Race: Race 3 (247.54 km)

The AviRings Derby Race 3 on August 20, 2024, took place from location near Lajosmizse in Hungary, with a flight distance of nearly 250 kilometers to the lofts. At 7:20 a.m., 1,784 pigeons were released under favorable weather conditions. The temperature at the release location was 24°C, and a notable north-eastern wind was present, likely impacting the flight path. The pigeons demonstrated remarkable navigation skills by starting in the homeward direction immediately, without circling, which suggests clear orientation and potentially good flight speed aided by the wind.

The wind direction may have added an interesting element to the race, as pigeons often adjust their course and energy depending on wind patterns. A north-eastern wind could have required them to adjust their usual homing trajectory slightly.

The first pigeons arrived at the lofts at 10:13. We truly congratulate the winners Ariciu Catalin & Teodora for their victory with "Alpha Junior" achieving 1st place with impressive speeds of 1430m/min. Ariciu Catalin & Teodora are well-known Romanian fanciers, and we know them already from the 2023 Avirings Derby edition, where they achieved some top results in overall standings, at the final race as well as in the U600 race!

Here's a summary of the top 10:

Top 10 Results

1. Winner: Ariciu Catalin & Teodora (RO); Pigeon: RO-2024-0507056 ("Alpha Junior"); Time: 10:13:08; Speed: 1429.74 m/min
2. Werner Gratzer (AT); Pigeon: AUT-2024-609-303; Time: 10:13:15; Speed: 1428.71 m/min
3. Katarina & Ivan Radovan (SI); Pigeon: SLO-2024-116-133; Time: 10:13:16; Speed: 1428.62 m/min
4. Axel Wolf - Wolvers - Wolf (DE); Pigeon: DV-2024-08149-883; Time: 10:13:22; Speed: 1427.73 m/min
5. Robin Cools (BE); Pigeon: BE-2024-6124277; Time: 10:13:29; Speed: 1426.86 m/min
6. Gert Rotman (NL); Pigeon: NL-2024-4633416; Time: 10:13:29; Speed: 1426.80 m/min
7. Team Ebben & Paalman (NL); Pigeon: NL-2024-8253215; Time: 10:13:31; Speed: 1426.47 m/min
8. Tim Rutkowski (DE); Pigeon: DV-2024-06603-103; Time: 10:13:33; Speed: 1426.23 m/min
9. Zdravko Nikolić (BA); Pigeon: BIH-2024-200-109; Time: 10:13:38; Speed: 1425.56 m/min
10. Roman Vehovec (SI); Pigeon: SLO-2024-108-308; Time: 10:13:41; Speed: 1425.14 m/min

It's impressive to see Werner Gratzer and his team securing second place again, continuing their strong performance! The father-and-son duo has consistently demonstrated their expertise in pigeon racing. Their pigeon, AUT-2024-609-303, arrived just 7 seconds after the winner with a speed of 1428.71 m/min, showcasing their pigeon's top-notch conditioning and homing instincts.

It’s fantastic to see a Slovenian fancier, Katarina & Ivan Radovan, claiming a well-deserved spot on the podium in third place! For those familiar with their pigeon's Hurricane bloodline, this success comes as no surprise. The Hurricane strain is known for its exceptional speed, endurance, and homing abilities, making it a formidable choice in competitive pigeon racing.

Roman Vehovec's achievement of securing 10th place is another proud moment for Slovenian fanciers! His pigeon, SLO-2024-108-308, arrived with a speed of 1425.14 m/min, just seconds away from the podium. Being so close to the top spots in such a competitive race shows the high quality and consistency of Roman's pigeons. Having two Slovenian fanciers in the top 10 emphasizes the strength of the Slovenian pigeon racing community!

Robin Cools, Belgium’s youngest agent, deserves special recognition for his outstanding performance! Entering only 3 pigeons this season, all of them are still in the race, and their results are simply remarkable. His pigeons placed:

• 5th place: BE-2024-6124277
• 58th place: BE-2024-6124223
• 112th place: BE-2024-6124330

This is an exceptional result, and as we mentioned, it might be the best collective performance from any participant in the race! For all 3 pigeons to be not only still in the competition but performing at such a high level speaks volumes about Robin's breeding and preparation skills. It's an inspiring achievement, especially considering the fierce competition in this derby.

Belgium is known for its deep pigeon racing tradition, and Robin is certainly carrying that legacy forward with distinction. His future in the sport looks incredibly promising!

Race Overview

The third race of the season was certainly defined by the challenges brought by the wind. Initially, it seemed as though it would be a smooth and fast race, with the first groups arriving in excellent condition. In just the first 20 minutes, over 500 pigeons arrived at the lofts, suggesting ideal conditions for a quick finish. However, it soon became clear that the race had taken a more challenging turn.

As the day wore on, the pigeons began to arrive one by one, battling not just the wind but also the heat in the later hours. Despite the tough conditions, the pigeons demonstrated incredible resilience and homing skills, with 1,315 out of 1,784 pigeons making it home by the end of the day.

What a pleasant surprise indeed! The arrival of 258 additional pigeons on the next day, before the race closed at 11:15 a.m., is a testament to the remarkable persistence and determination of these birds. With this, a total of 1,573 pigeons completed the third race, out of the original 1,784 released.

The reports of several pigeons being found in Croatia certainly offer an unexpected twist, especially considering they should not have been flying in that direction. However, upon reviewing the wind patterns, the situation becomes much clearer. According to the wind graphic, the pigeons had a tailwind for the first part of their journey, which likely aided their initial speed. However, in the last 100 km, a strong northern side wind began to influence their path, pushing some of the pigeons off course into Croatia.

This shift in the wind highlights an important lesson about how young birds, particularly in their early races, tend to fly with the wind. Instead of adjusting to the route home, they seem to allow themselves to drift with the wind patterns, even when it diverts them from their intended path. The side wind's strength may have overpowered their natural homing instincts or led to disorientation, causing the unexpected detour into Croatia.

This experience certainly offers valuable insights into the race characteristics and how young birds react to changing wind conditions. Learning from these conditions will undoubtedly help improve race strategies and training in the future.

We go on!!! 4th race over 320km follows in a few days. Only the best pigeons will manage to overcome more and more intense races, with different characteristics, different conditions. As the competition progresses, it becomes clear that we have some truly remarkable birds in the lofts.

Best of luck to all the fanciers and their pigeons as we head into this next exciting chapter. 

AviRings Derby Team