blog_image

The Toughest Race Yet: Who Took the Top 3 Spots at 240 km?

8/21/2025

Another race, another story — but this time, the toughest one yet. Let’s see which three pigeons conquered the 240 km challenge and secured the top three positions.

The 4th race, held on Saturday, August 16th, turned out to be very demanding.
Due to a late release caused by temperature inversion, a rapid rise in daily temperatures, and likely some other factors, the pigeons did not return in groups larger than 3–4. By the end of the day, 490 pigeons had made it home, while the following day nearly 800 more arrived. Because of this, the race closure had to be extended for another day, when more than 50 pigeons still managed to return before noon.

Now let’s take a look at the first three pigeons that successfully returned under these challenging conditions.

The winner of the 4th and most difficult race so far is Team JC Lofts with pigeon BE-2025-2055194, flying at a speed of 1208.98 m/min. 🏆

Statement from the fancier after the victory (translated):

“If last week in contest no. 3 (195 km) my pigeons managed to take 1st place in the category Fancier of the Race with the 38th and 48th positions, then in contest no. 4 (240 km) pigeon BE-2055194 took 1st place (3/4 arrived). The stage was extremely difficult considering the temperature and headwinds (490 pigeons on the first day since 1922 on board). It seems the selection made in Belgium is starting to show results, considering the fantastic competition at AviRings in 2025. Good luck to all participants in the future, and congratulations to the organizers for their professionalism and transparency!”

Team JC Lofts

Pigeon BE-2025-2055194

Pedigree - Pigeon BE-2025-2055194

In 2nd place was pigeon HU-2025-14-90329, from fanciers Team Gal & Wagner, with a speed of 1208.013 m/min.

The strategy used by Tamas Wagner is clearly paying off – two years ago, at the AviRings auction, he purchased pigeons that proved themselves in the AviRings Derby 2023 season. This year, he sent their offspring to our competition – the father and mother of pigeon HU-2025-14-90329 achieved 58th and 67th place in the 2023 final, as well as 71st and 115th place in the U600 race! It seems this was indeed a smart investment!

Team Gal & Wagner

Pigeon HU-2025-14-90329

Father from HU-2025-14-90329 (Competed in AviRings Derby 2023.)

Mother from HU-2025-14-90329 (Competed in AviRings Derby 2023.)

The 3rd place went to pigeon DV-2025-02733-1681, from Familie Soellner, with a speed of 1207.818 m/min.

Familie Soellner

Pigeon DV-2025-02733-1681

Pedigree - Pigeon DV-2025-02733-1681

 

Top 10:

1. BE-2025-2055194 ; Team JC Lofts ; 1208.980922 ; 8/16/2025 11:06:25 AM

2. HU-2025-14-90329 ; Team Gal & Wagner ; 1208.012919 ; 8/16/2025 11:06:35 AM

3. DV-2025-02733-1681 ; Familie Soellner ; 1207.818358 ; 8/16/2025 11:06:36 AM

4. NL-2025-1074250 ; Harmen IJzerman ; 1207.519163 ; 8/16/2025 11:06:39 AM

5. NL-2025-1495834 ; Arie Dijkstra ; 1205.944262 ; 8/16/2025 11:06:55 AM

6. NL-2025-1480442 ; Albert Mekel ; 1198.851761 ; 8/16/2025 11:08:05 AM

7. SLO-2025-108-2141 ; Boris Baloh ; 1198.41586 ; 8/16/2025 11:08:09 AM

8. NL-2025-1026555 ; Jelle Jellema ; 1198.0799 ; 8/16/2025 11:08:12 AM

9. ESP-2025-47950 ; Pedro Mompean ; 1189.704623 ; 8/16/2025 11:09:36 AM

10. BE-2025-6050369 ; PIGEON24 ; 1186.274822 ; 8/16/2025 11:10:11 AM​​​​​​​

Congratulations to all!

Race 5 will most probably be held on Monday, 25. 8. 2025. 

 

Other related news