Akhtar and Edwards claim 2026 British Boulder titles
- Thursday 29th January 2026
Emma Edwards and Dayan Akhtar claimed the senior titles at the 2026 British Bouldering Championships, held last weekend at Depot Manchester. The early-season event also served as a key selection competition for the GB Climbing team.
Edwards, a World Cup finalist in Prague last year, delivered a near-perfect 99.9 points in a tense women’s final, edging out 2024 champion Zoë Peetermans by just 0.7 points. Lucy Garlick took bronze.
On winning the title, Emma Edwards said: “It feels really good to be British Boulder Champion. I wanted to perform here in front of a home crowd, and although the final was nerve-wracking, knowing others were topping, I’m glad I was able to execute.”
The men’s final went down to the last boulder, with last year’s podium trio – Jack MacDougall, Hamish McArthur, and Akhtar – all in contention. Akhtar’s crucial zone on the fourth boulder secured him victory on 69.5 points, ahead of MacDougall and McArthur, who tied on 59.7.
Reflecting on his result, Dayan Akhtar said: “It’s a mixture of euphoria and relief – it feels like a long time coming after being so close for the last few years. To start the year like this means a lot to me.”
In the Under-17 competition of the GB Climbing selection event, Ethan Maxfield edged out 2025 British Boulder Champion Spike Fullwood by 0.3 points, while Florence Nuttall narrowly beat Jessica Ward by 0.1 points. Mia Gallagher and Charles Wardrop completed the podium.
SENIOR FINAL RESULTS – WOMEN
1. Emma Edwards
2. Zoë Peetermans
3. Lucy Garlick
4. Isabella Edginton
5. Eugenie Lee
6. Izzy Bridgens
7. Isabella Rinaldi
8. Livvy Gent
SENIOR FINAL RESULTS – MEN
1. Dayan Akhtar
2. Jack MacDougall
3. Hamish McArthur
4. Luca Martins
5. Max Milne
6. Rhys Conlon
7. Aiden Dunne
8. Jacob Amos
Full results are available (here) and coverage of the finals (here).