THE SYDNEY HOBART RACE

The Sydney Hobart yacht race is one of the world's great sporting events. It stands alongside Britain’s Fastnet and America’s Newport to Bermuda as a major fixture in the offshore racing calendar. Every year, a fleet of yachts sets sail on 26 December, destined for the capital of Tasmania.

The start is watched by a crowd of thousands – in boats, or crammed onto the headlands and beaches of Sydney Harbour. It has become an integral part of the Australian Christmas holiday, and the progress of the fleet is closely followed by millions.

The course is 628 nautical miles long, and takes the fleet down the New South Wales coastline to Bass Strait, the turbulent passage separating Tasmania from the Australian mainland. It is here that competitors frequently face horrendous meteorological conditions, and big waves brought on by the relatively shallow waters.

	Map courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Once they have made it across the strait, the yachts continue down the east coast of Tasmania to the often troublesome Storm Bay, and then up the Derwent River to Hobart.

The first race took place in 1945, when a group of Sydney sailors decided to turn a post-war Christmas cruise into a competition. From the beginning, it was clear this was never going to be an easy race. The nine boats that took part faced a violent storm and 74 knot winds. Since then, over 45,000 sailors have competed, including Ted Turner, Rupert Murdoch and Edward Heath. Much of the race's popularity stems from the extreme conditions that are often encountered.

In 1998, a cyclone struck the fleet in Bass Strait, leading to a massive rescue operation involving aircraft from multiple police and rescue organisations, as well as a frigate and helicopters from the Royal Australian Navy. By the end, 55 sailors had been winched to safety and six men were dead. The 1998 race is well documented in Fatal Storm by Rob Mundle.

Despite the dangers, the Sydney Hobart remains a firm favourite among adventurous sailors. Some of the most sophisticated maxi yachts in the world are constructed especially for it. These super-maxis cost millions of dollars to build, and are usually sponsored by and named after large corporations.

Up to 98 feet long, with masts rising 145 feet, the super-maxis require 20-strong crews, and large engines to move their keels and generate the power for their winches. Controlling such enormous sailing vessels in stormy conditions is a highly-skilled art. The course record now stands at under 43 hours.

Highlights from the race are broadcast around the world. You can follow the progress of the fleet and find out more at the official race site.

The race is organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

All photographs are by kind permission of Andrea Francolini