During the fortnight-long event, university teams from eight countries finally got the chance to put their human-powered submarines through their paces in pursuit of world championship glory.
Hosted by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and QinetiQ, the biennial competition challenges students to design, build and race submarines powered solely by their pilots. The event combines advanced engineering, innovation and teamwork, giving the next generation of marine engineers an opportunity to test their skills in a world-class environment.
This year marks the seventh time the competition has been held at QinetiQ's Ocean Basin, the home of hydrodynamic testing and evaluation.
Opened in 1961 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the Ocean Basin forms part of the historic Haslar site, which has been at the forefront of maritime research and testing since 1886. Today, it remains one of the world's leading facilities for evaluating the performance of defence and commercial vessels.
By hosting eISR, QinetiQ is helping inspire future engineers while providing competitors with access to the same environment used to support cutting-edge maritime innovation.
Twelve teams, including the 2026 world champions and world record holders, Team OMER from Québec, Canada, competed in this year's event.
Among them were two UK entries from the University of Southampton and the University of Warwick, tested their submarines on the Ocean Basin's challenging out-and-back grand slalom course.
Often described as underwater bicycles, the submarines are propelled by a pilot wearing scuba equipment who pedals to generate power. Success requires students to apply their knowledge of marine engineering, hydrodynamics and propulsion to create a fast, agile and efficient design.
The eISR was hosted by IMarEST and QinetiQ, with support from Engage Technical Solutions, maraneo, U-Boat Worx, BMT, Amentum and UKNEST.