The Cumbria Combine birds at Guernsey were liberated this morning at 7.15am in a light north east wind.
With no channel racing for two years from France, through a combination of COVID-19 and Brexit, this race has been eagerly anticipated by fanciers who enjoy distance racing.
Guernsey to parts of north Cumbria is over 360 miles and the leaders should be homing in mid-afternoon.
Racing from Guernsey is a throwback to the immediate post war era when no racing from France was possible and the Channel Island was seen as a viable alternative.
But Cumbrian birds have not been there since the 1960s.
Today’s race is the final one in the old bird programme with the young birds being prepared for their first race on Sunday.
Training has been intense over the last two weeks and has been blessed with good weather conditions.
