This is it! Surfs up!

Two years of dreaming, and 8 months of planning come to fruition in just 15 hours time. Team 'Our Dianne' spent today at the club putting the final touches in place, taking the old main sail down and slipping on their Sunday best. Billy said tonight "I am really upbeat about the Team and have a good feeling in my gut". This has really excited the team and they cant wait to get to sea to sail with Billy as he attempts to take the Governors Cup for an unprecedented third time. 

Race Face, 24 hours and counting!

As skipper Billy said in an email to the team tonight, "the countdown has begun!" The weather for the start looks more than ideal at around 10 to 15 knots southerly, although 'Our Dianne' would have liked a strong South East and a hard beat to Cape Point to help open up an early lead. Team 'Our Dianne' are still in the running for line honours but Banjo, the super fast trimaran skippered by Frans Loots and Jeremy Bagshaw (last years winner), look likely to claim the honour of first into St Helena. But the Governors Cup is not hoisted by the fastest boat over all and Billy and the team are dead set on securing that third win on handicap.

Race tracker website going live

Interested in following the progress of Team 'Our Dianne'? 'Our Dianne' as well as all the other 16 boats can followed anytime using the race tracker on the Governors cup website at www.thegovernorscup.co.za. All 17 boats are being fitted with tracking devices by Altech / Netstar who have partnered with the race organisors as official trackers of the GC 2010.

This is the life

Aaron, Julie, Spook & Billy were treated to a tour and lunch at Altydgedagt vineyards in Durbanville, Cape Town, this Thursday. The farm and St Helena have a long relationship dating back to Napoleon when he had their wines sent to him while in exile on the island. The original title deeds for the land were signed back in 1698 by Simon van der Stel himself. The tough life of of an ocean racer.

Pantry padding

The entire team pitched up for the cupboard lining ceremony at a local supermarket this afternoon. Two trolley loads later this team is not going hungry. There was mild concern as the beans and tinned curries were being loaded in, but apparently it's o.k. cause we'll be going faster than the "wind".

Communications? Tick

Team 'Our Dianne' communication partner Sat 4 Rent & Evosat, have installed the state of the art satellite voice and data communications system on board 'Our Dianne'. Thanks to this system the team will be not only be in permanent contact with the outside world, but will also be able to access valuable weather information via the web, as well as keep this blog up to date while thousands of miles out to sea. Marc Bow of Team 'Our dianne' & Plan C Productions can be seen filming the instalation for the Super Sport TV show.

4 days and counting

The 2010 Governors Cup build up got under way officially today in Simonstown. There was a fantastic turn out for the team parade through the main street as well as the mixing of the waters ceremony. Julie and Aaron were at last able to mix their St Helena waters with those of the other competing clubs, that they had nursed so carefully all the way to SA.

Let the festivities begin

This weekend sees the start of the 2010 Governors Cup festivities in Simonstown. Saturday morning all 18 teams will parade through the main street to Jubilee square, where the waters from all the entrants clubs will be mixed as art of the opening ceremony. As part of the ceromonies each skipper will also be issued with his clearance to sail, before the teams head off to the club for the final preparations for the start this Wednesday.

Bitter sweet days leading up to race

Our Dianne blogging has been slow over the past few days as team member Marc attends to sad family matters.
"With just a few days left till the start of my first ocean race my father eventually succumbed to illness and passed away at home in our mothers arms on Tuesday evening. I have left the team for a few days to be with my family but still look forward to starting this great adventure that my father was so interested in. I know he'll be with me out there and as Billy said, we'll look forward to celebrating his life out at sea. In his last will and testament, which the family read today, he requested for his ashes to be scattered at sea. While it won't be possible in time for this race, it certainly warms the heart to know his spirit will be in the winds that take us to St Helena."
Marc Bow

Exactly 1 week to the start of 2010 Governors Cup

It's exactly 1 week till the 2010 edition of the Governors Cup gets underway from Simonstown and the first long range forecast is in, it's going to be blowing south east. While south east is exactly what all the competitors want to push them in the direction of St Helena, it's the beat out of False Bay into the wind towards Cape Point thats going to prove interesting and wet.

Filling the cracks

Billy 'MacGyver' in the bilge tending to a temperamental stern lights wiring. The team will be spending the next few days ironing the last few problems flat before racking n packing this weekend.

The weather watching begins

With just 8 days to go till the start Team 'Our Dianne' has begun watching the forecasts for start day. Currently the furthest accurate forecast is the Monday 2 days before the start and the competitors will be keeping a watchful eye from here on to see if the predicted SE wind still be pumping as strong as it is on the current forecasts.

St Helena monkey

Aaron Legg climbs 'Our Dianne's' mast to take a picture for the scrutineers. And they say there's no monkeys in St Helena?

Scrutineering Complete

Andrew from Governors Cup race organisors  digs through 'Our Dianne's' grab bag during todays scrutineering session at FBYC. 

Scrutineering Monday 10am

Team 'Our Dianne' will be dockside early Monday morning for their vital scrutineering. Both the safety and seaworthiness of 'Our Dianne' will be subjected to the eagle eye's of the race stewards who are ensuring the fleet adheres to the rules and standards of the race.

Registration Complete

The first step towards receiving the clearance to sail from the race officer was completed this morning at FBYC. Despite the the festivities of the Blue peter Dinner the night before Team 'Our Dianne' turned out  in full force for their early registration slot. Erika and 'Spilly' Spillhaus of the race committee have been busy registering the 18 official entries since Saturday.

Our Dianne debut Cape Storm team shirt at Blue Peter dinner

Saturday night saw the Governors Cup 2010 official festivities commence with the Blue Peter Dinner at FBYC. Team 'Our Dianne' took the opportunity of the event to debut their official team shirt from Cape Storm. From left Marc Bow; Julie George (St Helena); Billy leisegang (skipper); Aaron Legg (St Helena); Spook and Ryan Leisegang.

Crew train in wet and strong westerly

Team 'Our Dianne' headed out into the bay this afternoon for training as a strong westerly blew in. Unfortunately an unwell Julie George of St Helena was unable to make the practice as her flu kept her in bed for the afternoon, while an 80% capacity crew took on the wet and windy weather. New comers to the team Aaron Legg and Marc Bow were shown "the ropes" of  'Our Diannes' foredeck and still have a lot of polishing left to do. Marc Bow said after the practice "I'm still tying sheets where halyards are meant to go but it's getting better with each sail." With just 10 days left till race day there's still quite a bit of sailing left to do before the gun at 12 noon on December 1.

Governors Cup Blue Peter Dinner

The Governors Cup 2010 Blue Peter dinner takes place tonight at 19:30 at FBYC in Simonstown. The Blue Peter or Papa flag is used by maritime vessels to indicate an imminent departure. 

Registration Day

Team 'Our Dianne' and the rest of the 18 strong fleet will be heading down to False Bay Yacht Club this weekend to register for the 2010 Governors Cup.

Underwater filming for Super Sport Production

Marc Bow of Our Dianne & Plan-C Productions talking to the camera crew filming keel and overhead passes for the Super Sport Governors Cup production. The 2 hour program will will be aired over two weeks in February 2010.

The "Saints" get to grips with 'Our Dianne'

Julie George and Aaron Legg getting to grips with 'Our Dianne' for the first time while filming an underwater shot for the Super Sport production of the Governors Cup.

Sat 4 Rent official satellite communications suppliers to Team 'Our Dianne"

Satellite communications company Sat 4 Rent have joined Team ' Our dianne' for the 2010 Governors Cup Race. Sat 4 rent will ensure Team 'Our Dianne' are always in contact with both voice and high speed data connections. In addition Sat 4 rent are also supporting the Governors Cup Race itself with both voice and data satellite communications for the race officer.

Cape Storm kit out crew of Team 'Our Dianne'

Team 'Our Dianne' are proud to announce that specialist outdoor clothing experts Cape Storm have partnered with Team 'Our Dianne' as their official clothing supplier for the Governors Cup Race 2010. Cape Storm have kitted out each team member with a range of clothing for all conditions expected during the 3400km sail to the island of St Helena.

The Saints have arrived

'Our Dianne' crew members Aaron Legg and Julie George have arrived from St Helena.

Aaron and Julie have both competed in the Governors Cup before, Aaron competed at 18 in 2002, and Julie was on board the winning yacht in 2008.