Algarve Great Derby 2025. RACE 1

Hello friends, Ringo here – and today was a big milestone: Race 1 of the Algarve Great Derby Summer 2025, from 200 km.

Let me tell you, the morning started with some nervous trainers. Fog and low clouds were hanging around the release place, making visibility tricky. But the forecast showed temperatures rising fast and humidity dropping even faster, so the trainers had to find the perfect window: safe to release, but early enough for us to get home before it got too hot and dry.

The flight itself was a real mix:

The first half of the way we had a north wind at our backs (tailwind, thank you very much ).

Closer to home the wind turned south, straight against us, and that meant headwind battles.

You could really see it at the arrival: most of us came in flying low against the wind, wings pumping hard. By the time we trapped, we were definitely thirsty warriors.

It took almost 2.5 hours for the first arrivals, but the rhythm was steady, and it turned out to be a fantastic race.

Weather Conditions

Release place (10:00 AM):

Temp: 20,2 °C

Humidity: 95%

Wind: SO 5,8 km/h

Midway (11:00 AM):

Temp: 26,3 °C

Humidity: 44%

Wind: N 12,6 km/h

Arrival place (12:00 PM):

Temp: 30,8 °C

Humidity: 28%

Wind: S 14,8 km/h

Podium Winners – Race 1 (200 km)

Umm Birka loft (Qatar)

QA-25-8030 · UL 030

03/09/2025 11:59:11.770

1436.8212 m/min

Connolley Metals (United Kingdom)

GB-25-N-20894 · Palladium

03/09/2025 11:59:17.910

1435.7656 m/min

Dieter Siebert + Chen Yue (Germany)

DE-25-06723-5095 · Talent 5095

03/09/2025 11:59:19.550

1435.4840 m/min

The season is heating up – literally and figuratively. One race down, many more stories to come. Stay tuned!

– Ringo