The Governors Cup 2010

St Helena stands like a rocky sentinel in the Atlantic Ocean mid way between South America and Africa. She is often referred to as one of the most remote islands in the world, with the only way to get there being by boat or birth.
Every two years the St Helena Yacht Club in Jamestown and the False Bay Yacht Club in Simonstown South Africa, put together the international yacht race The Governors Cup. Since 1998, both racers and cruisers have taken on the 3000 km course across the 5000m deep Atlantic Ocean in a bid to lift the coveted crystal trophy.
Team 'Our Dianne'
The 2010 edition of the race sees two time victor Billy Leisegang return after a one race sabbatical in an attempt to lift the trophy for an unprecedented third time. With 50% of the original winning crew still on board and new team members from St Helena and Cape Town, Team 'Our Dianne' will be going all out 24 hours a day in their attempt to reclaim the magnificent Governors Cup.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Pursuit on the high seas

Like a man of war, the red spinnaker of Banjo could be seen on the distant horizon bearing down on us, or so we thought. As we spied them with our binoculours and debated their tactics as they kept slipping across our stern to the north, dissapearing over the horizon late yesterday evening as little light. At this point we dont know if they saw us too but either way they've adopted a strategy thats taken them more to the north in anticiaption of a better angle to the island. With all the chatter and comms out there were not gonna reveal our tactics at this stage, but they're already in writing and Billy will be posting later today once we've commited. What we can tell you is confidence is high. We had expected Banjo to to begin a gybing game to our stern and try to reel us being a faster boat and were surprised when they headed north. One things for sure, its gonna be a great drink in the bar when we catch up with each other on St Helena, no matter who takes the honours at the line.
596 miles from St Helena

2 comments:

  1. Go "Our Dianne" Go ! ! !
    If we could blow you there we would ! ! Where are those wings to make you fly. !
    Keep it up, you're doing fantastic ! !
    In our thoughts & prayers.

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  2. Well done Billy...keep it up...our money's on you for the cup!Be safe..Surf that wave! As you can see Anne and Ali were a great dancing duo at the wedding. Love to our Dianne

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