Schedule

Please read through the schedule below carefully. Please note, only participants are allowed in the exam rooms during the sprint and target rounds. Parents/guardians should arrange to meet their children immediately after the Target round to take them to lunch (lunch options at UBC). Everyone (participants, parents/guardians and friends) is invited to the competition rooms for the countdown round.

ELMACON 2026 will be held in the Earth Science, Swing, Scarfe and Life buildings on UBC's Point Grey campus. The competition is separated by grade, students will take all three parts of the exam (sprint, target, and countdown) in the room assigned to their grade.

Registration will take place in the Earth Science Building is on Main Mall, directly across from the whale skeleton (Beattie Biodiversity Museum). The nearest parkade for both buildings is West Parkade.

10:00 Registration: Students should present their ticket at the registration desk for their grade
10:15-10:45 Seating: Students are taken to their assigned seats. All students must be seated by 10:45
10:45-11:00 Sprint Instructions: MCs read instructions for the Sprint Round to the competitors (no admission to the rooms at this time)
11:00-11:50

Sprint Round
11:00-12:00

Parent Information Session: SCARF Room 100

Beyond Memorization: Raising Thinkers in the Age of AI - Natasa Sirotic, Math Potentials

In a world where AI can instantly generate answers, the real advantage lies in knowing how to think, not what to memorize.
In this interactive session, we’ll explore what mathematical success truly means today, and why deep understanding and reasoning skills are more important than ever. Through engaging challenges and simple proof-based examples, you’ll experience the kind of thinking that helps students connect ideas, not just recall them.
We’ll also share practical ways to support your child’s confidence and growth in math, and introduce Math Potentials, an enrichment program designed to develop curiosity, resilience, and strong problem-solving foundations for long-term success
11:50-12:15 Break
12:15-12:25 Target Instructions: MCs read instructions for the Target Round (no admission to the rooms at this time).
12:25-1:15

Target Round
1:15-2:45 Lunch Break: Please note, parents/guardians should arrange to meet their children at this time. Students are not supervised outside of the exam rooms.
2:45-3:00 Countdown Instructions: Top 25 competitors announced and Countdown instructions read (parents/guardians welcome in exam rooms)
3:00-3:45

Countdown Round
3:45 Award Ceremony