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.