SmallYuki Wins Elite Title at BIRD 2026 Tiny Whoop Chase-the-Ace Finals

SmallYuki claimed the Elite class title at the Birmingham International Race Days 2026 Tiny Whoop finals, winning through the event's "Chase the Ace" elimination format in a competition that drew pilots from across Europe, North America, and Asia.

The finals video, posted to BIRD's official channel on March 9, confirmed that the Chase the Ace format was used to decide the Elite title and the other class championships on the day. The format, which progressively eliminates competitors until a single pilot advances unchallenged, gave the event a high-stakes structure that commentators had been anticipating well before the final gates were set.

The field itself was one of the more internationally diverse the event has seen. Pilots representing the USA, Japan, France, Switzerland, Latvia, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Estonia all lined up for qualifying. Yuki Yamamoto of Japan was among the most talked-about entrants heading into race day. According to commentary recorded during the event, Yamamoto had traveled from Japan to Estonia before making the trip to Birmingham, arriving for group B qualifying after flying in at around 4:00 in the morning. "I know that he is a astonishing open class pilot," one commentator said, though the same voice acknowledged uncertainty about how Yamamoto's skills would translate to the Tiny Whoop class specifically.

Joshy Stevens, representing the United Kingdom, was another name that drew attention from the commentary desk. The broadcast also referenced a pilot known as XOXO FPV, described by one commentator as "favorite of the whole event," and noted a curious piece of race-day folklore: "It seems that whenever he does bad, Joshy does bad. There's definitely some sort of thing going on in the family there." Dan Karp was also present, with a commentator identifying him as a past champion, tentatively placing his titles in 2020 and 2022, a claim a second voice corroborated with "Yes, I believe."

One notable absence was Dan Miles, who did not compete. "Unfortunately, Dan Miles is not flying at this event," a commentator noted, calling it a disappointment.

The track was assessed as accessible but not without competitive bite. "I think this track is more than flyable with a good pace," the commentary offered ahead of group A qualifying, adding that there were no overly punishing elements to separate the field artificially. With Group A and Group B qualifying both in play, pilots had multiple opportunities to establish their pace before the Chase the Ace finals determined who would stand on top.

SmallYuki ultimately did just that in the Elite class, with international podiums reported across the other divisions as well, reflecting the breadth of talent that made the 2026 edition of BIRD's Tiny Whoop competition one worth traveling through the night to enter.