Governor's Cup Yacht Race (Cape to St Helena)
Governor's Cup Yacht Race (Cape to St Helena) takes place Starts late Dec 2026 (biennial; confirm the exact day on capetosthelena.co.za) in Cape Town, South Africa. The dress code is Full offshore sailing kit for crews; the St Helena finish is relaxed and entirely casual. Typical cost ranges from 300 to 1000 EUR per person.
A biennial roughly 1,700-nautical-mile ocean race from Simon's Town in False Bay to St Helena, one of the most isolated inhabited islands on earth. The fleet is small - typically under a dozen boats - and the appeal is the destination rather than the competition, with the island turning out to welcome every arrival. It is closer to an expedition than a regatta.
- When
- Starts late Dec 2026 (biennial; confirm the exact day on capetosthelena.co.za)
- Where
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Dress code
- Full offshore sailing kit for crews; the St Helena finish is relaxed and entirely casual
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 300 to 1000 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 20 - 27C at the Cape Town start; St Helena is a mild subtropical 20 - 24C year-round
- When to book
- Boats and crews qualify months ahead through False Bay Yacht Club; St Helena flights and beds must be booked far in advance as capacity is tiny
- Getting there
- CPT (Cape Town), about 45 min to Simon's Town; HLE (St Helena) via Johannesburg for the finish
- Where to stay
- Quayside Hotel Simon's Town, Boulders Beach Hotel, Mantis St Helena
- Official site
- https://capetosthelena.co.za/
How to attend
The Simon's Town start is free to watch from the False Bay Yacht Club area and the harbour front. Sailing it means securing a berth on an entered yacht through False Bay Yacht Club or St Helena Yacht Club, and boats must satisfy offshore safety and crew-qualification rules well ahead of the start. If you would rather be at the finish, St Helena is reachable by the weekly flight via Johannesburg, but the island's accommodation is limited and books out around the race.
The Simon's Town start is free to watch from the False Bay Yacht Club area with no ticket; sailing it means arranging a berth privately on an entered yacht through False Bay or St Helena Yacht Club.
Insider tip
St Helena has a single weekly flight and very few beds, so if you plan to greet the fleet, book the island before you book anything else.
Get inside Governor's Cup Yacht Race (Cape to St Helena)
Booking matters here: boats and crews qualify months ahead through False Bay Yacht Club; St Helena flights and beds must be booked far in advance as capacity is tiny. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.