The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (sometimes referred to as the Bluewater Classic in Australian media) is an annual event hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km). The race is run in co-operation with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and is widely considered to be one of the most difficult yacht races in the world. The race was initially planned to be a cruise by Peter Luke and some friends who had formed a club for those who enjoyed cruising as opposed to racing, however when a visiting British Royal Navy Officer, Captain John Illingworth, suggested it be made a race, the event was born. The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has grown over the decades, since the inaugural race in 1945, to become one of the top three offshore yacht races in the world, and it now attracts maxi yachts from all around the globe.

A Cruising Yacht Club of America three part 55 minute documentary on the golden years of the Sydney to Hobart Race

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 50 Golden Years Documentary Part 2

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 50 Golden Years Documentary Part 3