The International Columbodrome Gaspar Vila Nova, in Portomar, Mira, once again hosted the prestigious Mira 2024 International Pigeon Racing Championships, bringing together the elite of the pigeon racing world. With the participation of more than a thousand pigeons from 35 countries, this event reaffirmed Mira’s significance on the global stage, highlighting the competitive spirit and diversity of this community.

Over 1,300 racing pigeons were released at 9:30 AM this Saturday in Paderne, Algarve. The first pigeon arrived at the Columbodrome at 14:18, to the great excitement of the thousands of spectators who gathered to witness this incredible sporting spectacle.

The first pigeon to cross the finish line belonged to Team Sylt 2000 / D – Behrens from Germany, with the ring 01211-79/24, and achieved an impressive average speed of 1283.349 m/m, becoming the FCI Grand Prix champion. In second place was the team Denis & Karla Culic from Croatia, with pigeon 07773/24 and an average of 1282.9381 m/m, followed by Florea Santino Sorin from Romania, with pigeon 4090714/24, achieving an average speed of 1282.2942 m/m.

In the FCI World Championship, the results also reflected the competitiveness of the event, with a victory for Croatia:

Croatia – Denis & Karla Culic – 07773/24 – Average: 1282.9381 m/m
Portugal – Micael Pedras & Pedro Porto – 4360086/24 – Average: 1281.9758 m/m
Croatia – Mate Culic – 07901/24 – Average: 1263.8562 m/m
The FCI European Championship highlighted the excellent performance of Portugal, with two fanciers on the podium:

Belgium – Dobbeleaere Philippe – 4026784/24 – Average: 1283.1072 m/m
Portugal – Clemente Bexiga – 4021947/24 – Average: 1282.1727 m/m
Portugal – Team Trofa – 4062021/24 – Average: 1256.2906 m/m
In the National Champions League, an exclusive competition for Portuguese pigeon fanciers, the results were as follows:

António Fernando Castro Santos – 4131761/24 – Average: 1268.4765 m/m
Manuel Oliveira Ribeiro – 4074023/24 – Average: 1263.1960 m/m
Luís Fernando Barradas Salgueiro – 4177349/24 – Average: 1260.6502 m/m
In the Ibero-Latin American Tournament – AILAC, Italy claimed victory, but Portuguese competitors also stood out on the podium:

Italy – Valeri dott Germano – 608876/24 – Average: 1211.0692 m/m
Portugal – João Pedro Ferreira Dias – 4043714/24 – Average: 1207.4615 m/m
Portugal – Sol Nascente – 4346270/24 – Average: 1205.0429 m/m
The official opening ceremony, held in the morning at the International Columbodrome Gaspar Vila Nova, was attended by several key figures who underscored the importance of this event for pigeon racing and the local economy. José Luiz Jacinto, President of the Portuguese Federation of Columbofilia (FPC), stated that “there is no pigeon fancier in the world who doesn’t know what Mira and these championships represent,” highlighting the hospitality of the people of Mira and the pride of the FPC in being based in the municipality.

The Director-General of the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Services (DGAV), Susana Pombo, praised the “high standards of animal welfare” upheld by the FPC, congratulating the organization for standing out both nationally and internationally for its “conscience and responsibility.”

Newly elected President of the International Federation of Pigeon Racing (FCI), David Barros Madeira, also attended the event, revealing that his main goal is to “elevate pigeon racing to the status of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.” He praised the “work” the FPC has done in Mira with the organization of these championships.

Additionally, Artur Fresco, Mayor of Mira, declared that “this is an extremely important day for the local economy,” emphasizing the presence of 35 countries at the event and the strong partnership between the local government and the FPC.

The International Pigeon Racing Championships were supported by the Mira City Council and the Portuguese Institute for Sport and Youth (IPDJ), as well as sponsored by companies Asas D’ouro, Benzing, Quinta da Lagoa, and Zoopan.