David Hales & Duncan Goodchild
First east section and first open went to David Hales from Hockley with a three year old, red cock on 751mpm over 637 miles. Now named Confort Zone, this cock was lightly raced as a youngster with no channel races. As a yearling it had just the one race over the water and then as a two year old it went as far as Tarbes. Comfort Zone was paired in March and sat for five days before being put onto the widowhood system for the races as far as Le Mans. It is a brother of third open BICC Barcelona, ninth open Perpignan, eleventh open Narbonne, amongst many other performances. Comfort Zone is also related to the 2013 Marseille winner from Alan Parker's Palamos bloodlines. The dam is a direct Hagen. David timed a second pigeon, a four year old on 557mpm to also take sixth east section and sixth open. This one was a widowhood cock with a similar preparation over the previous seasons. Containing one hundred percent Jim Biss bloodlines, its pedigree is full of the famous Natrix. The sire was a decent racer and was second BICC from Marseille. Dave sent three to Marseille and timed in all three, so one percent returns at 637 miles.
F Knowles and Son of Wingham timed a four year old on 675mpm over 606 miles to take second east section and second open. The partners timed a second bird, a seven year old on 613mpm to also take fifth east section and fifth open, then a third pigeon on 396mpm, winning ninth east section and eleventh open. Simon's first bird, Ollie, was a blue cock that had been eighth open from Marseille last season. Its sire was ninth open from Barcelona. Second on the clock for Simon was a cock that had previously been fourth and eighteenth open from Marseille and forty-third open Perpignan. Third on the clock had been timed just out of race time in a previous race from Marseille, this being its fifth time from the racepoint. This year Simon has raced his team celibate, instead of on the natural system.
Steven Rhodes
Mr and Mrs Rhodes from Aylesham clocked two, two year olds on 670mpm and 651mpm over 603 miles to take third and fourth east section and third and fourth open. Both birds on the clock are nest pairs and bred from a Dennis Dall cock that was third open BICC Pau and one hundred and forty-sixth international. Also in the mix is the son of Eric Limbourg's Joost and Crack Perpignan from Jim Biss. Prior to Marseille, both pigeons had three short channel races plus the BICC programme. They were raced on the roundabouot system, but then left together for three days prior to basketing.
Bill Knox (r)
SR and WH Knox from Tyler Hill were seventh east section and seventh open with a three year old on 542mpm over 610 miles. The partners clocked a second pigeon to take eleventh east section and thirteenth open, a three year old on 353mpm. A third pigeon also made eleventh east section and fourteenth open. Bill's first on the clock was one of his Kirkpatrick family, a hen now named Second Chance, as it was lost as a youngster from a ten mile trainer, only to return ninth months later in perfect condition. Last season it raced through to St Vincent, 540 miles and in preparation this season it had three East of England races plus Agen. Sent sitting seven day eggs, all of the grandparents of this hen have scored at over five hundred miles.
Jan Deacon
First centre section and eighth open was a six year old cock on 512mpm over 629 miles for A & T Deacon of Waterlooville. Albi timed a second bird, a three year old on 399mpm to also take second centre section and tenth open. First on the clock was a Southwell cock named Ernie as it is a grandson of their late cousin, Ernie Deacon's NFC Pau winner. Albi's Southwell family have a habit of timing late, this season they timed at 21.30BST from Barcelona and last year from Agen it was 21.27BST. Marseille was this cock's sixth international race, having being timed in all of them. Second for the partners was a dark chequer cock from the same sire as their first. This cock flew St Vincent last season and this year has had a couple of races from the north before being turned south for BICC Tours.
Geoff & Clayton Preece
G M Preece and Son were tenth east section and twelfth open with a three year old on 369mpm over 597 miles. Geoff and Clayton have been on every BICC international race result this season.
Alan Turner
Finally, in fifteenth open and twelfth east section we have an eight year old on 326mpm over 600 miles for Alan 'Wally' Turner of Dover, another ever present name on the BICC marathon race results.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Marseille, in conjunction with the international race.