Take your point to certain extent Andy but say a guy "times in" in the south of Belguim a British doo still has a helluva of a fly to get to the channel coast never mind thinking about crossing the channel!
Put it another way everyone would time from 60 miles 99% from 80 miles etc etc, but who is going to suggest we should fly from a maximum of 100 miles, no one!
These birds are brave brave birds and probably all of the good doos you have timed to your credit this year and in the past few years in channel races, if you were to send them to this race you would never see them again.
Guess I am saying pigeons for courses but the point is a good south west wind from the north of france to the east coast of Scotland is a different race entirely from what these gallant birds are contending with.
All the best from the last Maidstone!