Monthly Club Round Up (May '26)
- EdinburghJudo
- 19 hours ago
- 4 min read
May began with a very busy day for all of those who represented EdinburghJudo at the Clyde Grand Prix in Paisley!
We had members competing from A Band right up to Senior, and this level of tournament provided plenty of tough contests and experiences to navigate and adapt to, from the warm-up through to the last exchange. Navigating new weight/age groups, stepping up into combined weight categories, first time competing at a Grand Prix, returning to competition from a break; each scenario provided opportunities to learn and develop.
Medal or no medal, every player had the determination to perform with positive judo, or to implement what they’ve been working on in training, and our coaches are proud of the resilience and effort that was shown throughout the day. Solid performances all round to build upon as we look forward to future events - well done everyone.
Thank you to both Sarah A and Sarah C for coaching the team across the day, to family and friends for supporting from the stands, and congratulations to those who came away with a podium finish:
A Band
Neive (-44KG): 🥇
Ilyas (-46KG): 🥉
C Band
Euan (-90KG): 🥇
Cici (-63KG): 🥉
Senior
Andrew (-73KG): 🥇
Traiko (-81KG Kyu Grades):🥈
Max (-81KG Dan Grades): 🥈
Archie (-100/+100KG):🥈
Andrea (-52/-57KG): 🥉
A massive well done to all of our junior members who successfully completed their grading this month!
It was one of our busiest grading weekends at EdinburghJudo, and we are incredibly proud of the effort, commitment and dedication everyone put into their demonstrations to achieve their next grade. Billy and the coaches were very impressed by the level of technique shown by everybody who took part.
As always, it was great to see so many proud family and friends at the club, celebrating the success of our young judoka and supporting them throughout their judo journey.
Thank you to our team of coaches and staff for ensuring the gradings ran smoothly for everyone, Favela Coffee for keeping everyone energised with coffee, snacks and ice cream, and to our wonderful club community for making EdinburghJudo such a great place to be.
Scott and Sarah A took part in the EJU Benidorm Olympic Training Camp from May 18th - 22nd, with Billy alongside to coach and support the pair. The camp brought together some of the strongest judo players from across the globe for five intense (and very hot!) days of technique and randori; providing the opportunity to learn and train with the best in preparation for upcoming competitions - and a chance to catch up with former EdinburghJudo athlete and current National Coach for Sweden, Sally Conway!
On May 23rd we celebrated our Director of Coaching and the driving force behind EdinburghJudo, Billy Cusack, on his 60th birthday.
Whether as an athlete, coach, mentor or role model, Billy has dedicated his life to judo and he believes in the power of sport to change lives. From Olympians and international players, to children stepping onto the mat for the very first time or seniors beginning judo in their later years, his passion, standards, vision and belief in people has impacted so many lives.
EdinburghJudo is what it is today because of his vision, hard work and commitment over many years. Thank you for everything you continue to do for our club and community, Billy!
Archie, Evan and Nicco all competed in the London Area Open this month, along with Kirsty who volunteered her time as a referee over the two days of competition.
The weekend brought lots of learning, growth and development for everyone, with some sightseeing around London thrown in for Archie and Evan too. Well done on your effort and results.
Junior
Evan (-81KG) - 5th
Archie (+100KG) - Silver
Senior
Evan (-81KG) - 5th
Nicco (-100KG) - Silver
Archie (-100KG) - Bronze
Throwback to being ‘out out’ for the Scotland v Ireland rugby game with some of the EdinburghJudo mums. A boozy brunch, plenty of laughs, and certainly a change from the usual Saturdays spent at the side of the mat supporting the squad kids!
One of the best things about our club is the friendships and community that grow far beyond judo itself. From competitions and coffees to nights out and weekends away, it is special to see people come together through the club and build real connections along the way.
Scott (-90kg) and Eva (-48kg) travelled to Sarajevo, alongside members of the GB team, to compete in the Sarajevo Senior European Cup. This was the last event in the qualification period for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games for the pair, both who have already met the minimum selection criterea to be nominated to represent Team Scotland at the Games this summer.
Scott came away with a 7th place finish, after demonstrating some impressive newaza transitions in his contents, however failed to make it out of the repechage for a chance to fight for bronze.
Well done to both, and onto the next.
With summer just around the corner, our upcoming Summer Camp has got you covered if you're looking for something to keep your child active and engaged during the school holidays! Camp will run for two weeks over the break: Monday 13th July - Friday 17th July, and Monday 20st - Friday 24th July, and is open to members, non-members, friends and family aged 5+ years, with single-day and full-week booking options available.
Each day of camp will be packed full of fun activities, team games and judo action; all led by our team of qualified coaches.
You can book a place for your child by clicking the button below, or get in touch for more information/with any questions by emailing us at enquiries@edinburghjudo.com.
See you in the next round up,
The EdinburghJudo Team ⛩️
