Craig, Sarah and Scott for coaching and supporting each player throughout the day, and to the family and friends who came out to Ravenscraig to watch, support and cheer on from the stands.
Well done to everyone who took part, and congratulations to those who came away with a podium finish.
Results
B Band
Clara T: Silver
Neive R: Bronze
Cadet
Euan A: Gold
Alban T: Bronze
Senior
Harry F: Gold
Ella CL: Gold
Andrea R: Silver
George C: Bronze
Koko D: Bronze
Congratulations to all of our senior members who successfully completed their grading this month!
Over fifty new belts were earned across the three nights of grading, from 6th kyu right through to 1st kyu, and every demonstration reflected the dedication and effort our members have put into preparing for their next grade.
Billy and the rest of the coaching team were very impressed by the level of judo and attention to detail shown across the week, alongside the buzz of excitement and encouragement on the mat.
Thank you to our members for making the club such a great place to be, and to our coaches and staff for all their work in providing exciting and inclusive sessions for all.
A number of our senior members made the long trip down to Cardiff to take part in the annual training and technical judo weekend run by PSUK Judo.
Friday evening’s randori session saw a busy mat with the players getting plenty of practices with a great range of players, whilst Saturday comprised of a masterclass with Luke Preston (6th Dan); former international player, current head coach of Camberley Judo Club and known for coaching players to Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth success. Luke delivered two well paced, thoroughly enjoyable and very informative sessions, which were enjoyed by all of those that attended.
Following the masterclass sessions, Koko and Mark took part in the competitive Dan grading to top off a packed weekend of judo. Both fought well, showing what we’ve been working on in the club. Special mention to Mark who earned his first 10 points towards his 1st Dan, winning by a strangle in his first Dan grading and second ever competitive outing.
The group then went for a social night out in the town with the friends to round off the weekend. Plenty of sore heads on the 7 hour drive back to Edinburgh!
Well done to Eva on her bronze medal finish in the Junior -48KG category at the Thuringia Cup in Germany - a well fought result at a highly contested international event!
Rafal L was our sole competitor at the 2026 British Veteran Open down in London, where he powered through his pool of contests, coming away with four wins and a well deserved silver medal in the M4 -100KG category. A strong result for Rafal as he look towards the 2026 British Veteran Closed event in October, alongside a group of our veteran players. Great work Rafal!
To round out a busy month of events, Sarah C, Sarah A, Mark and David took part in a Ju-no Kata course at Cluarankwai Judo Club, led by Sensei Yohihiko Iura (8th Dan).
Ju-no-Kata is a dynamic, expressive and gymnastic composition of attack and
defence methods in a series of slow and moderate actions. It consists of fifteen
techniques, divided into three sets of five techniques.
The course was a highly insightful experience, and provided an opportunity to further deepen our understanding as we develop our delivery of Kata at the club.
In case you missed it, check out this article from BBC Sport on Sarah A and her impressive competitive career so far, as she sets her sights on a third Commonwealth title at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games this summer!
There's plenty more action coming up in April, including our Easter Camp for kids aged 5+ which takes place from April 6th-10th and is open to members, non-members, friends and family! If you're looking for days filled with fun activities, games and judo to keep the kids active over the Easter break, book a place on our camp now via the button below.
See you in the next round-up,
The EdinburghJudo Team ⛩️
