Chomutov Race Opens the 2026 Marathon Season in the Western Province

The first marathon race of the 2026 season in Romania's Western Province, organized by the Arad Pigeon Racing Association, brought together 508 fanciers and 6,254 racing pigeons from the counties of Arad, Bihor, Bistrița-Năsăud, Cluj, Maramureș, Mureș, Sălaj, and Timiș. The birds were liberated from Chomutov, Czech Republic, on July 3 at 07:12, with favorable tailwinds contributing to a highly competitive race.

Cosmin Karscu Wins the Overall Individual Championship

The Overall Individual victory went to Cosmin Karscu (Timișoara Racing Pigeon Club, Timiș Association) with his yearling hen RO-2025-2015497. Entered at a race distance of 816 km, she was clocked at 15:36:43, achieving an average speed of 1,617.83 m/min. Her outstanding performance earned her both 1st Overall and 1st Gold Championship.

For Cosmin Karscu, who has been actively involved in pigeon racing since 1997, marathon racing has always been his favorite discipline. His loft is built on strict selection and proven Western European bloodlines, particularly the renowned Queen of the Night family, which achieved 1st International Barcelona 2020 through his brother, Alin Karscu. The winning hen is the product of an exceptional genetic combination, featuring prestigious bloodlines such as Buba Gump, Queen of the Night, and the celebrated Matterne pigeons.

"I didn't expect her to arrive so quickly after flying 816 kilometers. When I saw she had taken the lead in the live rankings, it brought back the emotions of my brother's International Barcelona victory. This result confirms once again that dedication, careful selection, and patience are the true keys to success," said Cosmin Karscu.

Ionuț Șușelea Tops the Fanciers Championship

In the Fanciers Championship, victory went to Ionuț Șușelea from Biled (Timiș Association), who secured first place with a team of eight pigeons and a total coefficient of 17.59 points. His first arrival was the hen RO-2024-2024752, ranked 7th Overall, followed by the yearling RO-2025-2015044, which finished 103rd Overall.

A pigeon fancier since 2006 and president of the Lovrin Racing Pigeon Club, Ionuț Șușelea competes in every racing category, adapting his racing system according to each stage of the season. For marathon events, he prefers the natural system, believing it provides the motivation required for long-distance races. His breeding loft is founded on proven bloodlines including Poker Face, Freialdenhofen, Emiel Denis, Jelle Jellema, and Frans Bungeneers.

"It's rewarding to see that the work invested over the past few years is beginning to pay off. However, the season has only just started, and my focus remains on the races ahead. The event was excellently organized, and returns were very good, with only minimal losses," commented Ionuț Șușelea.

The Chomutov marathon once again highlighted the exceptionally high level of competition in Romania's Western Province and provided an outstanding opening to the 2026 marathon season.