DERBY ARONA TENERIFE ONE LOFT RACE

2014/15

by UK Press Officer Tom Harris

February 3rd 2015 Update

Race Day 10

The training has now reached the north-eastern area of the island close to the port of Santa Cruz with a distance of 50km, and with 1944 birds participating the convoy were away at 0905, into a brisk 18km tail wind and an early morning temperature of 18 degrees.

 

With confirmation coming through via the livestream of the liberation we were advised that after being released, the birds gradually made their way through the Guimar Valley and were cautiously trying to navigate the mountain and Valley Touraine during the first couple of minutes of orientation after liberation. Numerous batches were breaking away and making their way southwards whilst others lingered around the site for a few minutes before they too made their way out of site into the direction of home.

 

At the home end, the world were watching via the live link, with everyone anticipating a fast race in light of the tail wind, and a fast race is was to be, with a batch of approximately 200 pigeons hitting the landing boards and racing for the finishing line. With such a close finish, we waited for the electronic timing system to divide a result.

 

Team Tonio Lofts, Malta

 

Taking pole position by the narrowest of margins in this event is the pigeon named Koka Ganga for Team Tonio Lofts of Malta, timing in at 09.38.18.00. This winner is a light cheq hen and has flown mid-table so far leading up to race ten and moved into grand average position 478 and sixteenth in the respect country averages.

 

Second position, timing in at 09.38.18.15, is the Norwegian entry Saika for Team Norwegian Seagulls. Third is hard-working coordinators, Karl and Andrea with Team Dickman Stroeges from the Netherlands and pigeon Gorongoro at 09.38.18.75. Fourth place and 1st UK/Ireland pigeon goes to the Team Well Wag Syndicate with Cliff Hanger at 09.38.19.60. Fifth is an entry for team Germany and pigeon, Test the Best, for Team Alexandra Gebel, on 09.38.20.30. Sixth is a second arrival for the Netherlands team with Melp Jeverson on the clock at 09.38.20 65 for TJ Morsink. Team Romania takes the 7th place with Ferrari, entered by Team Cristuinea Florin-Derby Corabia at 09.38.21.00. Eighth is La India for Marco Cassamagnano for Team Italy at 09.38.21 30. Alexandra Gebel recorded his second arrival for 9th place with Atlantic 45, timing in at 09.39.21.60. The final 10th position goes to an unactivated pigeon, so, as a result of this, team A & P Laan from the Netherlands move into 10th place with their entry Bleu One.

 

Team Well Wag, 1st UK/Ireland, 4th overall

 

So the campaign is now moving on at a pleasing pace with training now every other day, which is proving a wise move as the pigeons are working hard. This shows in the way that they are returning and trapping once they land, with 1,944 liberated and only a few remain adrift at nightfall. Then, there was a few arrivals the following morning which we gather are no worse for wear after their ordeal and this gives the final numbers home 1,893 and a percentage rate of 97.3%

 

Race Day 11

Forty-eight hours later and we were once again on the road, training for race 11 at the coastal north-easterly liberation site, overlooking the Port of Santa Cruz, with and an increased distance to 60km. With 1,889 pigeon all ready to go, the strings were cut at 0955 into a temperature of 21 degrees, broken skies and a 13km NNE wind. Upon liberating, as always, the pigeons broke into numerous batches, due to the large numbers. They gradually cleared the liberation site and made their way south. The line of flight offers a coastal path shortly after liberation, then it becomes more of a rugged terrain as they progress towards the home end. Once again the leading pigeons took advantage of the helping wind and made good time, arriving in just over thirty-four minutes and after a few fly passes around the landing board the leading bird swiftly pitched and raced for the finish.

 

Team Gallo and Mendez, 1st, Training Race 11

 

First place was the EEUU entry for Team Gallo and Mendez Loft with the pigeon, Krishna Belle, timing in at 09.30.09.15. The winning pigeon, a blue cock, has scored highly in past training events with its highest position before today being 28th in Training Race 6. Second place unfortunately goes to yet another unactivated pigeon, which goes to prove to anyone that has purchased unactivated pigeons for competition that they are just as good as any pigeon in the race and were entered into the Arona OLR initially to do a job. Third place goes to the Dickman Stoeges syndicate from the Netherlands who hold onto a top ten position with Malawi, timing in on 10.30.10.30. Fourth is a second arrival for team Netherlands with Snotneus, timing in at 10.30.10.31 for team Wegrestaurant Napolean. Fifth goes to Team Germany and Ody, entered by team Rholing and Buckowski on 10.30.10.80. Sixth is Rolph Helge Aspen and Dibby at 10.30.80.35. Taking 7th place is team Leliert for Team Netherlands with Vitoria, 10.30.11.35. Team Italy takes the 8th spot with Jakey Boy, entered by team Laro Ervin and Devis at 10.30.10.35. Ninth is team Tulgaria and tohuwabohu, recording 10.30.11.50 for Maksim Kumanov and once again highlighting the final 10th position was team Nederland 3 with their entry l. d. v. berg on 10.30.11.51. First UK/Ireland entry once again went to Paul Smith and his syndicate with Bucks Bid, taking 12th position at 10.30.11.70.

 

Paul Smith Syndicate, 1st UK/Ireland

 

Once again the pigeons came well and were a tribute to the management in the way they returned and trapped. It is now clearly visible that with the distance increasing daily these pigeons are working hard and their fitness is starting to come through, as the majority of the pigeons are homing within a matter of minutes. Yes, there were a few of the entries turning in throughout the day, which will always be the case with so many pigeons liberated, but the constant training programme and early liberations are proving to be paying off, as by nightfall only a small percentage are unaccounted for, with the final number of 1,801 pigeons competing in the final island training race to take place on Saturday.

 

Race Day 12

Saturday 31st January and we find ourselves at the quayside at the Port of Santa Cruz in the north of the island for the final land liberation before we head out to sea. With overcast skies and a light NNE wind, the pigeons were liberated at 0930. After liberation, reports came through that the pigeons soon made a line for home and were gradually clearing the liberation site. At the home end, once again, the arrival time was being debated on the chat site and with the pigeons making light work of the previous outings, sightings were expected between forty and fifty minutes to cover the 65km distance. As we patiently sat and waited, both times were soon past and with the weather at that time was not making any improvement, there were a few sweaty palms. The time ticked on and no pigeons were to be seen. It was just under an hour after liberation that our wait was rewarded as the first birds could be seen circling above the loft.

 

The winning pigeon, on this occasion was the Team Savara Family entry, Sona for Team Solvakia, timing in at 10.27.15.50. The winning pigeon is a blue, tick-eyed hen, which has recorded some good positions in past training with positions such as 25th, 20th, 15th etc. This takes him into 2nd place in the overall grand averages. Second place and 1st UK entry is one of our Scottish entries for team Chris Mccann at 10.27.15.55. Third is team Italia and pigeon, La India, for Narco Cassamagnano, which returns to the top ten position with a time of 10.27.17.00. Fourth is team Netherlands and Dyanne dromer for Jap Koehoorn at 10.27.19.00. Fifth is yet again an unactivated pigeon. Sixth is Mattias Sprang and pigeon, Eagle Nebula, on 10.27.20.25. Seventh is the German entry by D and P Soepboer 10.27.20.35. Eighth is Rolph Huchthausan and pigeon, Papada, at 10.27.20.90. Ninth is Team Abdullah Mefleh and pigeon, Bill, on 10.27.22.20 and finally 10th is Horst Hain with Horst 55, timing in at 10.27.33.55.

 

Chris Macann, 1st UK/Ireland, 2nd International

 

This seemed to have been a difficult race for some of the entries, as they returned throughout the day, but it is something that will encourage and give the birds the confidence if and when they’re required to come on their own. By nightfall there were still a few adrift with a percentage rate of 92.48 returning, however, we are still all hopeful that the remaining pigeons will come through on Sunday. So there it is - all the inland training races are over with and, on reflection, the pigeons have done well over the past weeks with minimal losses and casualties. We now move onto phase three when we enter out onto the Atlantic next week.

 

It is publicised that the Arona team this year have commissioned the well-known ferry operators Fred Olsen to provide the transport for the six off-shore races. This will be done from various locations and distances, as the ferry crosses over from island to island and is workable by the vessel reducing power on route to give the pigeons the opportunity of being released within a controlled environment. All of this will, of course, be available for viewing via the website at www.derbyatlantic.com

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