December 26, 1945 – The first Sydney to Hobart yacht race is held in Australia

The Sydney to Hobart yacht race is a major Australian event held annually on Boxing Day.

Hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, the race starts in Sydney on Boxing Day and finishes in Hobart, a distance of 1167km, or 630 nautical miles.

The first race was held on 26 December 1945, and included nine starters.

The inaugural race winner was “Rani”.

Initially intended to be a cruise between the two cities, the race has grown over the years to attract international interest, with maxi-yachts from the US, the UK and Europe competing.