Malik & Khan
With the wind on the day, it was always going to be the central section which dominated the open result and indeed, the top ten were all members of the centre section. In first open was the partnership of Malik and Khan from Tolworth. The partners timed a yearling hen on 1384mpm over 204 miles. This was the third channel race for the partners' hens, the cocks being left at home due to a hard combine race the week before. Their winner is Ruby, the sire of which is As Ace Euro, a direct August Janssen from the lines of Olympiade when paired to Ace Madam, a direct daughter of Dirk Van Dyke's Madam Bourges.
James Cross of Carshalton was second open with a two year old cock on 1374mpm over 202 miles. On its first channel race of the season, this cock contains Kees Bosua bloodlines through its sire and Marcellis through the dam which came from R Roberts.
Kirk Bullen & daughter Isla
Timing a yearling hen on 1364mpm over 202 miles, D Bullen and Son of Croydon were third open. First on the clock was bred for the partners by Sleight and Taylor of New Maldon and comes from their Leo Van Rijn x Trussler Brothers family. This hen is a half sister to federation and combine winners. Paired late in March and left to sit eggs, she was then put on a form of widowhood system for Alençon which was her first race of the season.
Dave Waterhouse
Mr and Mrs Waterhouse of Portsmouth were fourth open with a yearling hen on 1358mpm over a distance of 175 miles. Husband and wife timed, Lisa Lady, bred down from Jason Ross and Garry Moody national winning family, when crossed with some Hardy Kruger bloodlines. Raced on roundabout, this hen is housed with the darkness youngsters.
Six Nine Seven (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Crammond and Langstaff of Fontwell were fifth open with a two year old cock on 1350mpm over 171 miles. Their timer came from their established Bosua x Van Osch family and this cock was third open from Saintes last season. It was also the partner's first bird from Falaise earlier this season and is a full brother to Green and Hilson's super racer, Crammond's Frankel.
Mr and Mrs Aldridge of Brighton took sixth open with a yearling, widowhood cock on 1338mpm over 166 miles. This cock was bred by the O'Sullivan Brothers of Brighton and contains Janssen bloodlines. It was on its first channel race. The partners had six out of seven sent on the day.
Kevin Bakes
Kevin Bakes of Havant timed a two year old cock on 1337mpm over 174 miles to take seventh open. This widowhood cock contains De Klak bloodlnes and is a full sister to Roger Lowe's My Little Diamond. Two brothers to this cock have topped the federation on the north road.
Mark Gilbert (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Mark Gilbert of Winkfield was eighth open with a three year old cock on 1333mpm over 211 miles. Mark's timer contains Drappa bloodlines and is a grandson to Pokerface and Champ.
Ninth open went to Mr S Sheffield from Oakley Green with as two year old hen on 1332mpm over 213 miles. Stuart's timer contains Van Der Baulk bloodlines, was raced on the widowhood system and was bred by Mick Collins of Birmingham. On its fifth race of the season this hen has taked first club already this year.
Roger Lowe
Completing the top ten is Roger Lowe from Caversham with a five year old cock on 1331mpm over 215 miles. Raced on the widowhood system, this cock contains pure De Raw Sablon bloodlines with both parents being bred by Freddy and Jacque Vandenheede. Having been in an aviary since the end of last season, this cock had just four days of flying out before it was sent to Alençon.
Around the sections
Paul Costas
First east section went to Paul Costas from Rochester with a yearling on 1322mpm over 204 miles. This pigeon is Koppman bred from stock obtained from Tony Sutton. This cock had three inland races before being sent to Falaise where it returned the next day, was rested a week and then sent to Alençon to top the section.
Kevin Foster of Longfield Hill timed a four year old cock on 1310mpm to take second east section. This widowhood cock is a full brother to the hen that was sixth national from Ler Mans last season. The sire is a double grandson of Kanibaal and the dam is a daughter of the Cooper's Wriggler.
The Mahoney Brothers from Basildon were third east section. The brothers timer is a full brother to the fourth Alençon winner from last year and contains Planet Brothers x Williamson x Soontjen bloodlines. This cock has taken two club prize cards already this season. The brother had all fourteen of their entries home in good time.
John & David Staddon
John and David Staddon of Shepton Mallet timed a four year old hen on 1279mpm over 220 miles to take first west section. The partners had two hens drop together, followed by several others which may well make the section top ten. First on the clock was Shapway Kate, raced on a form of the widowhood system. Containing Mark Gilbert's Brockamp bloodlines, Shapway Kate is inbred to Champion Mistral. Second to time was Shapway Evie, a full sister to champion racer Shapway G Force.
Shapway Kate
Geoff & Catherine Cooper
Geoff and Catherine Cooper were second west section with a two year old hen on 1277mpm, the same hen that was second section, sixth open from Falaise two weeks earlier. The sire is George whilst the dam of this hen is Carla Page, both excellent racers in their own right.
Mel & Sue King
Mel and Sue King from Blandford Forum were third west section. Mel and Sue timed a cock containing Eric Limbourg and Vandenabeele bloodlines, the sire of which is the nest brother to their Classic Bergerac winner and a grandson of Eros. The dam is a full sister to Eros.
Paul Loom
The north centre section was won by B & P Loom of Wyboston with a yearling on 1256mpm over 261 miles.
D Lyden and Son of Gobion were second north centre section with a yearling on 1229mpm. The partners timed a roundabout hen containing the bloodlines of Ronnie Williamson's Busschaerts.
J M Haverley of Milton Keynes was third north centre section. John timed a two year old, blue cock containing Soontjen x Denis Sapin bloodlines and raced on the widowhood system.
Robert Govier
Robert Govier of Great Abington was first north-east section with a four year old on 1273mpm over 255 miles. Robbie clocked a Vandenabeele of Kelinan lines, a very consistent racer from over the channel. Flown on the natural system and sent feeding a large baby, this cock's hen had just laid her second egg.
Jeremy Nicholson
Jeremy Nicholson of Ipswich was second north-east section on 1255mpm. Jeremy timed a Cooreman x hen that he obtained as a youngster from Bob Fenech. The breeding contains the very best of Louis Coorman lines crossed with Eddy De Martelare.
Nicolae Babes of Ely was third north-east section. Nicolae clocked a four year old cock that was paired to two hens, rearing a nest of babies with both of them.
Booth & Roper
Booth and Roper of Tewksbury were first north-west section with a four year old on 1236mpm over 267 miles. Trevor and John timed a widowhood cock, bred from their excellent French hen. Early this season, this cock was fifth section from Falaise.
M & C Lee of Worcester were second north-west section on 1206mpm. A Vandenabeele cross, this was this dark, widowhood cock's first channel race of the season.
Mr and Mrs Lloyd of Moreton-in-the-Marsh were third north-west section. The partners timed a hen sent sitting twelve days at basketing and on its second race of the season.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Alençon.