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Sydney to Hobart yacht race opens Sydney to Hobart yacht race opens
(about 6 hours later)
More than 100 boats are setting off on the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. One hundred boats have left Sydney Harbour in the annual yacht race to the southern Australian city of Hobart.
A favourable weather forecast could see the record for the 628-nautical mile journey broken.
Wreaths will also be laid during the event to remember six sailors who died when fierce storms hit the fleet in 1998.
The yachts have breezed out of Sydney harbour watched by hundreds of thousands of spectators.
Ahead of them lies one of the world's most demanding ocean races.
It will take the fleet down Australia's southeast coast and across Bass Strait, an often treacherous stretch of water that separates the island state of Tasmania from the mainland.
The competition record stands at one day, 18 hours and 40 minutes but that is expected to come under pressure as the boats will initially be propelled by strong northerly winds.
The super maxi Wild Oats XI is the favourite to win this iconic event for the fourth year in a row.
The 30 metre craft has got off to a good start and could well eclipse the race record it set in 2005.
Sad memories
There has been a sombre air surrounding this year's Sydney to Hobart.
It is the tenth anniversary of a tragedy that claimed the lives of six sailors, who were killed when a giant storm hammered the fleet.
Several boats sank and more than 50 competitors had to be plucked to safety by helicopter in one of Australia's biggest peacetime rescue missions.
Wreaths will be laid at sea and a minute's silence has been held to remember the victims of a race that some survivors still refer to as 'hell on high water.'
Crews have held a minute's silence to remember the victims of the disastrous race a decade ago. More than 100 boats are setting off on the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
Organisers of the race are planning to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 1998 event, when six sailors lost their lives after storms hit the fleet.Organisers of the race are planning to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 1998 event, when six sailors lost their lives after storms hit the fleet.
This year's event will culminate with a wreath-laying ceremony at Hobart, where the race winner is announced.This year's event will culminate with a wreath-laying ceremony at Hobart, where the race winner is announced.
Thousands of people gathered to see the boats leave Sydney Harbour for a race often billed as one of the toughest yachting competitions in the world.
An urgent radio message from a sinking yacht signalled the tragedy which befell the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race.
Violent storms and fierce winds battered the 115 boats which had set off from Sydney on the 625 nautical mile voyage to Tasmania.
Five boats sank, 66 retired from the race, 55 sailors were taken off their yachts, mostly by helicopter, and six sailors died.
Only 44 yachts made it to Hobart.
As a result, the rules of the race were tightened, with the introduction of minimum age and experience requirements.
This year's race will commemorate the worst tragedy in the event's history.
A minute's silence will be held at pre- and post-race functions, and there will be also be a wreath-laying service at the quayside in Hobart once the race is over.