Some of the world’s leading surfing talent brought a weekend of elite competition, progression and atmosphere to Lost Shore Surf Resort as the Hi-Land Fling made its spectacular return to Scotland.
Held on 15 and 16 May 2026 at Europe’s largest inland surf resort, the international event welcomed top surfers from across Europe to Edinburgh for two days of high-performance action, community celebration and cutting-edge surfing progression.
With crowds gathering around Europe’s largest wave pool throughout the weekend, the event reinforced Scotland’s growing reputation as an emerging destination on the global surf scene.
The competition featured a strong international field of surfers including Olympians, Challenger Series athletes, national champions and some of Europe’s most exciting rising talent, reinforcing Hi-Land Fling’s growing reputation on the international surf calendar.
In the men’s competition, Lost Shore surf instructor and Scotland’s own Craig Mclachlan claimed victory following a standout final performance against French surfer Nicolas Paulet. Competing in front of a home crowd at his home resort, Mclachlan impressed judges with a series of progressive and technical rides to secure the top podium spot.
Craig Mclachlan said:
“I’m absolutely stoked to win. I’ve spent a huge amount of time training and working here at Lost Shore and it was really exciting to compete against such a strong international field. The level was super high, so to win it here at home makes it even more special.”
In the women’s competition, France’s Sarah Leiceaga was crowned champion after an inspiring comeback story that became one of the defining moments of the weekend. Having suffered a heavy knock during practice sessions the day before competition, Leiceaga returned with confidence and composure to deliver a winning performance against Basque Country surfer Ariane Ochoa in the final.
Sarah Leiceaga added:
“After the knock I took in training the day before, I honestly wasn’t sure how things would go, so to come back and win feels really special.
“The level of surfing this weekend was incredibly high and the atmosphere around the event was amazing. The waves at Lost Shore are so fun and technical, which really pushes you to perform at your best.”
The full results were:
• Men’s Winner – Craig Mclachlan (Scotland)
• Men’s Runner-Up – Nicolas Paulet (France)
• Women’s Winner – Sarah Leiceaga (France)
• Women’s Runner-Up – Ariane Ochoa (Basque Country)
Meanwhile, British surfer Alys Barton was presented with the inaugural Hi-Land Hero Award, recognising her positivity, sportsmanship and contribution to the atmosphere across the entire event.
Throughout the weekend, surfers pushed the limits of modern surfing with technical airs, powerful turns and progressive manoeuvres, with standout clips and single-wave performances already attracting attention across the international surf community.
Beyond the action in the water, Hi-Land Fling created a festival atmosphere at the resort, with spectators enjoying live commentary, music, athlete appearances and community-focused activities throughout the weekend.
Lee Wood, Managing Director at Lost Shore Surf Resort, said:
“Hi-Land Fling has been everything we hoped it would be – incredible surfing, an amazing atmosphere and a real celebration of how far surfing in Scotland and Europe has come.
“To see a Lost Shore instructor win the men’s competition in front of a home crowd made the weekend even more special and speaks to the level of talent developing here in Scotland. The level of performance this weekend has been phenomenal and the support from the crowd has shown there’s a real appetite for world-class surfing events in Scotland.
“Events like this also wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors, partners and the wider local business community who have backed Hi-Land Fling from the beginning. Their support has helped us create something really special here at Lost Shore.”
The event once again highlighted how wave pool technology is helping accelerate progression within surfing, giving athletes the opportunity to perform at the highest level in consistent, high-performance conditions.
With international athletes, media platforms and surf fans all turning their attention to Edinburgh over the weekend, Hi-Land Fling continues to establish itself as one of Europe’s standout surf events and another major milestone in Scotland’s growing surf story.
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