JIM EMERTON PONDERS THE HARDEST RACE ROUTES INTO THE UK

My comments are personal and not absolute or hard irrefutable fact!! All routes tend to be influenced by time on the wing and distance, further impacted by environmental factors.

I clocked at distances up to 879 miles into Yorkshire from Spain, so have some insight. Who knows a bird’s experiences in its being from any race point? Studies of science and the geography and the weather en route only hint at the answers. As an intuitive perception from analysis and reason, I would say Barcelona International followed by Marseilles Internmational, and then domestic Palamos-Barcelona is the most prestigious, the final frontier of UK international racing. My feelings and the velocities tell me that NFC Pau tends to be harder than Tarbes. On the north road Lerwick into South Wales can be hard. Continental racing into Ireland has legendary degrees of punishing difficulty, including the King’s Cup. I would love to see, and it will happen, more marathon international racing into Ireland. Some arduous racing takes place into the rugged hills of Scotland to over 1000 miles. Fundamental to all routes are the unknown environmental influences of the race, and the race quality of pigeon and fancier. One of my toughest races was at 138 miles - Buckingham! Do we not all live the great human MYSTERY?

If any Elimar reader would like to give their thoughts on which are the hardest race routes into the UK, your comments would be welcome for publication. E-mail elimar908@btinternet.com