Third Place from 1,531 Teams, 20th Anniversary Monopoly Run!
What a day. What a result. What memories. The 20th anniversary edition of the Monopoly Run did not disappoint and neither did our incredible team.
On Saturday 7th March, 22 members of our group: 15 Scouts, 1 Young Leader and 6 adults, all led brilliantly by Suzi, took on London in the most ambitious Monopoly Run to date. Joining a staggering 9,000 Scouts and Girl Guides from across the country, we raced around all 33 locations on the real Monopoly board, navigating the streets and stations of the capital in the ultimate orienteering challenge. The result? A sensational 3rd place out of 1,531 competing teams.
An Early Start at the Station
The day began at the crack of dawn with the group assembling at the train station at 7am, ready to make the journey into London. There was a buzz of anticipation as Scouts, leaders and adults gathered, kit at the ready, maps in hand, and plenty of pre-event energy.
For the 20th anniversary event, organisers chose to add 2 new start places in addition to Waterloo Station, Regents Park and the Speke Monument in Hyde Park. This is where we chose to start from this year. The atmosphere at the start was electric, with thousands of young people in their neckers and uniforms packed into the park, raring to go.
Going Anti-Clockwise — A New Direction
This year brought a significant twist: for the first time, we navigated the board anti-clockwise, reversing the direction that had been our preference in previous years. With four separate teams entered, our Scouts spread across London, each group working together to plot the smartest route, call out the correct locations, and keep each other moving at pace through the city.
Suzi’s leadership throughout the day was outstanding, co-ordinating 22 people across four teams in a city of millions is no small feat, and her preparation and guidance were central to our success.
Crossing the Finish Line at Marylebone
All four of our teams completed the course and crossed the finish line at Marylebone Station just before 5pm, tired, elated, and immediately in need of food. And what better reward after a full day racing around 33 Monopoly locations than a Burger King, the scouts favourite part of the day.
Oh and the distance travelled? The scouts managed over 17 miles and the leaders, racing ahead and about, managed 19 miles. No mean feat for everyone.
3rd Out of 1,531 — A Result to Remember
When the final results came in, we were absolutely thrilled. Our teams placed 3rd out of 1,531 teams, a truly extraordinary achievement that reflects the determination, teamwork and sheer grit that every single one of our Scouts, Young Leader and adults showed on the day. In a field of nine thousand participants and over fifteen hundred teams, reaching 3rd is something to be genuinely proud of.
To everyone who took part, the Scouts who ran their socks off, the adults who kept things on track, and Suzi for leading the whole adventure with such energy and expertise, thank you. Days like this are what Scouting is all about.
We will be back for the 21st edition. See you on the board.
