Two Linlithgow orienteers produced notable performances at the 2026 World Orienteering Championships in northern Italy and followed that with success back home at the Lee Pen Hill Race in Innerleithen.
World Championship sprint rounds
Grace Molloy and Peter Molloy were part of the Great Britain team for the Sprint-only event, the third time the championship has been held in that format. Both athletes safely negotiated the Individual Sprint qualifying round: Peter placed ninth in qualifying with a time of 15.03, and Grace was one place behind with 13.39.
In the Individual Sprint final, which ran over a longer course than qualifying, Grace finished a clear top-20 in 19th with a time of 18.57. Peter completed his first major final in 30th place, clocking 18.32.
Knockout Sprint and relay
During the qualifying for the Knockout Sprint the following day, Grace again progressed, recording a time of 11.19 for 12th place and becoming one of three British qualifiers. Peter, who had developed a cold overnight, narrowly missed out on advancing, finishing three places outside the final qualifying positions with a time of 12.03.
All three British competitors were eliminated at the quarter-final stage. Grace was competitive in her heat — finishing fourth in 8.10 — and remained in contention until the penultimate control when a forced route did not pay off and she missed progression by nine seconds.
In the Mixed Sprint Relay, Peter was unable to take part after failing to recover from his illness, but Grace ran the anchor leg as part of the GB team and helped them to a 16th place overall (team composite 70.16, Grace’s leg 16.15).
Return to Scotland and local success
After the World Championships the siblings returned to domestic racing and dominated the Lee Pen Hill Race in Innerleithen under unexpected circumstances: Peter won the race in 25.25 and Grace finished sixth in 29.03. The report noted a sizeable margin between Grace and the next closest female competitor.
- Individual Sprint qualifying: Peter 9th (15.03); Grace 10th (13.39)
- Individual Sprint final: Grace 19th (18.57); Peter 30th (18.32)
- Knockout Sprint qualifying: Grace 12th (11.19); Peter 12.03 (three places short)
- Mixed Sprint Relay: GB 16th (70.16), Grace leg 16.15; Peter withdrew
- Lee Pen Hill Race: Peter 1st (25.25); Grace 6th (29.03)
| Event | Grace Molloy | Peter Molloy |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Sprint qualifying | 10th — 13.39 | 9th — 15.03 |
| Individual Sprint final | 19th — 18.57 | 30th — 18.32 |
| Knockout Sprint qualifying | 12th — 11.19 | 12.03 — missed progression |
| Mixed Sprint Relay (team) | Ran anchor — 16.15; team 16th (70.16) | Withdrew (ill) |
What comes next
The international orienteering focus moves now to the forest races on the calendar. The report states Peter has not yet declared himself available for the third World Cup round in Czechia, as he is concentrating on the European Championships later in the season. The account did not complete the note on Grace’s next availability.
The Molloys’ week combined international exposure and domestic success, underscoring the presence of Falkirk-area talent on the world stage while also bringing a regional race victory home.
