The prestigious
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which is a true icon of Australia’s summer sporting season, starts each year on
Boxing Day (26 December) just after midday. From the spectacular start in
Sydney Harbour, the fleet of multimillion dollar yachts sails out into the open waters of the
Pacific Ocean and down the south-east coast of mainland Australia. From there, the race proceeds onwards and into the often wild waters of the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait which separates the mainland from the island state of Tasmania, to finally follow the east coast of
Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into
Storm Bay for the final sail up the
Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles [approx. 1,200 km]. The internationally known premium brand watchmaker
Rolex has been the naming rights sponsor of the race since 2002, and since then the race has been known as the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.